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I tried to steer the other thread, back to this topic, but it seemed to be too far gone to do, so I figured I would start a new thread.
First off, I am talking about the age of the child, not the age of the mother...though that may influence some peoples opinions.
The discussion seemed to be pretty heated between people supporting a womans right to breastfeed in public and those who felt that they shouldn't do it out of respect for others and there were many ways to avoid having to do it, thus breastfeeding in public was a choice, not a necessity. In particular the discussion was revolving around public places such as malls.
It needs to be stated that AFAIK, there are laws in all states that protect a womans right to "discreetly" breastfeed in public.
The question that I thought of that I failed to get into the discussion in time was that at what point does it cease to be acceptable?
If the medical preference is that all children be exclusively breasfed for at least 6 months and preferably until 12 months, we can all assume that the public breastfeeding of a child under 12 months should be acceptable under the current laws.
However, what happens if people choose to continue breastfeeding as their children get older. At one point is it no longer acceptable, 18 months, 2 years, 2 1/2 years, 5 years or more? It obviously becomes harder to be discreet the older the child.
The arguments that people use to defend public breastfeeding for infants are just as readily applied in the case of older children as well.
So, is it OK for a woman to breastfeed a toddler or older child in the middle of the mall?
difficult question. the answer is with the individual. for me I would use a breast pump and bottle feed after 3 or 4 months in public. there really is no need to "have" to breast feed in public. some will say my baby won't take a bottle, but most will if they have had one on an occasion since it was born. or if you try your best to work around your babies feeding times. should you stop doing something because it makes others uncomfortable is at the crux of it. like it or not most people are uncomfortable seeing a woman breastfeed, natural, legal or not. once a child is big, 6, 8 months it is harder to be discrete because the child is so large. when a child gets older, can talk, asking mom for the boob that really makes most folks uncomfortable. at some point give the child a sippy cup. 2. 4, 5 years is way too long to be feeding in public.
I think that in the US, we have a weird view of nudity and breasts. I see no particular reason why a toddler cannot be breastfed in public, but it would probably get a lot of rude people staring.
In Europe, women go topless on beaches.
The need for discreet nursing stems from the idea that seeing exposed breast supposedly arouses sexual feelings. Indeed it does so in some men, but only because of the way they have been raised and influenced to think in this society that is so obsessed by woman's breasts. In many other cultures, no one thinks twice about a nursing mother and there is no need for covering up while nursing.
In Australia, in 2010, a mother's right to breastfeed in public is protected under national anti-discrimination legislation
The Scots say that the only people who stare rudely when they are breastfeeding in public are English tourists. The Scottish parliament passed a law in 2005 making it illegal to request that a woman should not breast feed in a public place (restaurant, shop, municipal office, etc).
Breastfeeding is uncommon in Ireland (probably the Church has some of the blame for that)
By law, you are allowed to breastfeed your baby in any public place in the Netherlands.
In Germany, breastfeeding in public is also not perceived in a negative way. People are encouraged to nurse children until at least 12 months old. People think it is weird to cover up with a blanket.
I think that Americans need to get over this fixation on the breast as a sexual thing and remember that its purpose is twofold and that feeding infants and toddlers is actually the primary purpose of breasts with sexuality being a secondary purpose.
Some older children get downright pushy about wanting to be breastfed on demand. They will pull Mommy's shirt up, exposing her to anyone around. Awkward and embarrassing at best.
Firstly if you are going to breastfeed in public then I suggest using one of those nursing covers that shield your private parts. Feeding infants undeer one year in public would be a necessity since young children have smaller tummies and get hungry faster and need to eat right then and there.
I would think that if a child is older than 1yr then they could wait until they get home for a feeding. the child could have crackers, some kind of snack, jarred food to tide them over.
Some older children get downright pushy about wanting to be breastfed on demand. They will pull Mommy's shirt up, exposing her to anyone around. Awkward and embarrassing at best.
Yes, if the mother wants to change this situation she has some options:
1. She could wean
2. She could teach them the sign for milk and expect that they ask. A parent can introduce sign language very young. However, some babies get it early, some don't. Mine didn't. She was just over a year when she finally got it. She does not pull my shirt down any more. She asks me if she could nurse.
I know someone who was breast feeding her child and the child was a 1 1/2 years old. She would always say that the baby wouldnt sleep without it and would not drink milk from a sippy cup. Well one day during an emergency she had to leave the baby with me. So of course I'm like OK how is this child going to take a nap or eat or drink anything without her mom here. That little girl had no problem taking a nap all I had to do rock her for like 5 minutes and she was sleeping she woke from her nap and I gave her lunch which she ate with a sippy cup of milk. Her mother was AMAZED she came home all worried thinking the baby was sleeped deprived and hungry. LOL - My point is that I dont know if it was mom or child or both that really used the breast feeding as a comfort more the sustenence. I have no problems with breast feeding in public but I think at a certain age the mom really needs to take a look at reasoning why she feels the need to do it.
I think that in the US, we have a weird view of nudity and breasts. I see no particular reason why a toddler cannot be breastfed in public, but it would probably get a lot of rude people staring.
In Europe, women go topless on beaches.
The need for discreet nursing stems from the idea that seeing exposed breast supposedly arouses sexual feelings. Indeed it does so in some men, but only because of the way they have been raised and influenced to think in this society that is so obsessed by woman's breasts. In many other cultures, no one thinks twice about a nursing mother and there is no need for covering up while nursing.
In Australia, in 2010, a mother's right to breastfeed in public is protected under national anti-discrimination legislation
The Scots say that the only people who stare rudely when they are breastfeeding in public are English tourists. The Scottish parliament passed a law in 2005 making it illegal to request that a woman should not breast feed in a public place (restaurant, shop, municipal office, etc).
Breastfeeding is uncommon in Ireland (probably the Church has some of the blame for that)
By law, you are allowed to breastfeed your baby in any public place in the Netherlands.
In Germany, breastfeeding in public is also not perceived in a negative way. People are encouraged to nurse children until at least 12 months old. People think it is weird to cover up with a blanket.
I think that Americans need to get over this fixation on the breast as a sexual thing and remember that its purpose is twofold and that feeding infants and toddlers is actually the primary purpose of breasts with sexuality being a secondary purpose.
Dorothy
I have no problem with boobs being exposed or thinking of it as sexual. in the US it has been a long long time since we lived life in a way that we did breast feed in public. the time when there were no breast pumps or bottles that were easy and clean to use. so I don't think it can be said it is just a sexual thing.
if they can walk up to you and pull your boob out, no breastfeeding!
if they can say "mommy, i want your boob", no breastfeeding!
will people just drop whether its in public or not?
i don't give a damn whether its in public or not, if your child is asking verbally or inverbally to see your boobs, theres something wrong.
i find breastfeeding important because it is key to natural development to the desire of breasts.
yes i'm suggesting your kid may turn gay if you don't breastfeed. but correlation is not causation, so disproving me with personal anecdotal evidence is futile.
my biggest issue with public breastfeeding is when the child is walking and talking and casually wants to hop on his moms breast while he's holding a conversation! but that should NEVER happen.
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