Breast Feeding in Public:

[ZTAMiami]

Public restrooms are completely disgusting. I avoid using them at all costs therefore why would someone want to feed their baby in there? I don't see how someone could be "offended" by a mother nursing her child! And yes urination is natural but please don't compare that to breastfeeding!

[Eirene_DGP]

Originally posted by PnguinTrax



Would you eat your meal in a restroom? Why should my baby have to?

I love it when I see a woman BF is public and think it's beautiful. Yes, just 'whipping it out' could be a bit disconcerting, but today's nursing clothes make it easier than ever to discreetly feed your infant in public. In fact, I've had to 'look twice' to confirm that a woman was BF in public, because it was so hard to tell at first glance.

Breasts are to provide nourishment to human infants. They are not there to sell beer or pleasure men. Breast milk is the most complete and perfect food for human infants, constantly (naturally!) changing it's nutritional components to satisfy the changing needs of growing human infants. No other food product on this earth is more perfect for humans than breastmilk.


The average age of weaning in countries outside the US is 5 years of age. In the US, it's 6 months. The Pediatric Association recommends breastfeeding for at least 1 year, preferably 2 years or as long as mutually desirable. Extended breastfeeding is a natural process that has been perverted by American 'morals & values'. Breastfeeding a toddler will not turn them into breast-obsessed maniacs, it is NOT child abuse and it is NOT pornography.

The longer a woman breastfeeds, the better it is for her and the baby. Recent studies have shown that a woman's risk of breast cancer diminishes greatly for each month past 6 months a woman breastfeeds and diminishes even more for BF past a year or two. The percentage risk goes down even further with subsequent children that the woman has and breastfeeds.

You know what? I used to be a "Breastfeeding is gross and disgusting and perverted" kind of person. I did ALOT of research and saw the truth of the matter - it's better for the baby, it's better for me and it's better for the world. Breastfed babies are healthier overall - it helps prevent obesity, diabetes and other diseases. It makes an infant feel secure and loved. I don't support corporate greed when I breastfeed and I save A LOT of money when I breast feed. Breast milk is free. Formula can run as much as $500 a month for the specialty forumulas. Wouldn't that money be better spent in your child's college fund?

I realize that there are many women that can't breastfeed due to physical limitations and are forced to feed formula. Two of my close friends will never be able to BF and it's horrible to see how they are treated by women that don't know their story. But if you are physically able to breastfeed and don't, I think you are doing your child and your own body a great disservice.

Informational links (if pictures of breastfeeding infants offend you, do not visit):

http://www.breastfeeding.com/

http://www.lalecheleague.org/

Pediatric Assoc's statment on BF: http://www.aap.org/policy/re9729.html

http://www.waba.org.br/

http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/

Lucy Lawless (Xena, Warror Princess) is featured (while BF) on
Australia's poster for World Breastfeeding week. It says, Breastfeeding...my best role ever. http://www.ausxip.com/lawless/pictur...ert-poster.jpg

http://www.promom.org/

http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/

Thanks PnguinTrax for the very informative links. I was going to post everything you said, but you beat me to it. I really think that breastfeeding is healthier and women who are able to breast feed and don't are really missing out on a large part of being a woman. From a financial standpoint, the price of formula is ridiculous. When I used to work in a grocery store, new mothers would come in and buy $90 cases of formula. I used to think, why spend $90 on something I can *make* for free...

[Optimist Prime]

anything that will get us closer to full public nuditiy

[newsun]

The problem with breastfeeding in public is that the media has made something so natural as unacceptable.

Several generations have grown up seeing ads on bottles and baby formula or watching television that only shows bottle feeding, but never shows discrete breastfeeding. Thus, breastfeeding a 2 or 3 year old is gross, because we have been conditioned in the U.S. to see it that way.

However, just as a regular person has manners when eating in public (like not talking with your mouth full or eating in a store), I believe a woman breastfeeding in public should use manners and discretion. Using a coverup and asking for a booth or side table in a restaraunt is showing consideration of others. Also concentrating on the baby, rather than doing other things like walking around or trying on shoes (that was really funny), is better for the baby.

I do not think that I could ever breastfeed a baby once they start really walking/talking because I would not have the patience to breastfeed that long, but if you can more power to you! I have a sister who is trying to breastfeed till the baby is 2 and I think it's great.

[Corbin Dallas]

after reading some facts and opinions here, if a woman wants to breastfeed when a kid can walk and talk, that's fine with me. however, if the child is old enough to do that, he or she is also old enough to wait to eat until a more convenient time, unless it's apparent that it's going to be an unnecessary wait. I know when babies have to eat, they have to eat NOW more or less, but a 2 or 3 year old can wait a little while to save his mother, and if nothing else, the people around her the embarrassment.

[h2oot]

That's sick to think of breastfeeding in public as way to bring you closer to public nudity!

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
anything that will get us closer to full public nuditiy

[Tom Earp]

OH DAMN YUK, OH DAMN YUK!

Now as an Adult, maybe that is different!

Natural my ass, I do not need to see a womens Boobie on a bus! Hell the damn Kid can wait or scream its ugly head off!

Well, I guess if she has Nice Breast! NO NO!

Sorry, I am some what limpid on this deal!

NOW, If I was the baby on this deal I may think DIFFERENT!

[DeeGeePee]

You knoe, I read this whole thrad and I have been trying to curb my frustration and anger at these posts (well some of them).

First off, I breastfed my daughter and am still breastfeeding her (she's 17 months). I fully agree that a woman should cover herself and the baby during feeding in public. That's the polite/appropriate thing to do. And most have the sense to do it.

But what gets me is when you do do that and people still look at you like, I can't believe she's gonna do that!! GET A F**Kin life, for real. That is the reason why women were born with breasts, to feed and nourish her children. If you notice, everything about our bodies are ordered (uhh, did you think that the vagina-penis combo was an accident??). Breasts are for feeding the baby, that's it. Of course, breasts today are seen as sexual toys in this country. Look at Hooters, Playboy, SPice channel, all the other avenues of porno. Yall didn't have a problem looking at Naughty Nancy's breasts on the movie you all just saw!! Americans think that breasts are ok as sexual toys, because that's how people use them for the most part, but if a woman wants to use them for what they were intended to be used for, OH HELLLLLL NAW, SHE GOTTA GO!! Well that's just pure BS.

As far as feeding in the bathroom, I'll go and feed my baby in there when you dump your plate on the floor and eat off of the linoleum. Those thangs are disgusting. YOU go eat in there.

As far as how long to breastfeed, we are the only country, like PnguinTrax said, that doesn't see breastfeeding as vital. I was breastfed, my brother was, and my daughter and ANY other children I have will be. And I will feed her until she and I decide we've had enough. And nobody in "society" is gonna tell me otherwise. If you don't like it, tough! Those that have such a big problem with it were probably similac babies anyway. Any child that I give birth to is gonna have the best, and that's the breast. Formula is ok, I'm not knockin it, because my daughter was ultra greedy from 0-5 months, and I gave her a bottle a day to supplement, but over 95% of her food came from the tatas. That's the way it should be. Why else do our breasts fill with milk when we GIVE BIRTH!!!

Women SHOULD cover up, but don't yall DARE look at breastfeeding as nasty or inappropriate. It is one of the most natural things in the world, you should APPLAUD women that do it.

***Please excuse me, I just fell very passionately about the subject. No offense to anyone in particular, just "American society" as a whole***

[Rudey]

Ok all I have to say is that you came up with an amazing jingle.
"Gonna have the best,
and that's the breast!"

-Rudey
--I wish I knew a girl named Megs, so I could touch her legs!

Originally posted by DeeGeePee
You knoe, I read this whole thrad and I have been trying to curb my frustration and anger at these posts (well some of them).

First off, I breastfed my daughter and am still breastfeeding her (she's 17 months). I fully agree that a woman should cover herself and the baby during feeding in public. That's the polite/appropriate thing to do. And most have the sense to do it.

But what gets me is when you do do that and people still look at you like, I can't believe she's gonna do that!! GET A F**Kin life, for real. That is the reason why women were born with breasts, to feed and nourish her children. If you notice, everything about our bodies are ordered (uhh, did you think that the vagina-penis combo was an accident??). Breasts are for feeding the baby, that's it. Of course, breasts today are seen as sexual toys in this country. Look at Hooters, Playboy, SPice channel, all the other avenues of porno. Yall didn't have a problem looking at Naughty Nancy's breasts on the movie you all just saw!! Americans think that breasts are ok as sexual toys, because that's how people use them for the most part, but if a woman wants to use them for what they were intended to be used for, OH HELLLLLL NAW, SHE GOTTA GO!! Well that's just pure BS.

As far as feeding in the bathroom, I'll go and feed my baby in there when you dump your plate on the floor and eat off of the linoleum. Those thangs are disgusting. YOU go eat in there.

As far as how long to breastfeed, we are the only country, like PnguinTrax said, that doesn't see breastfeeding as vital. I was breastfed, my brother was, and my daughter and ANY other children I have will be. And I will feed her until she and I decide we've had enough. And nobody in "society" is gonna tell me otherwise. If you don't like it, tough! Those that have such a big problem with it were probably similac babies anyway. Any child that I give birth to is gonna have the best, and that's the breast. Formula is ok, I'm not knockin it, because my daughter was ultra greedy from 0-5 months, and I gave her a bottle a day to supplement, but over 95% of her food came from the tatas. That's the way it should be. Why else do our breasts fill with milk when we GIVE BIRTH!!!

Women SHOULD cover up, but don't yall DARE look at breastfeeding as nasty or inappropriate. It is one of the most natural things in the world, you should APPLAUD women that do it.

***Please excuse me, I just fell very passionately about the subject. No offense to anyone in particular, just "American society" as a whole***

[James]

Two questions:

1. Can you buy human breast milk?

2. If everyone is so worried about it . . can't you use the pump to put the milk in a bottle for public consumption . . .?

I saw the pump in a movie once.

[PenguinTrax]

Originally posted by James
Two questions:

1. Can you buy human breast milk?

2. If everyone is so worried about it . . can't you use the pump to put the milk in a bottle for public consumption . . .?

I saw the pump in a movie once.

1. There are certified milk donors - you can buy it with a doctors prescription. This is usually in the event that the mother cannot BF and the child cannot be fed commercial formula.

2. Pumping and bottlefeeding expressed breast milk is an option once the child is old enough. During early infancy the risk of nipple confusion is great, ie. bottlefeeding is a much different (and easier) sucking method than BF. You need to BF exclusively for a couple of months so that the baby learns how to feed itself that way, otherwise if it gets used to bottlefeeding, it will often refuse the breast.

There are some moms that will pump exclusively and bottlefeed. Pumping is time consuming, much more so than actual breastfeeding. Women need to do it, though, especially if they are going back to work and want to continue BF their child. Luckily many workplaces provide lactation rooms with a refrigerator so that working moms can pump as needed during the day and store the milk to take home and use as needed.

[James]

Thank you for the quick response Barb

[Hootie]

This past weekend I was standing in my store towards the front, board as usual. So I look over and this woman and her friend are walking and the girl is like breastfeeding at the same time. Walking and breastfeeding ~ now that takes some talent!

[CutiePie2000]

bump (due to other thread).