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Breastfeeding in public: what do you think of this mum's stance?

Hello

We're wondering what you think about this mum's decision to publish this 'uncovered' pic of herself breastfeeding in public – and the message she wrote to explain why.

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Ashleigh Kaidel calls herself a 'badass breastfeeding mama' and she says she posted the pic on Facebook after someone gave her a nasty look in a restaurant as she breastfed her son. 

Here's what she wrote:

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She says she hopes that her experience will keep other mothers from feeling embarrassed or wrong for feeding their baby:

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But what do you think?

Do you admire her attitude and applaud her for her strong stance, even if you would maybe never go as 'uncovered' as her if you were breastfeeding in public?

Or do you think she's gone a bit too far? And, by deliberately not feeding discreetly, just given more ammunition to those who say they're so offended by the sight of us breastfeeding in public?

Please let us know what you think by adding a post to this thread. We'd love to hear your views on this one.

Replies

  • Wow. I don't think breastfeeding mums should be stared at or made to feel they're doing something wrong but I'm not sure I could feed my baby in public like she is. I'd have felt very exposed, I think. I always put a muslin cloth over the breast my baby was feeding from.

  • I think she has gone too far! I think feeding discreetly is better for everyone, I certainly don't like it when my sis-in-law gets her whole boob out in front of me & her brothers to feed her baby, it makes everyone feel uncomfortable! X

  • If ure intention is to feed ure baby then go ahead and do it... you dont need to make a song and dance of it.  I breast fed all my four kids and i didnt need to pull out my breast so that everyone else could see.

    Hadepop.. I agree with you, it can be done discreetly and no ones the wiser... I wouldnt want anyone else to look or stare at my boobs as theres always children around too... They dont need to be exposed to all that yet.

  • I agree.... she's gone too far.... I breastfeed in public regularly but have an 'udder cover' which is so great... Its like an apron that ties round my neck & covers all my front & baby. It has a hoop at the top which makes it stand away from my body at the top so i can see baby & have that all important eye contact.

    i think this woman is being disrespectful... I 100% support breastfeeding in public when your baby needs it... But just as i expect people to be repectful & accepting towards me while i do it, i need to respect that not everyone feels totally comfortable with it & wouldnt want it shoved in their face. 

    The way she is doing it is unnecessary.. you can very easily feed baby & do so in a positive and nurturing way for them without making a spectacle of yourself in the process. If I thought my child was losing out in any way by covering up then I may have a different opinion on the matter but he still gets everything he needs.

  • I think it's absolutely fine. If people don't want to look at boobs then they don't need to. 

  • I think it is absolutely okay to breastfeed in public.... covered up.  Of course no mother should be ridiculed for nursing in public but not everyone wants to see her entire breast while they're trying to eat a meal. As another commentor said, she's making a spectacle. Not a point.

  • I keep seeing this type of stories on the internet. But in my entire life I have never ever experienced something negative in regards to breastfeeding. I saw a lot of women breastfeeding in public and people are usually not even noticing it. There is too much drama about breastfeeding in public and I feel like she is just after public's attention. I breastfeed my baby too and everything has been ok everywhere I went. 

    "If people would mind their own business, half of the world's problems would be solved." 

    😊

  • I saw this and I applaud her! I'm breastfeeding Austin now 8 weeks and it's not always possible to "cover up!" especially if like me you are blessed with big boobies!! It's far more important to me that my baby latches on well and I can see he is feeding properly than covering my modesty. I feed him wherever it's necessary we went to London a few weekends ago and he needed feeding whilst we were on the underground, having a meal & on our coach on the way there to name but a few places, my mum had a 60th birthday party last weekend I fed him openly in a room full of family and people I didn't know so well & was praised for doing so rather than hiding away.

    Austin had a floppy tracea which means he makes a squeaky noise when he feeds so it's fairly obvious to those around us when we do but we just get on with it as you would if you were having your lunch! I wish I had been given more confidence by posts like this when my girls were babies, I wish that breastfeeding in public was less "taboo" then as perhaps I would have fed them with my boobie juice for longer but I did let the social stigma & having to hide away to feed them bother me & so they became formula fed babies...They are so small for such as small window I think mums should be able to feed their babies in whatever way is best, wherever and without unnecessary comments or looks about the way they do it. 

  • Post deleted by MadeForMums. Here's a link to our Chat guidelines.

  • It's a tricky subject to have an opinion on & I can never really decide how I feel about this. Personally I'm happy to breastfeed in public, however, for myself, little one & the comfort of others, I'll always cover up with a large muslin otherwise I just feel uncomfortable. I applaud her for being so brave and not caring what anyone else thinks, however, you still need to think of others in certain situations. Like I said, a difficult subject really...

  • I am a new mum of a 6 week old baby and i really struggle when breast feeding out side. I always try to be covered and i hate it when people look or watch me feeding. I thinking if you have to have your full boob out you should try cover up but if not then you should be fine. My sister doesn't like me breastfeeding even when covered i think everyone is just different and what they feel comfortable with is all different. 

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