Breastfeeding in public - what do you think?

Morning Glory

Morning Glory

Obsessive cook
Staff member
Joined
19 Apr 2015
Local time
7:06 PM
Messages
46,963
Location
Maidstone, Kent, UK
On the national news in the UK last night it was reported that a mother was asked to stop breastfeeding in Mothercare. Mothercare is a well-known UK chain selling baby clothes and equipment. Ironically, the woman who was banned was a midwife! To be honest, I think it seems to have been a case of an individual employees stupidity and ignorance because the chain has a positive policy of allowing mothers to breastfeed in the premises.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...on-UK-s-largest-high-street-chain-babies.html

What do you think? I did it all the time back in the 70's and 80's - 4 kids. Would you breastfeed your baby in public? Are you offended by the idea?
 
Last edited:
Well now if you just flop out your breasts and leave them exposed, I can see people getting a bit miffed.
If you are discreet about it, then no big deal.
I mean how would someone know if you are breastfeeding or just have the baby covered.
It is a natural function.

I am assuming this wasn't a toddler/preschooler that just walked over and pulled mom's shirt up.
 
Cinisajoy said:
Well now if you just flop out your breasts and leave them exposed, I can see people getting a bit miffed.
If you are discreet about it, then no big deal.
I mean how would someone know if you are breastfeeding or just have the baby covered.
It is a natural function.

I am assuming this wasn't a toddler/preschooler that just walked over and pulled mom's shirt up.
Click to expand...

If it is done discreetly then fine. Thing is if you don't like it, don't look, simple as that.
 
I could argue about this. :D

The word 'discreet' always comes up in the debates about breastfeeding - as if breasts were better hidden. And yet.... I don't think I need to finish this sentence. :laugh:
 
morning glory said:
I could argue about this. :D

The word 'discreet' always comes up in the debates about breastfeeding - as if breasts were better hidden. And yet.... I don't think I need to finish this sentence. :laugh:
Click to expand...
Well now personally I wouldn't want the entire world seeing my non-occupied breast. But that is just me. Now if someone wants to show off the unoccupied breast more power to them. And whoever wants to look.
In a place for babies, go for it. In family oriented places go for it. In places like twin peaks or hooters (sports and skimpy clad waitresses restaurants) then I would be a little more concerned about what some of the male patrons might be doing under the tables. (For some reason or other, I don't trust men and alcohol. )
For the mother's safety, I would say be careful in outdoor public places. You don't know who might be watching.
Though I did threaten to make my daughter one of these for her son's head.
https://www.google.com/search?q=cro...=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=3ubUFgyfMhE1fM:
 
Let me put this one to you,
Your in a town/city centre cafe when the women decides it's time that the baby had something to eat as well. She's made quite a show of what she's doing, so everyone knows, and is sat near the till which is in full view of the entrance. Everyone has to go past her.

Contrast this with another that has sought out out a table further away, and is a lot less showy about what what she's actually doing.

Which is going to draw your attention first?
 
classic33 said:
Let me put this one to you,
Your in a town/city centre cafe when the women decides it's time that the baby had something to eat as well. She's made quite a show of what she's doing, so everyone knows, and is sat near the till which is in full view of the entrance. Everyone has to go past her.

Contrast this with another that has sought out out a table further away, and is a lot less showy about what what she's actually doing.

Which is going to draw your attention first?
Click to expand...
Obviously the one that is hoping someone will say something so she can SCREAM to the media, she was discriminated against for feeding her child.
She is doing more for attention than actually feeding her child. Sorry, see too much of that here in the states.

Now on a side note: Woman's Day magazine had an op-ed piece on why women should only breastfeed in restrooms and never out in the open. They had to take that piece off of the website because they were losing subscribers in a hurry. Including me.
Thing was the magazine had to pay back all the ones that unsubscribed for issues they hadn't received.
Oh and I won't subscribe ever again to that magazine.
 
Cinisajoy said:
Obviously the one that is hoping someone will say something so she can SCREAM to the media, she was discriminated against for feeding her child.
She is doing more for attention than actually feeding her child. Sorry, see too much of that here in the states.

Now on a side note: Woman's Day magazine had an op-ed piece on why women should only breastfeed in restrooms and never out in the open. They had to take that piece off of the website because they were losing subscribers in a hurry. Including me.
Thing was the magazine had to pay back all the ones that unsubscribed for issues they hadn't received.
Oh and I won't subscribe ever again to that magazine.
Click to expand...
Cafe owner offered the second one a coat, to stop anyone looking at her. With a few choice words to a couple of young un's that were watching her. First one, I don't think she actually cared. I've seen her do the same thing on a train, and escorted off.
 
classic33 said:
Cafe owner offered the second one a coat, to stop anyone looking at her. With a few choice words to a couple of young un's that were watching her. First one, I don't think she actually cared. I've seen her do the same thing on a train, and escorted off.
Click to expand...
Ok so totally different than the show offs you see on yahoo all the time.
My daughter has a small blanket to cover her son with. This is even if she is just home but with family or friends or both over.
 
Cinisajoy said:
Ok so totally different than the show offs you see on yahoo all the time.
My daughter has a small blanket to cover her son with. This is even if she is just home but with family or friends or both over.
Click to expand...
Well as you put it, she just flops them out, when she feel likes its, regardless of where she is.

Cafe owner is fairly understanding, hence the coat offered to the second one. Save her, not anyone else.
 
I genuinely do not understand the issue. It's a perfectly natural thing to do. The infant needs to eat. Some Western countries need to pull their backsides or of the dark ages on some matters and take a leaf out of other countries including those they call third world countries. If it is a problem for an individual then the individual concerned should get over it. Like they are that important in the world! A child of any age should come first. It's like people getting upset over someone stopping at the side of the road to let their young kid have a pee on the grass verge of in the gutter or grid. What do they want the kid to do? Wet itself?

And this was a poorly 3 month old infant as well. Plus it doesn't sound like MC have even taken the correct action either! Bad press for them all round. I'm glad she took it to public media.
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
I genuinely do not understand the issue. It's a perfectly natural thing to do. The infant needs to eat. Some Western countries need to pull their backsides or of the dark ages on some matters and take a leaf out of other countries including those they call third world countries. If it is a problem for an individual then the individual concerned should get over it. Like they are that important in the world! A child of any age should come first. It's like people getting upset over someone stopping at the side of the road to let their young kid have a pee on the grass verge of in the gutter or grid. What do they want the kid to do? Wet itself?

And this was a poorly 3 month old infant as well. Plus it doesn't sound like MC have even taken the correct action either! Bad press for them all round. I'm glad she took it to public media.
Click to expand...

I agree totally with what you say. The trouble is, that Western culture has fetishised breasts and there are other cultures where uncovering almost any female body part is a taboo. It really is bizarre. Its completely natural, normal etc. to breastfeed. But it has to be treated like going to the toilet (done discreetly or behind closed doors).

Having said that, its made me think about 'going to the toilet' and different customs. No - I don't think I'll post a new thread about that.
 
If you are doing for the baby, go for it. If you are doing it for attention to yourself, sounds like Munchausen's syndrome.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom