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Tired of breastfeeding being unacceptable in public places

i don't get why breastfeeding whilst completely covered up with a muslin cloth is so unacceptable in public places. people seem to stare as if it's strange. Isn't this why women have boobs? Why am I told to do it somewhere else like next to the toilets? I'm just feeding a hungry baby.

Replies

  • I know just how you feel, Sally Ann. I got the look yesterday in a cafe when I was feeing my baby ever so discreetly. Made me feel all small and ashamed - and then really angry! Why do people make us feel bad for doing something normal and not at all 'sexy' when probably those same people don't see anything wrong with page 3 of the Sun where women have their boobs hanging out all over the place!

  • That's so true Evespudding. Also why do some women have a problem with it. I thought every woman would understand. formula didn't always exist. Having a baby to look after doesn't mean you have to stay at home all the time. I know expressing milk is an option. I found it easier to feed straight from the breast. If your trying to feed a baby and express at the same time, it makes life difficult. More time consuming. I have most milk first thing in the morning. Not always convenient to do it then. Especially in hot weather, breast milk doesn't keep long out of the fridge when expressed. 

  • I've finished breast feeding my youngest now but fed all four of mine, over a long period. Gotta say, I've never had a negative reaction. One bloke looked a bit uncomfortable when both me and a friend did it at the table next to him but, really, that was his problem, no?

    One time, I was feeding my son in a cafe in Birmingham and two older women were watching me and clearly talking about me. I snarled a bit but just got on with it, thinking I'd have a little word on my way out.

    As I went to pass them and to suggest that, in future, they not be so blatant in their distaste for something natural, worthwhile and, let's face it, my legal right, they both set about telling me how much they admired me and how lovely it was to see a mum feeding in public... Even how great I looked!

    Speechless. 

    So maybe next time you think someone is staring, thinking negatively, you might actually find they are thinking quite the opposite. And, even if they are thinking negatively, it really is their issue, not yours. 

  • I breastfed my daughter for 5 months. She's now 2 yrs & 1 month old. I brought a breastfeeding cover to use when out & about but people still stared. Iv now got my 3 week old baby boy who I'm breastfeeding and I feel more confident in breastfeeding & in public now. I was in tesco with my mum & daughter the other day &  my son needed feeding so I wiped out my cover and started feeding him. No one could see him (except his feet sticking out lol) & no one could see my breast. We continued to do our shopping and I held my son and breastfed him walking round tesco. No 1 said anything. The lady at the checkout said it was nice to see a women so comfortable to fed their baby in public and the lady at the customer service when I went to get my lottery said she breastfed her 2 and she wished their was more support and covers like mine back in her day. I feel so proud and happy and my mum (being a paramedic and a ex midwife) was soo happy to see the support image !

    Don't care what people think & if anyone ever dares make a nasty comment then it's them with the problem. Breastfeeding is the most natural thing! People eat out in public every day so why can't babies?!

    It's not a boob, it's my babies food!

  • I've fed my daughter up to 18 months & I'm feeding my son who is now 9 months & I've never had a single negative reaction but surprisingly enough quite a few positive ones. In the early days with my daughter I had loads of come backs ready for when I assumed that someone would tell me to feed in the loos but never needed any of them!

    I think most of the time people can't even tell you're feeding.

  • I think sometimes because we are getting our own boob out, we look around for negative reactions. I fed DD for 14 months, and am now feeding my 6 week old. Because she is so little, I can't feed her as well out of the house yet - she still takes a little while to latch and isn't entirely comfortable with feeding without my entire boob out (I'm a one up, one down, girl when in public). She also can't quite get the hang of feeding in the carrier yet. In a few months it will be an entirely different story.

    One of the biggest challenges for parenthood for me was to learn to toughen up and just get on with it. At the end of the day you are feeding your baby and that's all that matters. You shouldn't even need to cover up, that's what breasts are made for! 

    Society really does irritate me when there are young girls wandering around in skinny jeans and basically bras on top, showing far more flesh than I would for just feeding my baby!

  • I'm pregnant with my third and not sure if I will breastfeed or just go straight on to formula. I b/f my daughter for 6 months with just breast, then expressed bottles during the day and breastfead at night until she was sleeping through the night at about 8months then from 1yr she went to blue top milk - she has always been so bright and forward for her age and I strongly believe it was because of breastmilk, she never caught bugs/colds as a baby and rarely gets them Now. My son I wanted to do the same but as I was out of the house a lot more running my daughter About to preschool/clubs - I fed him in public more than I ever did with her. Two negative comments and it put me straight off, I tried then to express dor when we went outt and b/f at home but where he had fed off the bottle he prefered that and wouldnt latch on and then as I was out feeding him from a bottle and expressing less my milk stopped when he was three months and I went to formula. I felt so disapointed as I was so determined to feed him myself but just was never confident to continue after comments like how 'disgusting' it was and how it 'should be banned' were said to my face in a cafe. The comments were made by other mothers of young babies is what shocked me the most! Xxx 

  • Sally Ann said:

    i don't get why breastfeeding whilst completely covered up with a muslin cloth is so unacceptable in public places. people seem to stare as if it's strange. Isn't this why women have boobs? Why am I told to do it somewhere else like next to the toilets? I'm just feeding a hungry baby.

    What a horrible world that makes you feel wrong for feeding your baby. Would they catcall the milkman too? It's sad that breasts are solely sexual objects for so many people in this day and age. 
    Have a look at this little piece of UK legislation that protects your right to feed. Your RIGHT.
    https://www.theukrules.co.uk/rules/health/public-health/breastfeeding-in-public.html
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