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I'm not offended if a woman is breastfeeding her baby and is not covered. But, I'm curious as to why she doesn't want to cover up? I realize it's a woman's right to do it however she wishes. I'm only interested in why one way is chosen over another. If you breastfed, would you mind telling your views?
Breastfeeding is not easy in the early days. I had to see what I was doing to latch. After that, clothes falling or scootched up did the trick. I know I would not want to eat with a blanket smothering my head.
Some babies get very hot when they are eating and get uncomfortable and sweaty and start to cry rather than eat (this happened to my youngest as a newborn during the summer). Sometimes it was almost impossible to have her eat even if I used a very thin scarf over my breast/her head.
Other babies do not want to be covered and absolutely refuse to eat at all if they have something over their head and face. Would YOU be comfortable eating all your food with a bag or a blanket over your face and head?
Its pretty difficult to latch on a baby when there's a blanket over them so you can't see their mouth. I always had to move her mouth to the nipple as she was a bad latcher so covers were out of the question.
And apart from that, I never felt the need to cover up because why should I? I wasn't doing anything shameful so I didn't need to hide it. Boobs aren't a big deal here so no one ever cared (not that they could see anything apart from the brief moment before latching and after the feed finished but before I managed to sort my bra out and pull my shirt down)
Both my kids hated being covered, to this day they still kick all their covers off when sleeping.
I, however, had problems getting my milk to let down in public, so I ended up feeding in private anyway, so it didn't matter. Got really good at feeding in the car - turned on A/C and some soothing music and it was actually quite nice.
I prefer to cover. I do because I am subconscious about it, also when I first started (almost 6 years ago) I thought EVERYONE covered and it really wasn't until this past year or so that I realized most women don't :/. I've rarely seen women breastfeeding in public and I think I have only seen a couple of women doing it uncovered, which kinda makes me sad. I do/did nurse whenever and wherever my babies need/ed me to though.
The reasons I hear are because the babies don't like being covered or get hot. Thankfully mine didn't mind it too much. Even though my youngest is still nursing, he doesn't ask in public anymore. Only on rare occasions if we are out for long stretches and he gets bored or tired.
I didn't nurse my children (adopted) but where I grew up until young adulthood, no one covered. Then I moved down south and not only did every cover, the also usually nursed in the bathroom or some place private. It was so weird to see people hung up about it.
I can't imagine a kid being ok with being covered after they are a few months old because then they want to look around all the time. I doubt I would have covered, even if it was the cultural norm for where I was. It seems like it should be up to the mom.
I don't mind moms whipping it out to feed their babies. I don't stare, but I don't feel remotely uncomfortable. I can easily keep up a conversation with them. There is one pet peeve I have with breast feeding though. Close up pictures of a child on the boob posted to Facebook. I'm like...ugh, that's way closer then I wanted to get to your boo.
When I was breastfeeding my babies, my whole body would heat up. Right before breastfeeding and during breastfeeding, it was almost like a hot flash. As soon as my baby started fidgeting and letting me know he was getting hungry, I would feel a tingle and then this warmth would wash over me and I would get a little sweaty. Still, though, I covered up with a thin baby sheet, though. Not a blanket, but a thin linen sheet. I kept it with us when we were out in public. And even then, I would always do my best to find a more private place to breastfeed. I do not like to draw attention to myself, and when a woman is breastfeeding it attracts all sorts of attention both positive and negative, so I did my best to keep covered or find a private secluded place - though NEVER a bathroom, yuck!
When I am out and I see women not covering up while breastfeeding in public, my initial thought is that they are seeking attention, or they are trying to make some sort of statement.
When I am out and I see women not covering up while breastfeeding in public, my initial thought is that they are seeking attention, or they are trying to make some sort of statement.
When I am out and I see women not covering up while breastfeeding in public, my initial thought is that they are seeking attention, or they are trying to make some sort of statement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HighFlyingBird
or they are just more comfortable not covering?
Or their newborn baby gets hot and sweaty and refuses to eat, and just cries and cries, if they are covered up?
Or their baby refuses to eat at all if they are covered up?
Or they are trying to be discrete but there is not any private place to nurse except for a dirty, smelly, germ-ridden bathroom, and who wants to eat their food in a dirty bathroom?
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or they are just more comfortable not covering?