Breast feeding in public

[Ohri-Jin]

IN PUBLIC

Is weird. I dont need to see some woman breast feeding her kid...especially in a restaurant, I think its rude..tbh

Do it in the bathroom of that particular restaurant but not at the table please,...

Ive seen it several times but never in public first time I saw I was startled but then shrugged it off and was like whatever..its natural

 

[The Witch]

As a woman, and as a woman who's seen breast feeding done in public more than I ever should--I could see why it would make someone uncomfortable. It's a boob hangin' out, and usually breasts are associated with sexual acts and desire and what not.

And I've personally witnessed women being stared at by passing men when she was breast feeding--it's just... akward to be around.

I personally won't do it... it's just weird to me. But there isn't anything wrong with it. It's natural and has to be done, would I do it? No. But should other woman stop? No. The child needs it.

I find the skanky hoes wearing nothing but bikini tops and mini-mini skirts, tangerine skin and bleached hair offensive and disgusting but I have to deal with them.

Know what's funny? When people see someone get a beating from a group of people, they don't complain but move away as quick as they can. Then when they see this woman peacefully breast feeding her child, not disturbing anyone, they throw a tantrum. Are you serious?

Good point.

 

[TheMixedHerb]

IN PUBLIC

Is weird. I dont need to see some woman breast feeding her kid...especially in a restaurant, I think its rude..tbh

Do it in the bathroom of that particular restaurant but not at the table please,...

You can't just expect them to do it there just because you don't like it. As many people have said - if you don't like it, don't look.
I'm not saying it doesn't make people feel uncomfortable, but there's no need to complain about it. It's natural, why should she have to go to the bathroom to feed her child?

If it makes you feel uncomfortable, okay, just look away and think nothing of it. It's none of your business what she's doing.

(I'm not directing this at anyone in particular, more of a general speculation.)

There are much worse things that someone can do in public, it's not exactly like they flaunt it about.
Courtesy and good manners cost you nothing, just go on about your business and ignore it if it bothers you so much. (I don't see why it should)

 

[Stoic Hero]

I like breasts. Why would I complain if a woman wants to plop one out in public?

Seriously though, I don't see a problem with breast feeding. Anyone who does have a problem and tries to get her to leave has a cucumber stuck up their ass. There's really no other explanation.

She's not hurting anyone. The absolute worst she can do is make you feel uncomfortable. And, really, being "uncomfortable" in any situation is largely rested on your own insecurities. If you weren't insecure about the situation, you wouldn't take offense to it.

 

[Fusionist]

Call it being a prudish society, but it's not something I'd like to see. Yes, yes, it's perfectly normal, but you're just so conditioned to boo people running around nekkid out in the open, a quick breast spotting invokes a similar jarring reaction. To be fair, most women who I've spotted breast feeding, they're actually pretty covered up with a blanket, or a lose short or something, so you know it's happening, but there's no graphic display. I have no issue with that.

And of course it's in your power not to see it, but once you know it's there, it's hard to forget what's going on, especially if you're unable to leave the immediate area.

I do call bullshit on mothers who catch your eye the one second you see them and then they tell you off.

I'm actually not too bothered about it when I'm with family though. When my aunt gave birth to my cousin, I was sitting with her when she was feeding him, and I was okay with it. But it was inside her home, and again, we were family, so it wasn't like I was looking at a stranger.

 

[Rydia]

Thing is though, they make shirts where there is a button or a snap and hardly any boob is visible. And a woman can also put a blanket over herself while she is adjusting her child and even when her child is feeding. That is exactly what the women I mentioned in the opening post was doing. It's not like these women are just throwing their tops off.

And the fuction of the breasts is to feed a child and not so much to be sexual like they have been conditioned to be. So why should breast feeding be considered innappropriate or make others uncomfortable? But I also don't think breast should be taboo or sexual either.

 

[Stoic Hero]

You're obviously not a man, Rydia. Conditioned or not, I still find breasts very appealing. Now, I agree that they shouldn't be considered taboo, and I also agree that their main purpose is breast feeding, but a flat chested woman can breast feed (almost) as well as a well endowed lady. Really, I think boobs also have a second purpose of being attractive to the opposite sex naturally.

A lot of people are uncomfortable with that, I guess. Me? The more boobs, the better I guess. I'm not really bothered by indecent exposure, tbh.

 

[Rydia]

Lol I am bi though. And Men's chests can also be very appealing if the guy works out Yet we don't make them cover up. I have gotten quite turned on by looking at a bare chested athletic man.

 

[Stoic Hero]

Hahaha I know, my point was that we should share the love. Women don't need to cover up. It shouldn't be a taboo thing.

 

[Dee]

I guess I don't really mind it, knowing that, as a straight woman unaffected by the potential sexual innuendo thoughts surrounding the issue, I understand that babies need to eat and this is a great way to do it. Although I would rather not have to sit next to or near a woman with her titty popped out of her shirt (though it would most likely be covered, I hope), it doesn't bother me enough that I would make an uproar. Breast feeding is natural and helps to not only nourish the child but creates a bond between baby and mother and if the woman chooses to do this in public, then she should be able to. She is not--in most cases--exposing herself indecently, so there is no law breaking.

Again, only a slight discomfort here but no major qualms.

 

[blakstang98]

Well, the gray area of this debate is that breast feeding in public is borderline indecent exposure. I also think it makes people sort of feel uncomfortable. I mean, you're only going to see breasts in the bedroom or in an R-rated movie, so seeing it in front of you in public sort of takes you by surprise.

I've never been exposed to a woman breast feeding in public before, so my thoughts of how I would react may not be accurate. I wouldn't feel right about it, only because she has a "private" part of her body exposed, and I'd want her to feel like she has some privacy. Would have a fit because she's doing it in public? No I wouldn't, but I wouldn't feel that comfortable with it overall. I understand it's natural and all, but im sure actions can be made to sort of cover it up from others, especially kids who shouldn't be exposed to that (the naked breast or the baby feeding on it). I certainly wouldn't mind seeing my own child feeding though.

And as much as I'm a breast fan, I see zero appeal to seeing one feeding a baby. Thinking that seeing a breast as nice, is very different from seeing one in a non-sexual manner. Seeing a woman taking a mamogram test wouldn't be appealing at all either. Just saying, the setting has a lot to do with the attraction of the breast.

 

[Terra Branford]

I don't see any problem with breast feeding in public. :/

I don't see how it could be a problem either. But if you don't like it, why do you look? You could always advert your eyes, or should a mother not feed her baby when she's out shopping for food or baby diapers, or doing something else?

Although, if she were shopping in a store and just stopped to breast feed, I'd be a little worried. lol

Yet we don't make them cover up.

lol

Yea, if there is a problem with breast feeding, a needed thing to keep another alive, what's up with all this bare chested men?

 

[RedJeepXJ]

I'm and curious on other people's thoughts on this. There was recently an uproar about this in my town.

I personally see no problem with it. They make shirts now where you can flip up an area of your top so that no part of the breast is visable while feedind a child. And breast feeding is such a natural thing and vital for an infant's life that I do not see why anyone would be offended by it.

Sure you can say, "well just use a breast pump and feed your kid with a bottle when you are out!"

However, all babies are different. Some will refuse to take a bottle and will only breast feed. (and vise versa) Can we really tell a mom who's child has this issue that she has to remain inside until her child drinks from a cup?

I think it's amazingly absurd that americans have such a distasteful view f a natural and necessary function of mammals

once you go to a nude beach though and get accustomed to it you realize that nudity is no big deal....

 

[TheMixedHerb]

I think it's amazingly absurd that americans have such a distasteful view f a natural and necessary function of mammals

I think that saying just Americans have a distateful view is quit discriminatory, I'm sure she's not the only one that feels like this. It's her opinion, and you have yours. So don't try to say hers is wrong because you disagree.

People don't like to see it, that's understandable. Yet I also agree that it's not hard to ignore it, but then again that brings out the fact that sometimes it's impossible to avoid. It's just one of those situations that happens sometimes.

Some people don't mind it, some people are a bit iffy with it.

 

[Valvalis]

And of course it's in your power not to see it, but once you know it's there, it's hard to forget what's going on, especially if you're unable to leave the immediate area.

I do agree here. And if someone who's doing it starts talking to you, you really can't ignore them and look away because that's kind of rude :/ While the argument of "don't like it, look away" is a good one and I agree with it, you can't always help it, and that can be kind of uncomfortable. And I'm not much of a baby person as it is so I'll admit it does bother me a little, but then that is also my problem and I don't think someone else should be inhibited by that.

Really the only main problem I would have with the whole thing is if someone was doing it just to get attention, like if they were hanging out with someone they knew was uncomfortable with it and did it anyway just to make a point, even though they just left the house five minutes ago and could've done it then or something. There are plenty of people out there who like doing "taboo" things just because they're taboo, and not because they actually think they're right, and I do think that's wrong. For the case of breastfeeding that may or may not happen very often, I really have no idea; however I have met a few pregnant people who seemed to have that mindset But if you've got a lot of important errands to run and you can't wait around for the baby to eat, then you shouldn't have to be sequestered in your house. And really, any time I've seen it, like people have said, the baby's head is so big that you really can't see any boob anyway, so I don't think that really qualifies as indecent exposure. If you have to pull down your pants and pee on the side of the road it's a similarly excusable thing, and law enforcement should be more worried about the actual dipshit criminals out there rather than people who show their bodies for a second out of necessity.

 

[Espurr]

I really don't see what the problem with breast feeding in public is, provided of course that you cover it up as you do it or just do it in a different room. It is a natural process after all. Odds are, the baby is going to want breast milk instead of a bottle and who knows when they will get hungry so what else can you do when they want some boobie milk? I've been exposed to it a few times before and it has never bothered me.

 

[VinnieJones]

Don't most women breastfeed discretely though? They don't just 'whip it out' do they. They can't exactly stuff the baby up their top, they have no choice but to get it out. I have no problem at all, as long as if they do it without having the public get a clean view of their chest. You can't really see the milk coming out of the breast, and the parts you'll probably see won't be much more breast than through a small bikini on the beach.

Opposing this action will only decrease the already low number of breastfed babies; people will just think it'll be easier and less embarrassing if they switch over to bottles. Babies are very vulnerable, and feeding them milk not from the mother can cause various medical ailments like gut problems, diarrhoea and ear infections. Breastfeeding helps the child to build up their immune system and shouldn't be prevented. Plus not all babies choose to accept bottled milk.

And this may be going into a slightly different direction, but it might also turn out to be a good public demonstration of the responsibility you hold by giving birth, and could lead to an irresponsible teenage girl to think twice before having unprotected sex.

Like others have said, there are bigger issues out there on the streets.

 

[blakstang98]

I think it's amazingly absurd that americans have such a distasteful view f a natural and necessary function of mammals

Calling someone's view distasteful is completely inappropriate and unnecessary. Don't make the mistake of doing so again. If you disagree with it, then state your reasons, but do not insult someone when doing so. Thank you.

 

[Davey Gaga]

Thing is though, they make shirts where there is a button or a snap and hardly any boob is visible.

And they also make lady wee-wee to allow women to use urinals...still not something you'd feel comfortable seeing is it?

 

[Bambi]

You can hold a wee in, or find a proper bog. I'd rather see a woman breast feed than listen to a crying baby, it's actually worse than an alarm clock first thing in the morning. I'd hardly say it was comparable. Though, saying that, again, just look awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

And they also make lady wee-wee to allow women to use urinals

not that i can make ANY sense of what you just wrote there, but I'l go out on a limb and assume, urinals for women...? dunno how the fuck that would work mind. And men have their cocks out in public all the time, pissing up walls, yet breast feeding in public always seems to cause more controversy