Breastfeeding in Public?

[H.Starr]

H.Starr, your in the same place I was when this thread started. I am totally against woman letting their breast hang, totally exposed, there is no need for that. Unfortunatly I don't think people understoood that. They would just notice the words " I am," "against," and "breastfeeding" when they would read my replies. I hate when people don't read replies throughly.

Thank you.

I am not saying breastfeeding is sexual, and I despise strip clubs and strippers and hookers (same thing in my opinion), never been in one.
My point is, there is NO NEED to pull your whole entire boob out for the world to see. COVER IT UP.

If you weren't breastfeeding you sure as hell wouldn't have your entire boob hanging out in public, you don't need to do it while breastfeeding either.

I didn't breastfeed with Roman, and I never will with our future kids. I don't like it, and neither does my husband. I have no problems with people doing it. BUT I don't want to see the WHOLE deal. Sorry. Whether its for breastfeeding, stripping, flashing, wardrobe malfunction, WHATEVER. I do not want to see all of your "goods" in public.

As I've said. Several times. That no one has read. It doesn't bother me if you're covered up.
But I did say. There are people, MOST people, who are bothered by it covered or not. And I can't imagine not caring about other people's opinions/feelings in public.

For example. We VERY rarely go out to dinner because we've never had a babysitter and don't want Roman crying or having a fit. On the rare occasion we do go out to eat, if he fusses, one of us takes him outside immediately. If its bad, we leave.
"Its natural for babies to cry." "Everyone in the restaurant has been a baby before, they all know babies cry." BUT we have enough respect and consideration for other people that we would never let Roman cry or act up in public.
People didn't go to that restaurant to hear a baby cry, maybe they went to get away from their own. Nor did they go to see some disrespectful mother with her whole boob hanging out feeding her baby.

So again. Because I bet you haven't read it yet, any of the many times I've said it. Just cover up, don't be disgusting. Have some freaking respect.

[KayLady]

H. Starr - I have read your entire post and I still don't understand why you find a breast disgusting. I also don't understand why you can't just look away. I rarely find myself staring at any part of anyone else's body, be it covered or not, in public. I've seen some people with some pretty 'disgusting' looking faces (piercing, tattoos, whatever), but I restrained myself from asking them to cover it up.
Have you ever eaten a sandwich in a bathroom? Now that's disgusting.
I get disgusted and even a little wheezy when people legally smoke in public places. I walk away.

[H.Starr]

Seriously, how can you think it is in any way appropriate to have your entire breast and nipple exposed in public for the world (and children, and creepers) to see??
Come on.
Thank god for the people who have the decency to cover up. Thankfully I've never witnessed a mother who didn't.
Good god.

[Bec caV]

I won't let him cry in public. If he starts fussing beyond my control to stop him, I leave. No one wants to have their meal interrupted by a screaming child... I don't.

It's funny (I think I'm either hijacking or defusing here), one time we were at Olive Garden when John Gabriel was a month old. He got very fussy and we had a bottle and was trying to get a waitress flagged down to warm it up (it was ice cold) because he was hungry. I felt like every pair of eyes in the place were on me, I was so embarrassed. We got a waitress to take the bottle, but she couldn't get back to the kitchen to get it for us for a bit. So I promptly got up and took him out to the lobby (it was below freezing out, I couldn't go outside) trying to calm him down. As I did, the people at the table next to us practically begged my husband to have me sit down, as they didn't mind it. I kept saying no no, I can't have everyone listen to him crying and interrupting their meals, they kept saying "It's fine! It's fine! Sit down!"
It was so weird...

[freckles]

HStarr - Let me take a stab at your question. You see or think "breasts!" as in "nudity!" first. But the intent is more important than the nudity or breast. The intent of the nursing mom is to nourish and take care of the baby. That is why I think maturity and acceptance is crucial.

[KayLady]

You make good points freckles. Now let's talk about keeping it 'all covered up'. I bfed for a total of 2 years (2 babies) and somehow managed to never have to do it in public. Not that I cared, it just worked out that way. So maybe I just wasn't skilled enough, but it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to bf completely on touch. Meaning, anytime I did it with a cover (rarely, as I was always surrounded by mature adults or enlightened children), there would need to be at least a second or two where the breast was exposed to get a good latch on, or there'd be a mess all over my shirt and the baby's face. It's just a fact of life, people need to get over it, and I seriously doubt there are breastfeeding mothers frequenting the same public places you do who let the girls 'dangle' for the hell of it. Especially if you've never seen this happen, what makes you think it does?
Plus, I think the human body is a beautiful creation, and I don't live my life in fear of 'creepers' lurking about. They're going to visualize whatever they want.

[freckles]

Oh cool thanks Kaylady! I am afraid I have talked it to death. And I get frustrated when I hear words like strip club, taking a crap, urinating, porn, etc!!! combined with a BFing thread. WTHiccup? lol Makes no sense to me anyhow.

Although, I have never had anyone approach me or say anything while BF, but I say bring it on. Education is power. Have you?

[KayLady]

Well no one ever did approach me, other than my then 3 year old daughter. I explained to her in simple terms what I was doing and how I did it for her too and that satisfied her. She also approached me when I was pumping once and I simply said I was making milk for her baby brother to drink later. She thought that was cool. I got to where I was totally comfortable nursing in front of any family member or friend, but like I said, I never had to in public. I certainly would have though, and if a stranger approached me, I would calmly educate them. And if they felt the need to stare at my breast during dinner, I'd stare right back.
Funny story - I'm not very modest - so my children occasionally see me naked after I leave the shower. One day my daughter suddenly got quiet and I could see the question marks in her eyes as she looked at my boobs, I could tell what was coming. "What are those?" she asked and pointed. "Um, they are part of mommy's body, they're called breasts." "Why don't I have them, or Daddy?" "Well only girls have them, but you won't get them until much later."