My questions are what are the guidelines about something like this? Should a women who breast feeds their children excuse themselves from others company? Should a woman breast feed their child in a isolated area away from the public? When did the explicit practice of breastfeeding a baby become a movement? Could this decision to breast feed in front of family and relatives simply be settled by the polite question of Do you mind
..?
1) A woman should NEVER need to excuse herself for feeding her child. Do you excuse yourself for feeding you child with a bottle? It's the exact same thing. The only difference is what the "container" is made of.
2) There is also no need to go elsewhere just because someone else might feel uncomfortable. If for any reason you might feel uncomfortable with a child being breastfed close to you, you should excuse yourself and go somewhere else. I think it is sad if any woman needs to go elsewhere to breastfeed for fear of OTHERS feeling uncomfortable. The baby needs to be fed, and the baby doesn't care where you are, so neither should mother.
3) I have not been aware that breastfeeding has become a movement. I know that in the area where I live, several cafes and coffee shops have special "breastfeeding-friendly" areas so that mothers can sit comfortably while feeding their babies. (As in, they have couches as opposed to chairs)
4) I also don't think that a mother needs to ask "Do you mind?" in order to breastfeed in front of anyone be it the next door neighbour the Queen.
Ok, sure, there are times where it may be required to be slightly more discreet, but I think the point is that no matter where or when, the baby doesn't care, the baby is hungry and the mother therefore shouldn't need to care, shouldn't need to feel judged and shouldn't be made to feel less than anyone else. Would I support a child being breastfed during dinner? Of course. During a court hearing? Sure! I think the focus should be on breast
FEEDING rather than
BREASTfeeding.