Breastfeeding in public - your thoughts please...

[Jocasta]

Emma, is there any chance of us following Scotland and making it illegal to discriminate against bf mums?

They are trying to get that legislation passed here too - I think it's at the white paper stage at the mo - correct me if I'm wrong though

My argument is: "Even if it's not my legal right in this country, that's regardless, it's my HUMAN right and that of my baby!"

Claire, that's how I was with DD1.  With DD2, I normally don't care AT ALL.  In fact, I find it quite amusing that people are that ignorant (I guess is the best word but not idea) that they can take offence to something so natural!  When was the last time you saw someone cover up a nursing cat or leave the room because the dog was nursing her pups?!?!?  lol!  But yesterday was different.  I've become a bit of a recluse over the last few weeks and only going out when DH and the other kids were with me.  Yesterday was my first attempt at going out by myself with the girls and I felt pretty insecure just being out of the comfort of my own home! 

[-kgmf123-]

Jo,

I cannot tell you how cross I am about the way you were treated   

A big well done for getting out and about, and please try not let this experience make you go back into hermit mode.

You should be very proud that you are bf.... I highly recommend the self weaning process 

Hope you have eaten properly today missy xxxx

Big hugs!

[Jocasta]

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Jo - good for you for doing something completely natural wherever you happened to be with your baby!  I wish I had been with you with my 18 month old - I could have whipped one out too, and then no one would even notice you!  (THey'd all be shocked at me still nursing my toddler, I'm sure....)

I was never able to nurse my girls using a cover - they wouldn't have it - they'd just pull it off.  And when they were little, I quite frankly had to expose most of my breast to get the latch right initially.  The rest of the world needs to get with the program, IMHO - not the other way around.  There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with what you were doing, and it was clearly HER issue, not yours.

I'm looking forward to dd2's 18 month check up in 2 weeks.....I hope she wants to nurse while I'm there and I just DARE anyone to say anything negative!

Grrrr......

[marensmama]

Here here, Erin!  and hugs to you Jo.

FWIW, I BF all around Disneyland (couldn't go back to the baby care station every time she needed to feed) and I didn't get a second glance or a comment.  However, I may have been happily oblivious, since I didn't notice anyone else BFing their baby without a blanket covering them.  I tried to be discreet but I also looked around at all the bottle fed babes (no judgement) and they don't have to be hidden away while they ate, why should my baby have to be?

[fifibobandmore]

I have been doing reserach for a collage course I am doing and I wanted to incorpatre the legal rights for bf in public I will re-find the web address I used for the legal side but we have a legal right all across England, Scotland and Wales not to sure about Irland and other places in the world but will start researching that and put that into my work as well. I am also designing a badge for mums to were which is going to say I breast-feed and I'm proud of it. My son has a bagde making toy and we both love playing with it and we make badges to give people as gifts and I am about to start selling them through a friend who has a shop and is after novelty badges and she advertisers breast-feeding in her shop as she has just had a soft-play area specially built for her customers to put there children into and they can play safely and they can not escape which is lovely as I now put my older 2 in there and talk to her will feeding my Edward and I don't have to keep saying "get of that"' "don't touch" and my favourite one with my DS#1 "you brake that and it comes out your pocket money"

Also with the covering your breast up with a cloth diaper I do not do that I have my Edward laid in the nursing position and lift the bottom of my top so that all is exposted is a little bit of my belly and side and sort out my bra under my top and he latches hiself on but I guess that is because he has been doing it now for almost 10 months

Just adding the web address I have used for some of my research as I have found my research log book but not by flashpen with the work on I have done up to know. The address if anyone is interested in having a read is:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23400217-details/Breastfeeding+in+public+will+be+a+woman's+right/article.do

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

All across Canada, our Charter of Rights and Freedoms allows us to breastfeed in public, FYI.

[Samuel's mum]

That link fifibob is about legislation concerning the service given in cafes, restaurants, shops. The owners/ managers cannot refuse you service if you are breastfeeding. It's certainly good news but not quite 'the right to feed in public'. It doesn't extend to public spaces generally. And it only applies if babies are under a year.
In Scotland the law extends to any place/ venue open to a mother and baby and it goes up to 2 years (AND it applies to bottlefeeding mums too). Crucially though it's not simply about withholding a commercial service but is about attempting to prevent in any way. It goes further.
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/acts2005/asp_20050001_en_1

[fifibobandmore]

Thank you Samuals mum I will have a look at this link and include this in my research. Spoke to my tutor as I am not back at college yet to let her know what work I have been doing and she wants to take a look as my course has changed again and I need to get the new details for the course so I can meet all areas on the course but I am still a load to do an essay on breastfeeding rights.

[Vicku]

Wow, lots has happened on this thread while I was away! Interesting stuff!

[shivi]

Hi girls....

hugs Jo on your recent experience....I think it must be so much harder for those well endowed on top to cover up completely, even if they want to. I am small breasted...actually looking forward to BOOBS now I am pg again so bfeeding in public was not an issue for me. also about hiding the jelly belly..LOL...that was my WORST fear too. i bought some tops in h and m that allow you to feed without exposing ANYTHING apart from during latch on...

i fed oscar till he was a small toddler, 16 mths, but i am uncomfortable when i see toddlers feed....we have a little friend aged 2 on the playground who runs to mummy everytime someone takes a toy from him and her boob is basically his dummy for comfort....this in my opinion is a bit over the top as i also think dummies used on the playground for 2year olds is a bit over the top. by 12 mths as a bfeeding mum, who was also tracy hogged from the beginning, i was feeding oscar only am and pm....never had the situation where he used my breast as a comforter as he was well bw'ed. even at 9 mths he had to have some blood taken and it wasnt his feeding time. the phlebotomist did not believe he was a bfed baby as he would not accept the breast as comfort during this horrible procedure....he just wasnt hungry...

i loved bfeeding and had no prob doing it in public ...but i had personal issues with my breast becoming my childs addiction which have transferred over into my feelings about toddlers who are still bfeeding 3,4,5 times plus per day, I wouldnt let oscar swig on a beaker of milk that many times in one day and basically if they need boobie that often its not for nutrition, so self weaning becomes a self comforting issue which is very difficult if youre 24 mths and have never had to self comfort before....

just my two pence worth for today....

[Karin3]

Jo - That woman was absolutely awful!  Good on you for saying something back!  I probably would've been in shock and then come up with half a dozen good retorts 10 mins later. LOL 

I think either this area is more accepting of BFing or I'm just so busy when I'm out and about that I don't notice.  I've mostly used the Maya sling when BFing and I don't think people can even tell what I'm doing.  At the park one day though, my mom was pushing Mimi on the swings and I sat on a bench and started to nurse Dalton.  There were a couple of men there (probably mid-30s) who were sitting there and they got up and moved to a different bench.  I didn't think too much of it though.

I agree with the jelly belly thing.  I bought some nursing tanks from Target to wear under other shirts so I don't show my belly when nursing in public. 

[CCCmom27]

As for showing ya boobies - I'm more worried that I'm showing my jelly belly!! 
[/quote]

I with you woopster!  The only problem I have with bf in public is that ds sometimes likes to pop off so I have to be ready to cover it up and not be hanging out.  I normally toss a blanket over my shoulder while he gets latched on but after that I normally uncover head for the most part because I would think it'd get stuffy in there!  DH family always asked me in the beginning if I wanted to go somewhere 'private' even when we'd go to their house for dinner.  I of course parked myself in the living room and ds eat.  I don't want to be banished to another room when he needs to eat!  One time we were at a restaurant and mil was holding him and i said he was probably hungry so she started to say I could go somewhere to feed him.  I already had my boob out (covered with a blanket of course) ready to go all I needed was my baby!  I feel like it's the most natural thing to do with a baby why should you not be able to do it in public.  I might also add that we were in a side room all to ourselves at the restaurant and it was all women sitting across from me!  I had to remind dh at first that the purpose of the breast was to nourish babies not for men to ogle over!

[mum101]

As for my second time bf-ing I have to say I'm much more OK with bf many places!  I'm popping them out everywhere   

I hadn't even thought about being expelled from somewhere for bf! Or it not being allowed... though I probably won't bf too often in cafes etc. Although I've started to think about places that will make me feel relatively comfortable in case I need to feed. Recently DH and I went out for lunch and I did pick a discrete place to sit in case I needed to feed.

I'm slowly getting more discrete and organised.  I like to be a bit more discrete so less chance of me getting flustered and embarrassed.  So far I've had to feed at a few places including the park today, although felt more comfortable in the car as it only takes him 5 or so minutes anyway. Also meant DD couldn't walk away from me or go out of my sight.

I'm thinking I'll be geared up with a few witty responses based on BW experiences... 

I went to a baby settling class and had to feed... DS popped off and milk shot out in the direction of the lady sitting next to me!!  I don't think she would have noticed if it hit her, she was wearing a big thick jumper   

[rinajack]

LOL Charmaine.

As for me, Hugh is now 9 mo and I am still feeding in public at least once per day.  And he is totally distracted, but I do my best to be discreet....and no, feeding at home in the quiet doesn't matter, cause even his sister is enough to distract him - he really does feed better at night, on one of his still many night feeds LOL.