Public breastfeeding

Agreed Mishap.

It would be good to see those mums parading through newsagents and showing the shop managers the top shelf stuff that offends them when they bring their children into the shop.

I once asked a W H Smith manager to remove such magazines that were positioned directly above children's comics. He spoke to me as though I was talking nonsense. When I went in a week later, they had been moved, but why should our children be faced with confusing images of women's breasts, and we still get arguments about using breasts for their natural purpose?

I cannot really believe we are still discussing the pros and cons of public breastfeeding - I thought the world had moved on a bit!

The waitress who kicked up a fuss was out of order and some Mums found a way to tell her so. That's fine.

I was hugely impressed when shopping with my daughter and her newborn in a mall in New Zealand. To reach the parent and baby room, you press a button on the wall and large mirrored doors slide open, then close once you have entered. Inside is a large airy room with nappy changing surfaces and sinks, free microwave ovens for heating bottles or baby food, an enclosed area for older children to watch television, comfortable seats and two or three cubicles where mothers can breastfeed in private if they wish to. There are also loos and the whole place was spotlessly clean. I bet there's nothing like this at Westfield or Blue Water.

The women were being so upfront (sorry no pun intended) to make a point. A waitress had not only made a mother feel uncomfortable but then chased her into the street shouting abuse. The cafe owner put the sign up after the demonstration and made the most of his free publicity but declaring that his cafe is now feeding friendly.

A peaceful and happy protest with a warm welcome from the cafe owner. I bet his takings go up after that lovely publicity

It's obviously a cafe where the mums meet up. That can't be bad.

Nanban. I over reacted a bit there. Sorry.

(Not sure how you can call breastfeeders "over endowed" though. Isn't that part of the deal? )

there's a video of what happened on here

No commentary but worth watching.

Well, that started a fantastic conversation - if a tad one-sided. The phrase I latched onto was - the height of intimacy between mother and child - that didn't mention sharing a table with complete strangers.

As an add-on to lack of awareness of others - one woman got up from the front seat of the bus with a child of 2+ years latched on and joined the queue of people going downstairs. How can that be a beautiful moment?

As for 'our newspapers' being full of naked bodies - we have a choice to buy or not to buy.

And, yes, the displayed breast feeder could so very easily just flip a shawl around and offend, embarrass, no-one.

Is there no-one out there who agrees, or is that too politically incorrect?

This protest happened in Bristol and was featured on the local news. The full story was that the cafe involved did welcome mothers who were breastfeeding but one of the employees had asked a mother to move to a corner. In defence of the OP I have seen breastfeeding mothers who are not discreet and who stare at anyone around them almost willing them to object. Some of the mothers on the protest where very "up front" with their breast on display.

I think we have all seen the different attitudes, one where the mother is discreet and bonding with the baby, the other where the child is simply "latched" on and the mother then continues whatever she was doing, talking, texting, smoking or whatever (and yes I have seen this) ignoring the child until it has finished.

I would much rather see a mum breastfeeding her baby in a cafe than someone stuffing an oversized beefburger into their mouth.

Martin Parr, one of my all-time favourite photographers, has made a career of photographing ordinary people going about their lives, and many of these pics are at the seaside. One classic was taken in Spain I believe and shows a mother sitting topless on a beach, bottle-feeding her baby - brilliant!

I was never averse to breastfeeding anywhere or everywhere, but it was always a good opportunity to sit down with the baby and read a book while he had his fill. I got through a lot of short stories while I was breastfeeding no 1. No 2 had to take his chances! And he did. My DiL wore a nice baggy sweater and stuffed the baby under it. He didn't suffocate.

And surely it's only the nipple which is airbrushed out of photos, not allowed in advertising etc. If a baby's feeding, the nipple is obviously out of sight!

Quite!

D2's seven month old baby tugs at the shawl when she is being fed, she doesn't like being hidden away. GD will also stop feeding if her mother is talking to someone, she likes to be fed while her mum sits quietly but is not bothered by others talking.

I actually don"t understand the problem with seeing part of a woman"s breast when they are feeding their baby, that is what breasts are for. No one seems to be bothered when a woman wears a very revealing top showing lots of their breast but complain when a baby is being fed.

And me! I wanted desperately to breastfeed and couldn't. I feel slightly of those who can and will defend their right to do so.

My daughter breastfed all six of her babies - she used to wear a shawl over her shoulder and just pop the baby's head under it - none of them suffocated!

My daughter saw some babies/toddlers at a birthday party being fed coke in their bottles. Now that would really offend me!

I breastfed all five of my babies, but back in the early 60s to early 70s, I wouldn`t have done it in public, not because I think there`s anything indecent about it, but because I was painfully shy. When I came home rom hospital with the second one, I was leaving the room to feed her, when my MIL asked where I was going. I said I was going to feed the baby, and she said, "Sit yourself down, he`s seen titties before, haven`t you Billy?" meaning my FIL!

I do not mind it at all.
However, I always avert my eyes because I feel as if I am intruding .
For me, a woman breast feeding her child is a very powerful image.
It is beautiful, the height of intimacy between mother and child.

JessM I couldn't agree more!
I know Gary the Gardner gets a little embarrassed when Venetia (discreetly) feeds Merryn. But his wife, Kate the cleaner and I tell him not to be so idioticz,

Thank goodness we've moved on from the days when you were expected to lurk in the Ladies to feed your infant! I've heard/read the occasional story of a mother being asked to stop feeding the baby because people were embarrassed but mothers now seem to be more assertive. More power to their elbows. Or whatever.

I don't think I have ever seen a mum, breastfeeding in public, do so in an indiscreet manner. Even if they have a bit of chest exposed the baby's head is covering it. Perhaps people feel embarrassed because they really want to look and feel they should not.
I find it very depressing that the mainstream press can exhibit dozens of naked breasts (albeit all crafted by the same plastic surgeon) and someone can get all ruffled by the sight of breasts being used for the purpose that nature intended.
"furore" sounds like media trying to make something sound more dramatic.

Jacey, to join you in your aside, some parents do seem to think it's quite OK to leave dirty disposable nappies lying about wherever they stop to change their baby. I've seen them on public transport and in the corners of waiting rooms.....

My dd does it, along with all her friends. Dgd is one now ,with TEETH but she's still breast feeding!