General Chat

Whats everyones views on this,,? Babies need feeding and i think its wonderful if a woman chooses to feed her child this way,giving it natural immunity and creating a bond between them,,,however,, I have never managed to do this for my own children and find it quite uncomfortable when eating a scone in a lovely tea shop and the woment on the table right in front of me lifts her top up and proceeds to give her child his lunch,,and not discretly either, She was most offended when the manageress asked her if she would like to move to a more'comfortable area.

I agree Claire I did breast feed but didnt expect other members of the public to put up with me throwing them out when baby needed fed. I used to go off somewhere like the mother and baby room in mothercare and do it there. Shaz :-)

Nothing wrong with breast feeding in a public place as long as a bit of discretion is used. I'm a mother, but I don't want to see a huge, blue-veined boob being on full and public display while I'm eating. I wouldn't expect anyone to look at me topless in a tea shop! But like letting your bare pregnant belly hang out over your trousers, it's all to do with making a statement really. A lot of women make a big show and drama of breast feeding when everyone would be happy if they kept it discreet. Mandy \00/

I see nothing wrong with breast-feeding in public. It can be done quite discreetly. On the other hand, a few mothers like to make an issue of it, probably to confront the ancient taboo handed down by our forbears, and do it indiscreetly often choosing an unsuitable ("in your face") place when there is probably a more convenient spot nearby where mum and babe would be much more secluded and comfortable. Len

LOL I agree Mandy..... the other day was worse I nipped into a cafe for a cuppa and a sandwich and some woman actually changed her childs nappy on the table!! Shaz

I breast fed both my children - and in public - no such thing as a mother and baby room 20 odd years ago. however, i can guarantee I was discreet - so discreet that, when I was feeding the eldest at the clinic, and was called, the nurse didn't believe me!!

I breast-fed both my babies and couldn't care less about offending people who chose to be offended. You don't need to dangle your boobs about, the baby's head covers most things and I always wore t-shirt garments so I could just pull them up a bit, rather than spend ages buttoning and unbuttoning garments which would leave me more exposed than I wanted to be. I fed both of them as privately as I could, often in a quiet public garden, but I adamantly refused to be shoved into a separate room because somebody might be offended. However, I would certainly complain about someone changing their baby's nappy where you are eating - that is plain unhygienic and every bit as unacceptable as being told to feed your baby in the ladies' toilet! nell

I'm with Nell on this. You do what makes you and your baby happy. Your baby cries you feed it. You really do have to be looking pretty closely to be able to tell what is going on. That's the beauty of breast feeding - the mother doesn't have to be restricted - stuck to strict schedules.

Us fellas do tend to get a tad embarrassed when someone starts breastfeeding, but its a natural thing so as far as I'm concerned, go for it, but as previously said, be a little discrete. Have to say it was very odd that when I my sister in law was breastfeeding her kids, her mother (my MiL) would leave the room !!

I'm sorry, but i cant see why anybody would be offended by a woman breastfeeding her baby. Most mothers dont make a big show of it and lets face it, if you don't want to look don't. Personally i find having to step over piles of dog crap much more offensive.

I have breast fed all four of my children and had no qualms about doing it in public. As everyone says it can be done discreetly. On one occasion when a waitress in a cafe did notice what I was doing she asked me if I would be more comfortable if she put a chair in the toilet, so that I could feed my baby in privacy. I replied, only if all the other customers would be happy to eat their lunch in the toilet!!! She soon backed off. Other than that one time I've had nothing but support. Christine

Hi Claire i breastfed all 5 of mine, and in public but i was discreet, its a natural thing to do, if people don't like it they should look away. Everyone one says breast is best, then you get slated for doing it. I agree this country needs to make more availibility for areas where mums can feed, without offending anyone, but not toilets, proper facilities. I haven't seen any mums feeding in public for years, maybe more women are turning to the convenience of a bottle , due to peoples attitudes. sandra

The most offensive thing that ever happened to my husband and I was when we were in a lovely little cafe in Dorchester sharing a seated bay with a husband ,wife and young family. The youngest of whom was about four. Suddenly the four year old pushed its mother jumper up and suckled. It was then sick everywhere. We not only found this offensive,but it was almost a perversion in our eyes. You see for our generation some things were private,they did not happen in public . It was not prudery,but it was having a sense of privacy. We did not have adverts announcing sanitary towels in all their blue liquid euphemisms. Life was somehow one of a sense of what was appropriat and this seems to have been lost. Modern life is so IN YOUR FACE. fRANKLY i WOULD NOT WANT TO BARE ALL IN PUBLIC and feed my child. That is such an intimate moment for the child and mother which has been reduced to an act as mundane as waiting in a bus queue. Rose

Just had to tell you all this story to prove that my husband is right when he says I am an innocent. One night at drama rehearsals for the pantomime, one of the cast brought her baby who was only a few weeks old. She stood up to rehearse her bit and did the whole scene with the baby underneath her jumper. After we got home I said to Graham what an odd way it was to try and get your baby to sleep. I thought she had put it up her jumper so that it was warm and dark!!!! When he told me what she was really doing (i.e. feeding it) I couldn't believe my ears. LOL:))))))))) Chrissie

I agree with Nell on this one. I have breastfed both of mine (just given up with Zoe after 1 year) and had no qualms at all about doing it in public. It is the most natural thing in the world and you can be discreet. Often it looks like baby is having a cuddle nothing else. When a baby is hungry it wants feeding and not everywhere offers a room for you to feed in private. I know of women who have been offered toilets and changing rooms to feed their baby! Now that is offensive. For those of you that do not like to see it then don't look!!! Estelle :0)

Rosemary It seems the lady who breast fed her 4 year old at your table was really rude. If she had a baby who needed feeding then fine,babies cant wait, she could have said to you sorry I hope you dont mind & fed her baby discretly.(im not against feeding in public as long as its discrete as possible) But in my mind, a four year old can wait. Or either be given a drink in a cup or food if it was hungry. I know its up to the parents when they stop breastfeeding , but bear in mind most kids are well weaned off the bottle by this age, there is no reason for that mother to even let her child hoist up her top for a feed in public. Save it for bedtime at home in private if your child is that old! Elaine x

i have no problems with that it's natural and a mother shouldn't be forced out of a public place because of disapprovalxxxx(:

It's the most natural thing in the world, why do they make a big thing about it? As long as a woman dos'nt go flashing her boobs about but does it discretly it's fine! Jo.

i can see no problem in this it has been going on since the start of time and anyone who thinks it should be done away from public view wants to get a life

I am going to play devil's advocate here. As a breastfeeding mother I could say that I find it offensive to see a baby with a bottle of formula. Please don't shoot me down in flames, my son was given formula as well as breast milk. Just wanted to put a different view point.