Public Breastfeeding....... (lobby, states, arguments, USA)

[boiseguy]

breast feeding is weird but I'm a guy so my opinion is biased.. I think it all depends though.. I mean if you're in a restaurant where other people are EATING.. it demands a bit more courtesy.. I know it would gross me out if I was trying to eat

[old_cold]

I can't understand the words 'gross' and 'disgusting' over this issue.
I can understand overly prudish people that wouldn't do it themselves not wanting anybody else too, either, but disgusting????
I've certainly witnessed adults' table manners or a baby in a highchair happily smearing food all over the tray and itself or spluttering a mouthful back out again that might better earn the word disgusting than a few inches of skin that, if by itself was cropped and framed, wouldn't even be recognizable as breast as opposed to arm or leg

Some of you people must need a bottle of Maalox or a few Zanax if you happen across some National Geographic articles

[Who?Me?!]

Originally Posted by Chatteress

Exposing breasts for any other reason would constitute public nudity so I don't understand why it is suddenly ok in the case of breastfeeding. I really don't wish to see a strange woman's breast exposed, especially while I'm having dinner at a restaurant. Have some modesty mothers.

Originally Posted by Chatteress

The issue is breastfeed discretely and there is no issues. Don't use the breastfeeding as an excuse to expose yourself. Have some modesty.

Originally Posted by Chatteress

There are clothing specifically made for discrete breastfeeding - there is no need to expose a breast for the world to see.

Originally Posted by Chatteress

Then find a secluded place where you can breastfeed discretely. If you are at a restaurant, why not go to the car and breastfeed? Or what about those tops that are designed to help mothers discretely breastfeed without exposing themselves? There are ways to breastfeed while in public without having to expose yourself to strangers and oglers.

Originally Posted by Chatteress

There is nothing "sinful" about the human body. Most folks (at least the normal ones) do not wish to see the private body parts of strangers exposed. It's a matter of respect and courtesy of your fellow man/woman.

Originally Posted by Chatteress

No ... it is up to the breastfeeding mother to have consideration on others before she whips out a breast to feed her baby. There are tons of ways to do it discretely and I see no logical reason why a woman cannot keep her breast covered up. Like it or not, we live in a perverted society and when a woman decides to openly bare her breast to feed her baby versus doing it discretely, she opens herself up to unwanted attention and ogling. Also, not everyone is comfortable with nudity (which is what baring a breast is) so why would it be ok for a woman to bare a breast in one circumstances and not be allowed to go topless in other circumstances?

Originally Posted by Chatteress

I have not seen it personally, fortunately. My responses about being against women openly baring their breast is in response to posters who seem to make an issue out of any comments that women should be discrete about breastfeeding. If I can see that a woman appears to be breastfeeding but cannot see her breast, I have no issues with it. What it just boils down to is common courtesy - That's all!

Agree with all your posts .... I tried to say all along that's it a matter of common courtesy...but you know there will always be those who ignore the rights of others to prove a point and draw attention to themselves....My sister breastfed her baby at dinner and no one knew.....she had her blouse covering everything...such thoughtfulness! Such intelligence! Such courtesy!




I bet these "let it all hang out Moms" would really be offended if some strangers at the next table stared pointedly throughout the feeding.....or maybe not !

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Chatteress

Do you feel that fast food tables are sanitary places to breastfeed? Most public places are not very sanitary so maybe it is best to stay at home with the baby.

1. I used to work for a health department and the restaurant inspectors there said the fast-food places were the cleanest restaurants in town.

2. Stay home for how long? Both of my kids breast fed for more than a year. Also, the breast milk is sterile inside the boob, and as long as the mom bathes regularly, and washes her hands, the milk is sanitary regardless of the situation (with a few exceptions). That is why third-world women are encouraged to breast feed. I certainly wouldn't want to fix a bottle from the sink in the restrooms of some restaurants.

[mag32gie]

Originally Posted by boiseguy

breast feeding is weird but I'm a guy so my opinion is biased.. I think it all depends though.. I mean if you're in a restaurant where other people are EATING.. it demands a bit more courtesy.. I know it would gross me out if I was trying to eat

In 65 years, I have never seen one woman just "whip it out" but if I did it would not be anywhere near as offensive as listening to some guy blow his nose when I am trying to eat.
I think it may bother you to see the object of your sexual fantasy used to feed a baby.
Also, if it "grosses" somebody out to think the baby is actually drinking milk from that breast, remember, that glass of milk that you have the nerve to drink in front of us is actually body fluid.

[filihok]

A) The world needs more Jerz's. Thanks for bringing some good ol' rational thought to this discussion.

Originally Posted by boiseguy

breast feeding is weird but I'm a guy so my opinion is biased.. I think it all depends though.. I mean if you're in a restaurant where other people are EATING.. it demands a bit more courtesy.. I know it would gross me out if I was trying to eat

B) Why should a baby not be allowed to EAT in a RESTAURANT where people are EATING? A few people have brought up this 'point' and I just don't get it. Why should everyone else EAT at the TABLE and the baby EAT in the BATHROOM? Really? How in the world does this make sense.

C) Exposure. Humans have a natural repulsion to other people's bodily fluids. Saliva, blood, urine, semen, mucus, milk, etc because, in general, it isn't safe to come into contact with these fluids. Notice how children think kissing (coming into contact with another person's saliva) is gross. Through observation children learn that it is sometimes ok for two people to kiss. Because our society is so breast-phobic/fetishized children rarely experience breast feeding as a natural thing and never learn that it's not gross and are left with this childish outlook on breast feeding that we see here. That's why we hear words like 'gross' and 'eww' to describe the act and no rational explanation as to why that is.

[sickofnyc]

Originally Posted by JerZ

Okay, so then what's the bottom line here? Because breasts can be seen as sexual, we are therefore only allowed to display them in public that way? Babies aren't aware of social mores. They just get hungry.

Your personal feeling, then, is what? That we should and can only display our breasts in order to give strangers a quick h*rd on, but if a child is actually hungry, that's a no go and a shocking display?

The point is that a woman can do whatever the hell she damn pleases as long as she does not mind the fact that there will be people that are not looking at her in a maternal motherly way. If she does not mind, that is her business. Personally, I would not give anyone a free show and would do my best to be as modest about it as possible.

I do not think that, for arguments sake, a bunch of teenage boys would see it as anything but an exposed boob. If she is comfortable with that scenario, then let her whip it out.

[sickofnyc]

Originally Posted by mag32gie

In 65 years, I have never seen one woman just "whip it out" but if I did it would not be anywhere near as offensive as listening to some guy blow his nose when I am trying to eat.
I think it may bother you to see the object of your sexual fantasy used to feed a baby.
Also, if it "grosses" somebody out to think the baby is actually drinking milk from that breast, remember, that glass of milk that you have the nerve to drink in front of us is actually body fluid.

I have seen it. In those instances, I think there is more going on than just the wholesome act of breastfeeding when a woman is that non-discrete. Come to think of it, I'm sure that you can tell much about a woman's personality from the way she handles the suituation. I'm not talking about the act of breastfeeding, I'm talking about her out in public technique in doing so.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by JerZ

Talk about the objectification of women: we're "allowed" to let it all hang out as long as it pleases someone who wants to think for a moment or two about having sex with us. That's fine. But if we want to feed an infant then it's "rude and disgusting." Say what???

Who is objectifying women? Aren't it women posing for money for Playboy and all the girlie magazines, and none of these magazines has any problem finding women who will and do whatever sexual thing for the reading audience. Who runs out and fills their body with silicone, willing to be nothing but a glorified plastic blowup doll, and they'll spend thousands of dollars for these procedures. And it's women who intentionally expose their breasts or as much of them as they can for all lookers to admire and many now expose their butts the same way, intentionally showing as much crack as they think is legal -- because they thrive on being objectified. No one makes them do it. It's the women themselves that have done this, and want every man out there to think about having sex with them.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by sickofnyc

I have seen it. In those instances, I think there is more going on than just the wholesome act of breastfeeding when a woman is that non-discrete. Come to think of it, I'm sure that you can tell much about a woman's personality from the way she handles the suituation. I'm not talking about the act of breastfeeding, I'm talking about her out in public technique in doing so.

There was a recent issue where a woman (on the large and homely side - I won't say cow-like again) removed the top to her bathing suit and decided her baby HAD to be nursed in the middle of a crowded pool. People complained but it was the perfect opportunity for her to go to the news media. Her 15 minutes of fame was available.