PolkMoms.com

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Originally posted by tripsi61502@aol.com:

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Originally posted by NancyT:
For example what culture does she come from? America is made up of so many cultures that the way a baby is nursed may be part of their culture as well as how long a baby is nursed.

Culture or not- law states you can only breastfeed in public till they are a year old. And if it becomes a culture issue then people should respect each others culture and breastfeed in a respectful way.

"respectful way" this is a matter of opinion. I never took my shirt off to nurse but always had trouble with my nursing bras and could not wear regular and pull them up as it prevented my baby from latching.

What economic status is she in? Nursing shirts are not cheap. In my mothers day of nursing she wore button down shirts as nursing shirts were not made but even button down shows more than one might like.

T-shirts can be pulled down to cover most of the breast skin. You don't have to have special shirts for breastfeeding.

This may be true that it covers the breast skin but at least for me it did not cover the side I was nursing on.

"It isn't really that I don't tell them what is going on it is more the fact that if bf the right way people would not see you breast at all." What is the right way? It is very hard at least from my experience to learn to nurse your child and I had plenty of help from both the hospital and family whom all nursed, but teaching a baby how to latch on is not easy and teaching a mother how to help them without getting upset is not easy either. The right way in my opinion is however mother and child bond and are comfortable feeding/eating and in some cases this may be showing more than some may like.

If a person is learning to breastfeed they should not be learning in a public place. A hospital room or a private area is one thing when learning. When they was trying to get my son to latch on they pulled the blinds closed, put a sign on the door that said do not distrub breastfeeding to keep people out. The right way maybe whatever is comfy- but it would seem you'd be more comfortable knowing that your not being stared at because your showing your breast.

My previous comment did not have anything to do with learning except that I was trying to say that it could be possible the girl you witnessed learned to nurse in this fashion whether it was from her baby or others. My babies did not latch on very easily at all so I always had to have them uncovered and it always took forever to get them latched on correctly. I could not pump like you said you did as I never got enough milk from the pump and I had one of the best (Medulla).

And strangely enough how big are her breasts? Larger breasted women do seem to find it more difficult to be more discreet without having to throw a blanket over themselves and their baby and as said before it is so hot in Florida not to mention with all those hormones still going crazy that for some a blanket does more harm than good for both mother and baby. My sister in law was a mother with large breasts and I witnessed it every time she fed her girls regardless of whether she was in a nursing shirt or a button down or whatever it was just very difficult for her to be more discreet but this should not mean that she automatically had to cover up with a blanket for others comfort.
Hot or not- we see people wrapping their babies in receiving blankets all day long- I am a large breasted person and when I could get my son to latch on I could pull my shirt down to cover what was showing- I could even pump in a parking lot and have both covered while double pumping- may not have been holding a baby but was darn sure holding two extra large flange tubes-

This is the difference though you would cover your baby and some like to watch their baby nurse so because she was larger breasted and wanted to see her baby she could not cover up as well as I could being smaller breasted.

I do apologize if I offended you though as that was not my intention.
My entire post about this was to bring to attention that nothing is a straight narrow line and the reasons behind the way this mother was breastfeeding were unknown, so what was offensive to you may have been the only way this mother could feed her hungry baby - you just do not know. So to generalize that all should cover up or they are being disrespectful is unfair to say. What is best for one is not always best for others.


Well say it was not her breastfeeding just standing in the hall- if they told her to move several times and she refused would it be okay for them to have threatened arrest then??

Another thing- if a man gropes himself and someone complains he can be charged with sexual misconduct. Andrewsmommy made a comment about butts and legs- Legs are body parts that are seen bare skin on just about everyone- before women use to have to keep their legs covered. Now with the butts- I'm sorry I'd rather a man keep that covered- its disgusting to see crack on a guy that is a larger size-
I am just saying how is it okay for someone to bf and not be modest to try to stay covered- but yet its not okay for a child to use the bathroom or a man to grope himself it he has an itch...
My girls know why I pumped and they knew what it was for. There is nothing embarrassing about that. As several stated they have breastfeed and no one knew they were doing it or were around others that they didn't even know where breastfeeding. My aunt breastfeed both her children and we didn't know she was doing it.
There are just thin lines with the laws and exposure that it makes it hard to say okay you can feed your baby and everyone can see your breast when there are other body parts that must be covered or its indecent exposure.

Everyone has their views of course and of course I don't think anyone is wrong in what they feel this is my opinion and I feel if a mom is bf in public she should at least try to respect those around her and be a little modest.

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So no, it is not my opinion that breastmilk is best, it is just the pure and simple truth.

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Originally posted by PhantomAngel:
What is nonsense is the way that people act toward mothers who breastfeed in public. Despite how we were all raised this is suppose to be a country of tolerance. Why is it ok for women to parade around in public scantily clad in mini skirts and tube tops and that is acceptable, but a mother who is not trying to attract attention but is simply feeding her baby is obscene? If someone is offended or uncomfortable with it they have the choice not to look, and not to confront that mother. Unlike when I am out with my children, and I'm sure you have all experienced this, and you hear someone using foul and obscene language! I find that VERY offensive and it makes me UNCOMFORTABLE to be forced to hear someone's profanity, but society doesn't put a stigma on that! No one is approached in the grocery store and threatened with arrest for using profanity.