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Breastfeeding in public
This archived discussion is "read only".
» Laraliz - Breastfeeding in public places Until recently I had not even tried to breastfeed in a public place; partly from fear of embarassing my husband and partly because I figured that I would make others around me uncomfortable. A few weeks ago my husband and I took a trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. It was our first big all day outing with Christina. We packed the diaper bag, loaded up the stroller and headed out for our day of adventure. I made sure to feed the baby just before we left the house -- but I knew that she would be hungry a little more than an hour after we got to Baltimore. Sure enough -- as soon as we sat down in the amphitheater for the dolphin show, she was showing signs of hunger. Robbie and I looked at each other with slight exasperation -- then I just threw my baby sling over my shoulder and cuddled her up under my breast and started feeding her. No one even raised an eyebrow. I was a LOT more comfortable than I imagined I would be and Robbie didn't seem to mind a bit. On top of that, it made our 2 hour trek through the aquarium much more peaceful since Christina had a full tummy. She was pleasant and sweet and alert. I saw other couples with their babies -- giving them bottles -- and then their babies would drift off to sleep in their back-packs. Christina was happily cooing in her sling -- facing the world -- watching the fishies. It was great fun.Then, this past weekend, Robbie and I decided to spend Sunday afternoon at a local mall to escape the sweltering heat. Naturally, Christina wanted to eat when she saw us drinking our smoothies -- so we found a bench that was not in one of the main streams of walking traffic and I draped her blanket over my shoulder and started feeding her. On a bench across from us a woman was giving her baby a bottle. She kept looking up at us, squinting. Then she walked over to the garbage can beside our bench and made a point to turn her nose up at us and roll her eyes. I was appalled. I still have no idea how feeding my child in the most natural way was in any way offensive to her! I had to resolve not to let her behaviour affect me -- and I pitied her for her ignorance. The important thing here is that we do not let ourselves become discouraged or ashamed because other women, or men, react negatively to our breastfeeding in public -- it is perfectly natural to feed our children at our breast. There is NO shame in that! -- posted by Laraliz » mykidzmom - breastfeeding in public I agree with you! Here is an article I wrote recently called "Even Shy Moms Can Nurse in Public": http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/4121...Please consider adding a comment in my guestbook and sharing your experience. It's very encouraging! -- posted by mykidzmom » Slingmom - nursing in public Thank heavens no one has ever said anything to me about nursing my babies in public. Sometimes I think the bottle-feeding mothers need "to roll their eyes" because they need to make themselves feel better for not breastfeeding. Unfortunately Many times they wanted to breastfeed but were unsucessful due to lack of information. Hopefully that will change in the next decade. Many moms have found that putting a blanket over their shoulder actually draws attention to what they are doing--everybody knows, even from across the room. But if it is possible for you to nurse discreetly by just lifting up the bottom edge of your shirt with it draped over your baby, other people (unless they are nursing moms themselves) usually do not know what you are doing. many times I have had people walk up to me while nursing this way and get right in my face and ask to see my baby. Once they are inches from me they finally realize that baby is peacefully eating, smile, and back off. We all should be able to eat in public!!!-- posted by Slingmom » Laraliz - Thanks for the great insights! You know, just because we are proud to be nursing mother we don't have a license to "flaunt it" in public. I think we should always be sensitive to the values of those around us even when they seem silly, out-dated, or old fashioned to us. It's true that sometimes the women who may be "offended" by our public breastfeeding could have had a negative experience with breastfeeding, or could have feelings of guilt for not sticking with it and turning to bottle-feeding their children. One thing remains true, though: all people have the right to eat in public -- and as "mykidzmom" says, "Kids are people, too!"-- posted by Laraliz » ChildfreeWoman - Breastfeeding in public I'm totally against it. As a childfree woman, I do not want to see an exposed breast when I'm eating or at the mall. It is natural, but so is urinating, vomiting, etc, but I do not do that in front of others. I find that the BFing moms are the first to complain about a racy magazine cover or a nude figure in an art museum. Pretty hypocritical, huh?-- posted by ChildfreeWoman » kidsmomof3 - Re: Breastfeeding in public In response to message posted by ChildfreeWoman:In general, moms are very discreet when they breastfeed in public. On the rare occasion that an area of a breast is briefly exposed, I can guarantee it is still covered more than what most teenage girls are wearing and walking around in at that same mall or restaurant. Secondly, equating breastfeeding with urinating and vomiting is vulgar and narrow-minded. I suppose you think that I should feed my baby in the public restroom. I'll be happy to oblige when you join me to eat your lunch or dinner in the same stall. Breastfeeding is the reason that women are given breasts. It is natural and the perfect food for a human infant. If you don't like to see moms nurturing and feeding their babies, then you can choose to not look. Sincerely, kidsmomof3 -- posted by kidsmomof3 » Daisy5 - Re: Breastfeeding in public In response to message posted by ChildfreeWoman:I have to say that I think a baby should be fed when it's hungry and yes, breasts are meant for feeding babies. I have been made uncomfortable, however, by women who are not discreet about it. I'm childfree too....so maybe I'm just not used to certain things. In all honesty, some of us are just not interested in seeing all that anatomy. It's too much information. I don't mind when people are discreet about it. -- posted by Daisy5 » hafpint_74 - Re: Re: Breastfeeding in public In response to all of the women that have said they are uncomfortable with women using their body as God intended- Not Hollywood-Women don't show very much, if any at all while their babies are breasfeeding. If you see more than you are wanting, then you are looking too hard. And for Daisy5, if you were in MY home & you asked ME to go to another room, YOU would no longer be welcome in my house. That is rude and inconsiderate to try and tell me that MY CHILD cannot eat comfortably in his/her own home because you are ignorant about what you do not understand. Why you people do not realize that there is an emotional bond that is natural, healthy, and NOT SEXUAL is completely beyond me. -- posted by hafpint_74 » Daisy5 - BF'ing Well hafpint, sorry you feel that way.But you know what, some people are NOT discreet. This friend just let the whole shebang just hang there. She didn't try to cover up. Uh, I don't think so. Where am I supposed to look when someone is talking to me? Stare at the wall? Fact is, I was made very uncomfortable by the situation. And I DID NOT suggest she leave the room or not feed her baby. I just wished there had been a graceful way out for me. It was very inappropriate (based on my culture and upbringing) to have a woman's full upper body exposed in my presence. And no, I probably would not have visited your household again. -- posted by Daisy5 » florderoxana - Re: Re: Breastfeeding in public In response to message posted by kidsmomof3:Thanks to all, I feel very encouraged with your comments. However, there still are malls and restaurants that tell me "kindly" that I cannot do "that" in that place. Do you know some law that protects my baby’s right to the lactation? -- posted by florderoxana
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