Breastfeeding in public

[mykpart]

The thread about babies in restaurants inspired this one. Personally, I advocate breastfeeding and think it is natural and not obscene to watch. However, feeding your baby should be a time of special bonding. The baby should be getting all your attention. So why would you breastfeed in a restaurant when you're trying to eat? Or in the grocery store while shopping? It is not that difficult to plan your outings around baby's feeding times. I know, because I did it. And guess what? It won't kill the baby to drink some water from a bottle now and nurse when you get home. Let's face it, when you have a child, the child takes priority, and you really can't do all the things you could before you had him/her. If you can't deal with that, don't have children.

[JCMach1]

1. It always shocks me at how many people are offended by boobs

Grow-up America!

[mykpart]

2. Lots of people enjoy boobs,

just not when they are functioning as nature intended!

[mduffy31]

4. I know lots of RW's

...who are offended in a movie by boobs, but really don't care about 50,000 people dying. I know one person that saw V for Vendetta and she was offended by the Lesbian scene and that "ruined the whole movie for me."

[Omphaloskepsis]

3. As long as the baby keeps their mouth closed while they suckle..

I'm cool.

[progmom]

23. and they shouldn't talk with their mouths full

or rest their elbows on the...


nevermind.

:hi:

[REP]

5. It's the "Tits on Parade" Aspect I Find Annoying

I have no problem with women who breastfeed discreetly. I am tired of the titslingers, who feel the need to strip to the waist and make a big production of "admire me being a mommy!" It's a body fluid. It may be a sterile body fluid, but so is urine, so try to keep it to yourself.

Totall agree with that if you can't accept the challenges of parenthood, best to think twice about it.

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. Personally, I have never seen that...and I breast fed my kids even.

I guess we're more uptight than I thought here in MI. They make for tops for women like me. ;) :hi:

[REP]

7. Count Yourself Lucky!

Some perceptions of California are true, and I live in the Bay Area. Luckily, we're not a big area for children, so I've only seen the Motherhood as Performance Art three or four times this year.

[Misunderestimator]

17. "Tits on Parade" sounds fascinating.

I certainly wouldn't tell a mother that she shouldn't "parade" her tits anymore than I would tell a man to hide his man titties under a shirt. Well, I'd probably be more offended by a shirtless man, but that's just me.

[miss_american_pie]

8. Is feeding a baby not special when they're bottlefed?

Or do you also think people shouldn't bottlefeed in public?

Our ped specifically told us not to give babies water until they were on solids.

[Midlodemocrat]

10. Your ped had good reason.

Babies shouldn't have water until they are on solids because they can develop hyponatremia - pretty serious.

[progmom]

13. thanks - I was about to point that out

:thumbsup:

[dr.strangelove]

15. Exactly

I tried to address this in my later post. Giving a baby water is a BAD idea.

[Mutley]

9. This is always a fun discussion to watch.

:popcorn:

[gollygee]

11. How do you plan your life around feedings?

my baby got hungry/thirsty at odd times. That would have been impossible.

And feeding is bonding, but so is carrying/reading/singing/diaper changing/bathing/etc. Feeding's first purpose is feeding, and that has to be done when the baby is hungry, not when it's convenient for mom or people who might be offended if they see the feeding.

[tigereye]

16. man if this OP isn't flamebait, I don't know what is

I agree with you, golly, you are supposed to feed babies when they are hungry and that's why the breast is so cool! It's always available! And we moms like to go out, not always sit in a room away from everyone as if breastfeeding is something wholly private, it's not. I really hate to see threads like this since people surely show their ignorance....


Granted I was always covered up when I did it, that's why they make those great shirts! Or I wore a vest....

[progmom]

20. yep

The best mother is a happy mother. If I had stayed home for all of progspawn's feedings when he was an infant, I would never have left the house....and that would have been depressing.

Yeah - I nursed on airplanes and in baseball stadiums. I would take chilled bottles of breastmilk and try those first, but he would refuse the bottle if he knew the boob was nearby.

It really isn't as simple as the OP seems to be trying to make it seem.

[dr.strangelove]

21. Great shirts???

Did we miss out on a magic breastfeeding shirt. Share please. My wife just wears a button down and we use a burp sheet to cover up. What is the shirt you are talking about.

[Midlodemocrat]

24. My eldest is 15 and I had this kind of poncho like thing that

closed with velcro in the back. Now, granted, it wasn't used that much when she was an infant because I didn't go out that much with her when she was an infant, but with the other two, it was a lifesaver.

[dr.strangelove]

12. Okay Dr. mykpart, thanks for that expert opinion

When it comes to giving medical advice, you may want to talk to a physician before doing so, because your recommendation to give an infant water is dangerous. "It won't kill the baby to drink some water from a bottle now and nurse when you get home." Well, it might.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is highly critical of giving water to infants during the first three - six months. Breast milk or formula is the only source of nutrition that infants need during this time. During the first three months of life, too much water can upset the electrolyte balance, setting off possible brain swelling and seizures from water intoxication. Maybe you should back off the recommendation to give babies water and then breastfeed at home. Water used to make formula should not come from the tap if the local water source contains any additives, like fluoride. The Academy is split on boiling water first. We always boiled first, which is tough in the local 5 and 10.

Listen, I appreciate the concern over breastfeeding in public. I think it is silly to couch the argument is terms of benefits for the baby at home. The act of breastfeeding does foster a special bond, but the location is not going to effect it. Certainly a roller coaster is not the correct place, but a bench in a mall or a chair in a shopping center are just as fine as the stoop in front of the house, the chair in the kitchen or the swing on the porch, are all the same for the mom and baby.

I'm not sure how much you have breastfed, but the baby does not need "all your attention." We breastfed Sunday night during the west wing and my wife and I were crying over the character Leo's death. Our daughter was not getting all of our attention. As for planning your outings around baby's feeding times, it is obvious you are the perfect parent, congrats on being the best ever.

Wen you have a child, the child is your priority, and little whining pains in the butt who complain about people breastfeeding in public don't matter at all. All that matters is feeding and caring for your baby. You can't do all the things you could before you had him/her, but you certainly can go to the store and feed your child there. If you can't deal with that, shop online.

[progmom]

14. ....

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[dr.strangelove]

19. Few things piss me off more than giving out bad medical advice

to young parents. The breastfeeding issue has lots of valid concerns, but the concerns in teh OP are a bit silly. To argue not to breastfeed in public because you can't give all your attention to the baby is over the top. The idea of giving a bottle of water, yeah that was well thought out.

I understnad people who think breasts are somehow private and should not be bared. I too thikn parents should be discreet. We always use a burp sheet over the baby to cover everything up. I don;t want to offend people, so we do our part to keep things covered, but come on, its just a mother breastfeeding. Are there hoards of bare breasted leeking mothers spilling breastmilk out on the floors of grocery and shopping stores that I am not aware of? what is the big deal about a mom sitting on a seat and feeding the kid.

[Misunderestimator]

18. Wonder if they have any leper colonies left where we can put all these new

mothers until they are done breastfeeding. :eyes:

[LynneSin]

22. My two cents

I've seen women discreetly breastfeed their baby in public and I've seen women take off half of her clothes to do it in public. Yes, I know they're just breasts - I have a pair of them myself. And yes, breastfeeding is a natural part of motherhood, not some sick porn film fantasy.

I have no probably with mothers breastfeeding in public but as another poster has mentioned - there are ways to do it that is classic and ways to do it that says "Hey look at my giant knockers". If you're a mother and going out in public with a child who is breastfeeding, I would recommend trying to wear clothes that would allow you to easily and discreetly nurse your child without doing the "Tits on Parade". Breastfeeding in public shouldn't be a public spectacle. But then again I feel the same way about intense displays of public affection too.

[BigMcLargehuge]

25. Locked

Damn, I'll never get this thing powered without a good flamewar.... Hmm, let's see now. Kids in restaurants? No, not powerful enough.... Smoking? Nope, still too weak...

I got it! Breastfeeding in public!

GIVE MY CREATION!!! LIIIFFFEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!


Big McLargehuge
DU Moderator