News, Kicked out for breastfeeding? A St. Paul mother takes issue with the treatment she got at restaurant. (infants, parents)
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Now, wait a second, I breastfed for a total of four years between my two children. I was always discreet and nobody ever said "Boo" to me about it. Neither have I ever witnessed any woman going out of her way to breastfeed in a way that would make other people uncomfortable.
Last edited by formercalifornian; 04-08-2010 at 09:26 AM..
And I'm asking you, is this forum not full of women who say they WILL feed their babies anywhere, anytime and they don't care who sees their breasts? Simple question.
I guess since you won't answer, your answer is no.
I've read plenty of breastfeeding threads on the forum and don't recall women posting such "in your face" comments as you seem to recall.
It wasn't long ago I read about women having a demonstration in an airport. There were photos in the papers with a couple dozen women sitting on the floor with their breasts exposed feeding their babies for the cameras.
AGAIN a bunch looking out for the best interest or their child or themselves????? Can you just imagine the germs those babies were exposed to on yet another dirty floor?
I highly doubt that Ma Ingalls refused to nurse unless she was in her home. She probably stuck that baby in a sling and went about her day, nursing her baby as necessary
Nope. She excused herself and went into another room to do it. She didn't go into a public restaurant and feed the baby at the table. And no one has suggested someone hold off feeding their baby for an additional 3 hours, days or whatever that poster's ridiculous statement was - the suggestion was that THE ADULT wait another 30 minutes to eat. Obviously, my point has been made by that poster's reaction - it's UNTHINKABLE that the "mom" wait.
When I fed my babies - whether I was breastfeeding and later doing it with a bottle, I spent the time FOCUSING on the CHILD, not on my own personal need to be sitting in public doing it where anyone could watch. The point of breastfeeding is to help soothe, comfort and bond with your baby. Some people may feel that they are doing that while eating at a crowded Chinese buffet on a Friday night, but frankly, I think those people are extremely selfish.
I've seen a few women who were very unconcerned with modesty while breastfeeding in public. Seriously - what kind of a moron needs BOTH breasts out to breastfeed?
As to the "natural" part of it... this argument always makes me laugh. Are you suggesting that anything "natural" should be acceptable to do in public? Or are you picking and choosing?
One great thing about America is that I'm entitled to think the way I am. Just as the woman and her chicken-sh** 'baby daddy' (the one who waited until my dh walked OUT of the restaurant to make his comment) have the right to think THEIR way.
Of course, my son at age 10 giggled at seeing a breast exposed in public. He didn't even mention the baby - and he's seen breastfeeding women before. His aunt has done it, in our home, DISCREETLY. He stood there watching while he and his sister asked her questions. VERY different scenarios, IMO
Last edited by sskkc; 04-08-2010 at 08:56 AM..
Reason: typo
Yep, people who are so afraid of the possibility of seeing a nipple (something we all see everyday on our own bodies while taking a shower or getting dressed in the morning) that they will deny our society the benefits of breastfeeding. It's ridiculous, isn't it?!
There was a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics this week which shows that approximately 900 babies lives and $13 billion could be saved each year if 90% of mothers breastfed for at least 6 months. Currently only 13% make it that long and it's no wonder considering the lack of support and understanding our society shows breastfeeding mothers.
Get off your high horse. We see our own nipples in the privacy of our homes. We don't show them to others.
And "denying our society the benefits of breastfeeding"??? HAHAHAHAHA LOLOLOL ROFLMAO. Where did anyone say that? NO ONE DID. No one is being denied anything. You're making stuff up because you know you don't have a leg to stand on in this argument.
By the way, those statistics have NOTHING to do with WHERE a woman chooses to breastfeed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by formercalifornian
Now, wait a second, I breastfed for a total of four years between my two children. I was always discrete and nobody ever said "Boo" to me about it. Neither have I ever witnessed any woman going out of her way to breastfeed in a way that would make other people uncomfortable.
Now, wait a second, I breastfed for a total of four years between my two children. I was always discrete and nobody ever said "Boo" to me about it. Neither have I ever witnessed any woman going out of her way to breastfeed in a way that would make other people uncomfortable.
And how many times were you asked to cover yourself or leave a place? As you stated, you were 'discreet'.
As to never witnessing anyone 'going out of her way' to make people uncomfortable, I'm curious - the women who do "sit-ins" where they all breastfeed at the same time as a demonstration - do you think THEY were going out of their way? Or did they all 'just happen' to be there at the exact same time, all with babies that were hungry at the exact same time? Yeah, I don't think so either.
When people say "ew, you should not breastfeed in public! Who wants to see that? Cant' you feed your baby before you leave the house, and not feed it again until you get home?" that leads me to believe that those particular people feel that breastfeeding is indecent.
Back in the "old days," when there was no option to feed baby formula, I highly doubt that Ma Ingalls refused to nurse unless she was in her home. She probably stuck that baby in a sling and went about her day, nursing her baby as necessary. If she happened to be in town that day, she did not say "sorry baby, you will have to wait three days until we get home."
In other countries, women will rush to cover their heads or ankles when a man approaches, but will not cover their breasts if they are nursing a baby. Other cultures see breasts as a way to feed babies, not as something titillating (no pun intended) to laugh, gawk, point, and complain at.
I'm pretty sure that way back in the day, Ma Ingalls would have excused herself to a less public location in order to nurse, or at the very least made sure she was unexposed by using a shawl/cover. I doubt she whipped out the bare boob in the middle of Olsen's Mercantile or in the pew at the church/school, if you KWIM...
I have not heard even one person say breastfeeding is indecent.
And you would know. "Back in the "old days"" you were around when a fictional character breastfed her baby in town in front of everybody.
And you would know "In other countries" and "Other cultures" women whip out their breasts and breastfeed babies anywhere, anytime in front of everybody.
Have you really been so educated on breastfeeding around the world and in "old times" that you can make statements like that and think anyone will believe you?
I apologize; I assumed that others knew these things already.
In Mongolia, instead of relegating me to a “Mothers Only” section, breastfeeding in public brought me firmly to center stage. Their universal practice of breastfeeding anywhere, anytime, and the close quarters at which most Mongolians live, mean that everyone is pretty familiar with the sight of a working boob.
the American obsession with breasts is so unique that it is often puzzling to people from other cultures. One of my graduate students who conducted field work in Samoa reported to me that when she told a Samoan woman that American men like to suck on women's breasts, the Samoan was amazed. She asked my student, apparently with genuine interest and concern, "Do American men like to pretend they're babies?" That is how strictly Samoans define the purpose of women's breasts. In many countries, breastfeeding in public is as mundane an activity as public conversation; no one is concerned when women use their breasts in public for their primary biological function: to feed babies.
Get off your high horse. We see our own nipples in the privacy of our homes. We don't show them to others.
And "denying our society the benefits of breastfeeding"??? HAHAHAHAHA LOLOLOL ROFLMAO. Where did anyone say that? NO ONE DID. No one is being denied anything. You're making stuff up because you know you don't have a leg to stand on in this argument.
Then it isn't about you, is it.
You choose to ignore the study I posted about the societal benefits of breastfeeding and instead resort to name calling. What leg are you standing on?
It is well known that societal and cultural attitudes towards breastfeeding influence breastfeeding behavior. When our society does not support women breastfeeding in public or only under certain conditions many women will choose to bottle feed to avoid embarrassment, shame or simply choose the bottle for reasons of convenience.
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