Comments on: How do you feel about women breastfeeding in public?

By: OJ Pyro

OJ Pyro — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:19:40 +0000

There is nothing more natural than a woman breasfeeding her baby.

By: Canoro

Canoro — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:04:28 +0000

woman that breastfeed in public face the same problem that nudists have to deal with. if some people find that a person that exposes any part of his/her body with no sexual intentions sexually provocative, is their problem.

i guess you can do nothing to stop a person nearby to find sexually appealing the act of breastfeeding if he/she decides it to find it so. people find sexually attractive other people even if they are not acting in a sexual way and have their “shameful areas” covered (like if the human body could be something to be ashamed of).

you have the right to expose any part of your body in public as long as your intentions are not sexual. if they find it sexually attractive, oh well. (rolling eyes)

By: KMP

KMP — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:37:13 +0000

Uncomfortable. Period. I don’t want to look but its out there. I breast feed my baby but I do it in private. I live a sheltered nursing life. I dont think the whole world needs to see my baby sucking on my breasts in public. That’s why in some modern malls they have nursing rooms just for this purpose. That’s where I go. If I shop where not available, I go find some place private, less traveled and nurse there. Every one has a choice and preference. This is mine and I don’t hate the mothers right to public nursing. for myself I find it embarrassing. If a mother is covered up with a blanky and does not expose herself while nursing looks more respectful towards the public who have to walk by and see it. If I had to nurse in public, I’d nurse covered up. they know what your doing but can’t see anything either which is great.

By: ~Mrs. Ferrari~

~Mrs. Ferrari~ — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:11:57 +0000

I have been lucky enough not to be harassed in public. I had some lovely experiences in CA, where I am from, since it’s quite common to see moms NIP, and I was actually congratulated for doing so.
It was awful that the only person to give me grief was a friend, yes a FRIEND! Grrr needless to say I no longer speak to her! She actually finds breastfeeding disgusting. I pity her child.
I refuse to use a blanket or cover, since my daughter hated them from day one. I also don’t find it necessary; breastfeeding is not dirty or shameful. If someone happens to catch a glimpse of nipple, they are looking too closely LOL! Plus I’ve never seen any nursing mom dancing on a table with her top off, yelling “come watch me breastfeed; I need attention!” Come on! We are just trying to nourish and comfort our children.
I find it quite pathetic that our culture refuses to acknowledge the primary reason we HAVE breasts! Go ahead and use big fake boobs to sell beer, but the moment a mother nurses….”YUCK! GO AWAY! COVER THAT UP, NO ONE NEEDS TO SEE IT!!!” *eye roll*

By: MelG

MelG — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:29:53 +0000

I love to see women NIP. If someone is ignorant and rude enough to make an ignorant or rude comment I’d be more than happy to educate them. I think it makes nursing mom’s lives a lot harder when they feel they can’t/won’t NIP because then they have to pump or hide… And a lot of covers scream “HI, I’M NURSING HERE! I’M BEING DISCREET!!!” Lmao!

By: Rosiepop

Rosiepop — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:58:05 +0000

I know, it’s a sad world we live in when a child can’t be fed by its mother without people becoming offended.

I’m pregnant myself with every intention of breastfeeding my child – woe betide anyone who tries to tell me I can’t, or that it is indecent. It’s only their mucky minds that makes it something other than a child being fed.

By: DAN

DAN — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:12:29 +0000

I think it is ok as long as there aren’t small children around and they are covered. A poor mother may not be able to feed their child so they will feed them that way. Also, women should breast feed in a bathroom. Thats why some places have benches in the bathrooms.

By: shorts

shorts — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:57:26 +0000

I am absolutely comfortable with a woman breastfeeding anywhere she needs. However, being in the restaurant business for 20 years, I have seen women go about it by completely revealing themselves. This is unnecessary. While this is the most natural and definitely the best food for newborns, a little discretion needs to be there when preparing to feed. I watched a woman one day simply put a blanket over her shoulder and then open her shirt and bra. Slick and unshowing. Woman need to dress to suit breastfeeding in public, I guess that is the bottom line. Otherwise, its fine with me.

By: Brockley

Brockley — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:20:25 +0000

i like it

By: MaMaBean☆

MaMaBean☆ — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:06:57 +0000

Ohhh the opportunity to VENT WHOOP WHOOP Thank you sir.

Here’s my story:

I was at the grocery store with my then 2 month old daughter. Walking slowly through the isles and nursing her. I was wearing my winter coat and a nursing shirt that covered my belly so when I say you couldn’t see $$$$ you really couldn’t see anything but my babes feet.

So I’m walking and I feel this presence behind me, then beside me, I look and this dirty man is looking at me with a smirk, I look down (consciously checking to see if anything is exposed, nothing is), then back up and he is still GAWKING at me. So I say (confrontationally) “Do you mind?!?!” He chuckled and turned away. GRRRR SO THEN his wife who was behind him and I pipes up (I guess she didn’t like her man gawking as if it was my fault) she says “you know what, there’s places for that” I was pissed now. I said “Oh ya?!” , “YA!” she says, “It’s called a bathroom”.

HAHA so I said “Ya, you two look like the types that would eat your lunch in the bathroom” That got an elderly lady in the isle laughing and the cashiers attention. These people just stood there like cavemen without a clue. The cashier said ” She can breastfeed wherever she wants” with that they started walking away. I couldn’t help but add just as they were leaving my site “It’s to bad your mama’s didn’t love you enough to teach you what boobs are for!” “Ignorant #$%$@#! ”

While mine isn’t everyone’s style I truly believe that breastfeeding publically and proudly (yes tastefully) is the only way our society is ever going to change. Standing up for one’s self and child is part of that.

I havn’t had all bad experiences. With my son whom I breasfed for 19 months and often in public I never recieved any bad comments (the wierd thing is that back then I was a teenage mom ~ you’d think I would have had to deal with it more so then. But lucky it came years later, when I had quite a bit of education under my belt and a whole bucket of confidence.

Another story I must share: On the bus not to long ago with my daughter I was nursing and a little girl asked her mom what I was doing she said “feeding her baby” which is a great answer but both the mom and I could see the little girl was confused. After asking permission, I teached the little girl Ava what boobs are for, once she was comfy the questions came by the dozens and very quickly she asked to see, I again asked for permission from the mom and showed little 4 year old Ava how a baby should eat. The more kids that see it, the more normal and less taboo it will become.

My opinion. Thanks again for the opportunity to vent.