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For some reason, breastfeeding 20 something and 30 something mothers behave as though they INVENTED breastfeeding. Got news for you girls; YOU DIDN'T. It goes back to the beginning of time. So why does one suppose it has become such an issue the past few years? Because these women have some kind of need to be noticed.
Probably because you have a more viral media so it's easier to find out about cases where women get tossed out or arrested for doing it .
That's ok. You call it as you see fit, and so do I. It's the IN YOUR FACE attitude that is making the problem, not anything else.
I don't care that people breastfeed, just keep it to themselves.
Then obviously you do care. Because if you didn't care it would not bother you at all.
Not really. I find most women to be modest and over up. Usually it just looks like she is holding the baby. I did have one gross experience seeing a woman breast feed. I worked for a large retailer and a woman was walking down the aisle with her shirt complete off except around her neck. Looked like a cape. She was bare chested, one breast flopping in the wind and the other was feeding her child. She held the baby like a football. She glared at everyone with a challenging look. I didnt bite (no pun intended). I figure she must be a lunatic looking to start a lawsuit.
The cape just scarred me for life!I have seen many, many women breast feed in public and all are dirscreet-most people wouldn't have a clue what they are doing.
Tastefully done, no problem. Putting your toddler in a Walmart shopping cart and draping your shirt over the kid to breast feed while deciding on what sausage to have for supper is horrible. Long live Funny Pictures at WalMart
I fed my daughter when she needed it, until she was just about two. I fed her in public. I didn't shove her under a blanket so no one would have to know that she was nursing. But I also wore lose t-shirts so there was little skin shown , beyond latching.
The only time I had an issue was on the plane. Since she was born we have gone to the Philippines several times a year. It is best for babies to nurse while taking off as it helps their ears "pop". When she was under a year, we would go first class as it was cheaper than two coach seats. But the first time she was in coach (about 15 months) the stewardess told me I couldn't nurse her except in the bathroom!! This is a 20+ hour flight.
I told her I had bought two tickets, there was no one else in my row, and I was going to feed my child. This was the only time anyone ever said anything to me about breastfeeding but apparently this is not as uncommon as we would hope in this day and age.
I didn't care what the "experts" said about bottles, about breastfeeding, about proper child development . . . I knew what was best for my child.
"Best" is kind of subjective. Clearly there are many many different ways to do this and the resulting adults all turn out just fine. WHO simply recommend what they think is the best approach based on the scientific evidence they have available to them. That does not mean deviating from their recommendation will result in any kind of sub standard result - nor does following that recommendation necessarily result in an "ideal" result.
However when posts like yours - the one I replied to - start making rigid declarations like "They should be drinking from a cup. Period." alarm bells should go off and recommendations like those from WHO should be referred to. There is no "should.... period" declaration that is correct here and one should be more cautious therefore about throwing them around inconsiderately.
Discretion is a good thing in todays society and I am all for it. However at the same time it is worth exploring for oneself why we feel that need. Breasts are not evil - breast feeding not a crime - it is a healthy question to wonder to oneself why society has reached a point where such discretions are required in the first place. Especially when the standard of comments on the subject are claiming women are doing it to "get attention" or "I do not want to see boob flesh".
I have a friend with a 9 month old who has gone from passionate about providing the best she can for her baby to rapid crusading against those who disagree with her choices. On facebook, she is constantly writing statuses along the lines of "I feel so sad for any child whose mother doesn't at least try to breastfeed them. How can you be so cruel as to deprive your child of this essential nourishment?", and pictures of her daughter breastfeeding, and side by side pictures of a woman breastfeeding and some girls in skimpy bikinis with the caption "If you find this offensive and not this, there's something seriously wrong with you."
I kindly pointed out that the ladies in bikinis would probably not be welcome to shop in a mall or grocery store in their current attire.
I have a friend with a 9 month old who has gone from passionate about providing the best she can for her baby to rapid crusading against those who disagree with her choices. On facebook, she is constantly writing statuses along the lines of "I feel so sad for any child whose mother doesn't at least try to breastfeed them. How can you be so cruel as to deprive your child of this essential nourishment?", and pictures of her daughter breastfeeding, and side by side pictures of a woman breastfeeding and some girls in skimpy bikinis with the caption "If you find this offensive and not this, there's something seriously wrong with you."
I kindly pointed out that the ladies in bikinis would probably not be welcome to shop in a mall or grocery store in their current attire.
In fairness, I was at the outlet mall last week, there were multiple girls there in bikini tops and shorts.
I do understand the sentiment even if it isn't in my nature to be "crusading".
I also think that while intellectually society accepts that breast are primarily for feeding babies, still emotionally many men and women still think of them first and foremost as sexual objects. Thus the visceral reaction of so many to being "discrete".
AGAIN!! The idea that the breast is gross. What is the American hang-up? What the bloody hell is so stomach-churning about "boob flesh" that it interferes with eating.
In any case, if your pasta fasuli is so crappy that you can't keep your eyes on it, then you should be chatting with the waiter about your cuisine, not having a fluttering vapor attack about the baby's.
I only have fluttering vapor attacks over an exposed penis.
My point is that it is NOT necessary to breast feed with an uncovered boob in a restaurant or anywhere outside of your own home. Kind of like being at the beach or shopping in the local department store.
I DO NOT WANT TO SEE YOUR BOOBS AND BUTT HANGING OUT OF YOUR CLOTHING.
I have my own boobs and butt to look at if I really want to see them exposed and I'll expose them in my own home while my husbands exposed penis is available so I can truly get the FLUTTERING VAPORS.
The toddler breastfeeding is not for nutrition as much as a comfort mechanism or bonding ritual at that point usually. Just because you find it odd doesn't mean people should stop.
If mom hasn't taught sonny other methods of comfort, and still hasn't yet bonded with her kid by the age of 3, then there's something going on that needs to be addressed, and breastfeeding ain't it.
(edited to add) that doesn't mean that people shouldn't breastfeed - I'm saying that these are just silly excuses. If you want to breastfeed your kid, breastfeed him. But don't make excuses for it.
I bonded just fine with my mom, and she didn't breastfeed us at all, nor did she pump her milk. My sister and I were both bottle babies. I also had a "magic blanket" that I clung to from the time I was 2 til around 7. I don't remember -ever- having a pacifier but I'm sure I must've. We were also cage-babies - our parents firmly believed in playpens to contain us so mom and dad could entertain guests without worrying about the kids running down the stairs or crawling into the oven.
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just scarred me for life!I have seen many, many women breast feed in public and all are dirscreet-most people wouldn't have a clue what they are doing.
