Breastfeeding question

[tarat3232]

So, I occasionally go hang out on a pregnancy forum and this discussion came up recently. A first-time mom innocently asked why a woman would choose to BF in public rather than just bringing a pumped bottle. The response from many, many people was that a mom should be able to BF anywhere, any time and that pumped bottles were inferior products to the breast.

Now, I am pro-breastfeeding and have no problem with public breastfeeding, but. I DO think there are some places and times when it just isn't appropriate and you should plan accordingly to step out and feed baby elsewhere.

I'm curious about whether I am deeply in the minority (as I appeared to be on the other forum.) What are you comfortable with yourself?

[agirlinred]

I'm not a mom myself, but I have thought about this before. I agree that mothers should be able to breastfeed their babies in public. It's a completely natural thing and there shouldn't be anything inappropriate or weird about it. However, I think in some situations it's more tasteful to step out of the room or at the very least cover up. It is possible to breastfeed in public without flashing your breasts around at everyone. I personally wouldn't be shocked or offended because nudity isn't something that bothers me. I know that not everyone is comfortable with it though, and that is something that every mother breastfeeding in public needs to take into consideration.

[soshelly]

I think that when baby wants to be fed then a baby should be fed regardless of where that is. Some babies won't drink from bottles. Some women have reasons for not wanting to use bottles. Whatever. That part doesn't matter to me. I can't think of any situation where I would find it inappropriate. I think people are uncomfortable with it because breasts have become sexualized. If milk came out of a finger, I don't think anyone would have a problem with it. I don't think breast-feeding mothers should be punished for this.

[erinpurple]

I was never very comfortable feeding my daughter in public places, but I don't see a problem with it as long as you are trying to be discrete and cover up or turn to the side some.

I will say that once when flying on an airplane, I did bring pumped bottles because sitting that close to someone I didn't know, I wasn't comfortable putting them in that situation either. On an airplane there is really no where else that I could have gone to feed her, or that the other person can go to give me more space/privacy. If my row was filled with family or friends though I would have had no problem nursing on the plane.

[miloowen]

Today I was in shul for Yom Kippur services and very discretely our rebbetzin breastfed her infant daughter. I must say we have come a long way since I breastfed my daughter twenty-six years ago. Then I was in a lounge provided for publishers at the Bologna Book Fair and discretely breastfeeding my daughter when my boss came in and demanded that I go do "that" in the bathroom, which was extremely unsanitary. Happily, I don't think that would happen today. As long as you are covered, you should be able to breastfeed wherever, whenever. Especially when the relationship is new, switching from breast to bottle to breast can disrupt the breastfeeding technique. I still can't imagine why anyone chooses to bottle feed to begin with, when science and nature both agree breastfeeding is best for the baby and the mother.

[tristan]

I think that when baby wants to be fed then a baby should be fed regardless of where that is. Some babies won't drink from bottles. Some women have reasons for not wanting to use bottles. Whatever. That part doesn't matter to me. I can't think of any situation where I would find it inappropriate. I think people are uncomfortable with it because breasts have become sexualized. If milk came out of a finger, I don't think anyone would have a problem with it. I don't think breast-feeding mothers should be punished for this.

I agree with this 100%.

It is my view that women should be able to breastfeed where ever and whenever they need to. My 2nd daughter never accepted bottled so pumping and feeding her this way was not an option for me.

Breastfeeding is how babies are meant to be fed. It's my opinion that people in the US need to get over their cultural hang-ups regarding this.

[poptart]

I am currently nursing #3 and will whip it out anywhere to feed my baby. I am discreet about it and nothing really shows. I figure it is better to nurse in public than for people to hear a crying baby. As for pumping, I find it a pain. I understand why women do it when they need to be away from their babies, but I'd rather my baby get it right from the source.

[justme]

For me it's more about having one less thing to bring. I don't have to worry if I forgot a bottle, since my daughters source of food, is always with me.

[tarat3232]

Thanks for the replies so far. I'm certainly not prudish or anything, but I guess I do have a different attitude/action than other people. I would breastfeed discreetly in a booth at a restaurant, but I can't breastfeed in church or anywhere else that might be quiet with a large group of people. I'm super non-confrontational and would rather be uncomfortable (as in leave to breastfeed elsewhere) than make people around me uncomfortable. I'm also not very good at being discreet!

I'll try to remember that lots of people would think I'm being silly for hesitating to whip it out!

Although I do have to add that my breasts were sexual for me personally long before they were food sources. I had a hard time viewing breasts in any other way and I think it isn't unreasonable for them to be treated that way by people who haven't been parents. The sensuality of breasts has been recognized since civilization began--it isn't just an American sensibility.

[kjwalton9]

I have breast feed four babies, two of which overlapped and I was breast feeding a 12 month old and a 1 month old at the same time. So my opinion is purely based on what is easiest for me and that happens to be not having to bring anything else but my babies and my boobs. I cover up so no one sees but I am completely comfortable breastfeeding in public and if someone else has a problem with it even though I am covered they can look somewhere else because I am giving my baby the food and nutrition he needs to survive and I am not going to let him go hungry because someone doesn't like it. I think that breasts have been completely sexualized but the real, original meaning for them was to provide food and that is what I intend to do with them.