The Breast Question

[Booko]

They can't go to lavatories to feed their children?

I take it you've never actually tried to breastfeed a child in a lavatory.

If a mother was actually being prevented from breastfeeding her child, such that she'd have to spend more than 5-10 minutes to find some privacy, then I would agree that she has a right to feed the child in front of unwilling others. In other cases, no.

In some cases, there's privacy available, and most breastfeeding mothers I know would seek it rather than have the mall security guard come toss you out of the mall for daring to feed your child in a way that displays more modesty than most of the clothing store mannequins ever display. :sarcastic

Sorry, Mark, but I've had to defend breastfeeding friends of mine in situations exactly like this. Apparently Moms who choose to breastfeed are just supposed to be locked in their house all the time.

Moms who bottle feed never face this "choice", of course.

 

[Booko]

How would you like to eat in the bathroom? :areyoucra Where in the bathroom would a mother sit to relax and feed her baby? Do you really think public restrooms are a clean and comfortable environment?

Yeah, we'd get to sit on the toilet (wow, that'll really help the letdown reflex) and annoy the heck out of other women and children waiting in line for the john.

 

[Buttercup]

The part of breast feeding that would have embarrassed me the most in public was the noises the little guys make while eating.

 

[Booko]

Maybe it's just me but I wouldn't have ever thought of not speaking to my mom because she asked me to go into a bedroom to breastfeed while company was over. As I've said before, I breast fed all of my kids, you have to be flexible toward the concerns of others.

My mother would've asked me to do that, even though none of the relatives would've been offended. But then, I would've just tried to compromise and ask if anyone would be offended, and when the response proved there was no problem, we could all get on with visiting.

 

[Ðanisty]

Yeah, we'd get to sit on the toilet (wow, that'll really help the letdown reflex) and annoy the heck out of other women and children waiting in line for the john.

You can sit on a public toilet to breastfeed if you want to, but I don't even sit on them to go to the bathroom!

 

[Buttercup]

You can sit on a public toilet to breastfeed if you want to, but I don't even sit on them to go to the bathroom!

I know what you mean. Although I did see a program (mythbusters maybe?) that said toilet seats are actually quite clean. Guess previous butts wipe off all the germs.

Instead of going to the bathroom if I had to breastfeed, I went to the car and turned on the air con if I had to. But, like I said before...seeing women breastfeed in public is perfectly acceptable imo.

 

[lizskid]

You know, I don't even mind in public IF it is discreet, like a towel or something, or a wrap...but to just whip it out and go for it is a bit insensitive.

 

[Booko]

You can sit on a public toilet to breastfeed if you want to, but I don't even sit on them to go to the bathroom!

:yes: :yes: :yes:

As it is women's bathrooms are rarely larger than men's, even though the kiddies all pretty much end up in our bathroom and we take longer and use them more.

So we're supposed to tie up our minimal number of toilets for breastfeeding moms too now?

I move we should use the men's room for breastfeeding moms and kit them out with comfy couches and the men can all just cross their legs and use a tree outside.

 

[Booko]

You know, I don't even mind in public IF it is discreet, like a towel or something, or a wrap...but to just whip it out and go for it is a bit insensitive.

Very true, but I can't recall ever seeing anyone be indiscreet about it in public. There aren't too many women who just want to whip it out and wave things around in public. With baby comes blanket.

 

[lizskid]

Tell that to the chick that I had to watch while I was eating my lobster.....

 

[Booko]

Tell that to the chick that I had to watch while I was eating my lobster.....

You see, I would have no problem going up to her and quietly suggesting some help from La Leche League would be in order.

All things considered, I'd rather see some indiscreet Mom than the guy who walked down the street with his baggies so low I could see half of his hairy butt crack. :thud:

Besides, in restaurants it's often possible to request to sit somewhere where you'll be facing away from most people, and then only the members of your party are an issue anyway. A little thoughtfulness goes a long way to keeping everyone comfortable.

 

[Storm]

Tell that to the chick that I had to watch while I was eating my lobster.....

Why did you have to watch?

 

[Buttercup]

All things considered, I'd rather see some indiscreet Mom than the guy who walked down the street with his baggies so low I could see half of his hairy butt crack. :thud:

Ewww! I read recently that some city in California (?) is thinking of outlawing baggie pants.

 

[Buttercup]

Why did you have to watch?

I think several of us have mentioned in the thread that consideration/diplomacy should be had by both sides. Those doing the breastfeeding and those who are in the company of breastfeeders. While I am very pro breastfeeding, if a woman across from our table at a restaurant barred her breast while feeding her baby, I'd be very tempted to say something to her. That's just really rude and inconsiderate.

 

[epro]

If it was normal to breast feed in front of others then why do women wear tops at the beach while men don't. The issue is not that a baby needs fed...they make pumps and bottles for away from the home. The issue is whether it is appropriate to bare oneself in public for whatever reason. In this sexually clouded world it is not.

 

[Booko]

If it was normal to breast feed in front of others then why do women wear tops at the beach while men don't. The issue is not that a baby needs fed...they make pumps and bottles for away from the home. The issue is whether it is appropriate to bare oneself in public for whatever reason. In this sexually clouded world it is not.

Breastfeeding in no way requires a woman to bare herself at all.

I'm guessing you have never tried to pump? It's takes a lot of time compared to the real deal, and frankly, I stopped breastfeeding my kids early because I couldn't pump in the john at work without repercussions.

My response to people who object to *discreet* breastfeeding in public has always been: If you have a problem with the design, please take it up with God the Designer.

In the South, that is enough to shut up anyone who thinks women should not be allowed to discreetly breastfeed anywhere outside the home.

 

[Halcyon]

I'm all for breastfeeding, valuable immunoglobulins are past from mother to infant in the milk, the auto-immune benefit of breastfeeding is undisputed.

As such, i personally believe a woman has the right to breast feed her child when its hungry wherever she might be.

Whether this is done in public is entirely for the individual mother to decide IMO, if she decides to do so in public it is my opinion that it falls on the people present to avert their eyes.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

breast feeding is is becoming more accepted in public in the uk.
I have never heard of any one objecting in a home.

There was a story in the last few weeks of a local councillor being banned from a council chamber for breast feeding. though as meetings can go on for many hours it was the reasonable thing to do. She is in the process of taking legal action... which could be interesting.

 

[methylatedghosts]

My questions are what are the guidelines about something like this? Should a women who breast feeds their children excuse themselves from other’s 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 breastFEEDING rather than BREASTfeeding.

 

[Smoke]

But what happens when mothers are thrown out of restaurants simply for exercising this right?

I have no problem at all with public breastfeeding, but I am unalterably opposed to taking babies to restaurants. Or movies.

BTW, the story you linked to doesn't mention restaurants.