I'm a FTM and am breast feeding just over 4 months now. I absolutely love it - and everything about it (the closeness, convenience, pride I have for providing for my child, ...). I feed in front of anyone that's in my company when DS needs to be fed (I figure that if he was FF and needed a bottle I wouldn't make him wait) and I feed wherever I happen to be when he needs to be fed (cafe, shopping centre, neighbours/ friends/ relatives houses, forecourt of petrol station, car, ...). I wouldn't consider myself to be very prudish, but neither would I say that I'm very "liberal"/ exhibition-like. There are some of my friends that I know would be slightly uncomfortable/embarrassed when I feed around them. When I'm in their company, I'd say "oh you don't mind if I feed him, do you?". In fact, I'm not asking their permission, more like I'm just giving them a heads-up that I'm about to start feeding him. This gives them a chance, I figure, to look away/ busy themselves with something/ simply be prepared for me feeding. Now I'm lucky that DS is good at latching, etc so its not like I've had to contend with major positioning exercises.
I really only view my boobs as "feeding stations" (my husbands term) as opposed to seeing them as sexual objects. Here's a funny story to show just how asexual I now see them:
I was having a photo shoot done with myself, DS and hubbie. The first pose was to be us in our bare skin (from waist up only, obviously), holding DS in his nappy and bare skin. So I initially started with bra on, but the straps pulled down for first couple of shots (as baby was positioned in such a way to hide it) but then needed to take bra off altogether for pics cos of where DS was positioned. I didn't feel uncomfortable or embarrassed to have my boobs out in front of photographer (who is a stranger to me) cos, as I said, I no longer see them as being sexual objects- just "feeding stations"
Anyway, about 15/20 mins into this the photographer said "oh guys, I think we have a leak there". Now DS has a tendancy to do fairly explosive nappies so I started patting his bum in nappy and lifting him up, turning him round to view the damage. Couldn't see anything so told photographer "no, he hasn't". Whereupon my husband had to tell me "no, the baby isn't leaking. You are!!!!!". I looked down and after nearly half an hour of skin-to-skin contact with my son, my boob was literally dripping milk like you'd turned on a tap!!!!! Cue me telling the photographer "You're grand. it's only milk from me. Keep going with the photos. Keep going, keep going"
Went to preview the photos last week and they had turned out gorgeous! Xx
Great thread!!!!
