Breastfeeding in Public

[Jemika]

Hey, I am very new here, but I just wanted need to vent. I was on a social network site(the very popular one). And I read someone's post. The post stated that a lady was breastfeeding a BABY on the subway. And the person who posted it was making it seem as if it was the worse thing. The person went on to say that the woman should have pumped out her milk into a bottle, and that even tho she breast fed, she could not have done it on Public Transportation. The comments except mine were anti-public breastfeeding!!!!

I am outraged, I believe that humans are the only mammals that think it is better to give milk to their young from a source other than their own. My issue was it was a baby, mother's milk is best, and we need to end the stigma of breastfeeding in public. Personally, if my baby is hungry on the subway i will use my receiving and let my baby nurse away, if the others dont like it, then look away.

[Ruthla]

Hmm. I wonder how they would have reacted to a woman pumping milk on the train. Besides the baby getting hungry, milky breasts get full and need to be emptied regularly too! If the baby is going to be fed via bottle, then the milk has to come out of the breasts somehow!

When my kids were babies, I nursed in public if and when they needed to nurse. Even with toddlers and preschoolers, I generally tried distraction first (with older babies/kids old enough for other foods), but if my kid needed to nurse, we nursed, period. I never even bothered with a blanket to cover up. I always dressed for easy, discreet nursing (loose shirts, dresses or shirts with hidden nursing openings, or a button-front blouse under a jumper with wide armholes, with the center buttons left open.) If I felt the need to cover up with anything, it was with my sling.

[mamadelbosque]

I nurse in public all the time. I *never* cover and I realize I'm not particularly 'discreet' - I just pull up my shirt, and let'm go. Nobody's ever *said* anything to me, though I've gotten nasty/shocked looks from time to time. I just smile at them till they look away Its their problem, not mine, and as the law (at least in OH) is on my side, they can shove it where the sun don't shine for all I care

[Jemika]

Thanx for the responses, I agree with you. Breastfeeding should never be viewed as negative!!

[artgoddess]

People say the dumbest things, don't they? I BF'd both of mine in public until they were past 2 years old and never, ever got an eye roll or strange look. Only smiles of approval.

[annettemarie]

I have removed a couple posts with namecalling and will PM the posters.
Please keep in mind that namecalling, no matter how deserved , is not allowed on MDC.

[jecombs]

I wonder how your friend would have felt to be riding the subway with a screaming, hungry baby, instead of a quiet, nursing baby??? Most people will take the quiet baby every time.

It's unfortunate that most people in our society have never nursed, so they have no idea what an intricate little dance it can be between Mom and baby. It's not as simple as "pump the milk and bottle feed" and NIPing is much easier and less time-consuming than pumping.

[MeepyCat]

Originally Posted by jecombs

I wonder how your friend would have felt to be riding the subway with a screaming, hungry baby, instead of a quiet, nursing baby??? Most people will take the quiet baby every time.

:

Exposing my breasts to view and myself to comment on the subway is not my favorite thing. I don't get a thrill from it. But it's a million percent preferable to holding a screaming, red-faced, hungry baby and leaking through my shirt. And it's not like the people who say rude things to breastfeeding mamas are silent and helpful around screaming kids either - I'd rather lift up my shirt *before* someone steps in to demand that I "shut that baby up."

Sometimes mothers can't win.

[THBVsMommy]

I never cover up while NIP. IMO it enforces the absurd notion that breastfeeding should only be done in private.

[Jemika]

So true, the person who placed the post on the popular social networking site, actually stated that she only nursed in her home and that she has never done it outside of her home, and that having milk pumped in a bottle is called being prepared. I became so enraged!!!! if that is her opinion OK, but why would you refer to someone else as being unprepared b/c they do not share your point of view. Nursing is so much easier and better for the baby. I've never known a BFing lady, who had BPA's on her nipple or on her breast.

[Lineymom]

Originally Posted by Jemika

I've never known a BFing lady, who had BPA's on her nipple or on her breast.

that's funny. I hate the idea of pumping just to not nip. Aside from reinforcing bottlefeeding, no matter what is in it, as the norm, it is so rediculous to go the long way around to feed your baby!

[Materfamilias]

Crazy, isn't it? People are so weird. I don't flash much when NIP so most of the time ppl don't know what I'm doing. But, how dumb! I would never pump in order to avoid NIP and it annoys the heck out of me that some women are made so uncomfortable using their breasts as they were intended to be used that they would feel they had to do such a thing. Grrr

[mommy212]

darn right! You have the right to nurse your baby, and so should everyone, without it being called weird or even gross, or offensive! Humans are trying to hard to distance themselves from nature,a dn ourselves. It is so silly