text:
5 Places Where Breastfeeding is Certainly Inappropriate…

no-breastfeedingExactly when and where is it okay to breastfeed your infant? This question has been on the minds of concerned Americans lately as mothers continue to recklessly feed their hungry babies when and where they want without asking anyone’s permission first.

With more and more women unabashedly placing the health of their baby ahead of a stranger’s unsolicited opinions, some insist we must put a stop to this irritatingly normal human behavior. During last week’s HuffPost Live segment on breastfeeding in public, my co-panelist, etiquette expert Julie Blais Comeau, confidently asserted that there are “certainly” times when breastfeeding is inappropriate and that a mother should “go somewhere else” to feed her baby.

Unfortunately during the segment Julie was unable to offer a single example of a time or place where breastfeeding in public is inappropriate. Don’t worry, I thought of a few. Now if you ever find yourself in a situation where you wonder whether or not it’s okay to breastfeed, you can use these as the litmus test. The following five locations are “certainly” not appropriate for nursing a baby.

1. In Traffic

By Marsha Hobert, near Estes Park I’m just saying, some of us have to get to work. Be considerate of your fellow travelers. Take your Boppy and move to the shoulder of the road, please.

2. In Battle

5-places-Breastfeeding toddler Hungry children can pose a serious distraction in hand-to-hand combat. Feed them before your knife fight breaks out. Besides, you wouldn’t want your exposed nips to be nicked by that blade. Ouch.

3. In a Car Chase

Kids need to be in carseats. Unless you’re the getaway driver fleeing the scene of a bank robbery at the exact moment your child wants to nurse, surely you can stop the car long enough to give the baby a snack.

4. In Orbit

(© Bob Renzas, 2011) Hey, I’m no astronaut, but I’m sure that even NASA recommends that children be securely fastened in safety seats while hurtling through outer space. It’s important that you know this since we’ll probably be commuting to the Mars station by the end of the century.

5. In a Public Bathroom

bathroom-pumping Would you eat your dinner in here? Eeew, of course not. Neither should a baby. There. That’s settled.

Ultimately the best way to determine when and where you can breastfeed your baby is to ask yourself this question: Would it be okay to bottle-feed a baby here? If the answer is no, then put your breast away before it gets nicked by a machete and find a more appropriate location feed your child. If the answer is yes, then by all means, feed your baby. If anyone has a problem with it, tell them they can go sit in a bathroom until you’re done.

356 Responses to “5 Places Where Breastfeeding is Certainly Inappropriate…”

  1. Could you be any more awesome!?!?

    • Certainly not.

    • This is hilarious. Men know that babies need to feed, but remember that most guys see the breast as a sexual appendage regardless of its use. Not only is this biological, but our society enhances and promotes such thoughts. So, I appreciate when women use a cover during breast feeding, because she shows that she is contentious of others thoughts and comfort level.

      • Hey Man’s View, you seem like someone who is open minded so I am bothering to share this with you. Though I do try to be contentious of others thoughts and comfort, it is sometimes tricky to cover up when feeding an older baby (they swing their arms around a lot and sometimes aren’t comfortable being covered). Also consider that it is precisely because society promotes breasts as only sexual appendages that exposure to their other function is very important to balance out the narrow definition promoted in pop culture.

        • I LOVE the Freudian slip (contentious instead of conscientious) because one SHOULD be contentious if another’s rights are being curtailed–in this case the right of the baby to be nourished.

        • We have 3 children and I understand some of the difficulty that goes with feeding the natural way, and the fact that one is trying to think of other’s feeling is so appreciated. I tbelieve that the highest calling is that of motherhood and I respect women so much for even having children, let alone taking the time and effort to breast feed, raise, train etc. My wife was comfortable feeding (mostly covered) in public, but would not in turn be out on a date with me and whip them out at the movie or restaurant. I realize that when feeding, the breast is different than in another situation (like the bedroom) to a women, but to a man’s psyche it usually does not matter. It is still a boob. How do you train your Teenage boys? Expose them to a bunch of women breast feeding? I think teaching him to respect women is a 2 edged sword.

          • actually, science has shown on many occasions that the more you are exposed to something the less it will affect you. So if teenage boys were expose to women breastfeeding on a regular basis, they would actually get to a point where they don’t even notice it or think it’s a big deal.

            When I started breastfeeding and hanging out with other breastfeeding mothers, I was very uncomfortable when I would catch a glimpse of some other woman’s boob. Now I don’t even notice it. The same would happen with the teenage boys.

            • Saying it doesn't make it true | Profile

              What about gamma rays?

            • Absolutely! I’m appalled at the idea that some people are “disgusted” by the idea of a mother feeding her child in the way that God created her to do so. I find it more appalling to see a new mother “whip out” a bottle full of chemicals to feed her child. I totally understand that some women have a horrible time breastfeeding(I was one), but I am over the moon when I see women feeding her child naturally and NOT ASHAMED OF IT!
              I have NO problem with my children seeing mothers doing what is a natural act in public and if they ask questions, I answer them in a frank, age appropriate way. As it should be.
              My hope is that when my son is a teenager he will have more respect for a woman’s body and it’s amazing ability to nourish than obsessed by what it can do for HIM!

            • Constant exposure to the nude human form will teach them that the body is not “dirty”, to be peeked or leered at. I am a nudist. I attend a resort where we have 3rd generation members born and raised there. Even the 14 yr old boys think nothing of a mother breast feeding at the pool.

          • First I must say I do appreciate the tone you are using – very respectful without getting emotional. Thank you for trying to understand.

            I agree that men are men and will see boobs as boobs. However, that is actually something that is their problem, and not the moms problem. If it bothers a man, he has the option to put his eyes somewhere other than where my babies mouth is.

            Teach your teenage boys that staring isn’t polite, that it is something natural, and that they should respect a woman no matter what she has showing. A woman’s dress, or state of undress, should not change a way a man behaves towards her.

            A mom has to feed her baby when her child is hungry. When I was breastfeeding, I tried to cover my baby up out of respect for myself (not shame, or because I was worried about a man seeing me), but whenever I did that, she WOULD NOT EAT. She did that from day one. It was either “whip them out” or not feed her. Trying to be discreet doesn’t always work with a baby.

            • Thank you for saying exactly how I feel about this all, lol!!

            • I agree, as much as men see it a sexual thing, it makes no difference. Why? well, when women walk by in low cut revealing tops or mini skirts, you don’t see anyone pointing and saying “cover up!”. Also, a woman can be all covered up and men will still stare at their boobs. So what is the matter? You bend to pick up something that fell men are staring at your butt. You walk in front of them they are checking you out thinking sexual thoughts. It is them not you. When I breastfeed my 22 months old, I descreetly take out my boob covering up as much as possible with my hand. The rest of the time baby covers when eating. The only thing I try to do is find a better spot that is more hidden. But I have fed my baby in the middle of a public park in NYC, where people are walking by.

          • Actually, yes. Teens do need to see women breastfeeding and I often breastfeed in areas, like our ymca where teens see me doing it. I don’t give a hoot what they think or say. To hide breastfeeding from adolescents defeats the whole purpose of keeping it normal. My husband watched, at 15 years old, his sister ‘whip one out in front of” him. He was neither scared nor turned on by it. He simply saw his first nephew being breastfed.

          • My son is 5. When I got pregnant with my now 7 month old, I sat down & told him what breastfeeding is. He isn’t ashamed of it. I have also taught my child the proper names for genitalia. He knows the difference between boy & girl.
            Teaching our sons & daughters to respect each other . Is key to changing the mindset of so many.

            • When I had my second son, I had many issues feeding him, ultimately I ended up using a nipple shield. To my husband’s horror, my first son – just shy of 3 yrs old – started taking one of his plastic screws from his Home Depot toy kit and put it near his chest and stuck his beloved stuffed Winnie the Pooh on it! I thought it was adorable, supportive and hilarious. Definitely much needed during my rough PP days.

              • Let me add (sorry it cut me off) I now nurse and pump for my 3rd son who is 4 months old and my older two, 6 yrs old & 3 yrs old don’t even flinch when I “whip out the boob”. I know not everyone breastfeeds, but those who choose to should not be forbidden to feed anywhere, just as someone who “whips out a bottle of formula” would not be forbidden.

            • I agree Liz. My twins (boy and girl) turned 6 right before the baby was born. I have no problem nursing in front of them. It has taught them both that it is not weird or strange. Neither of them would blink an eye if I started nursing at home or at a park or restaurant. To them it is natural.

          • Great blog! As a mom of 7 (and a certified lactation and prenatal educator), I can attest that normalizing breastfeeding by repeated exposure to it, does in fact work! I had teenage sons who cringed when I first started pumping after their premature, hospitalized little brother was born. After a couple of weeks, they didn’t bat an eye, and even sat beside me while I fed their younger siblings. They didn’t notice anymore, and they aren’t in therapy, either!

          • A REAL MAN'S VIEW | Profile

            Men to not automatically see breasts as sexual objects. That is cultural and what we have been taught in our society.

            Get over it. Babies have to eat, women who breastfeed have no obligation to “cover up”.

            As others have so succintly pointed out, repeated exposure will normalize it for you and for anyone else.

            • I breastfeed in front of my son and his friends (14) and none of them act weird or silly. While very few of his friends or their siblings where breastfed they seem to understand my 2 littlest children are.

              • Don’t you think that some parents would oppose to this? I breast feed my baby in front of my son, because he’s my kid, but I would never just openly breast feed in front of his friends. We may think its ok for our children to be exposed to it, but other parents don’t always feel that way.

            • “[seeing breast as sexual objects] is cultural and what we’ve been taught in our society.”

              This statement needs support. It simply doesn’t stand on it’s own. Among primates we humans have considerably larger breasts. This suggests that breast size is a sexual selection characteristic. It’s probably not true that seeing breasts as a sexual appendage is purely, or even primarily cultural.

              • Actually, if you read any number of ethnographies, you will find that there are many cultures who don’t see breasts as sexual (or, as any more sexual than an elbow or knee, that is, sometimes attractive, sometimes not, big whoop). Ethnographies are research conducted by anthroplogists, scientists who study human culture. Dr. Dettwyler has conducted quite a bit of research in the area.

                My sister just returned from a Peace Corps stint in Senegal (a predominantly Muslim country). Most women there, once they have had children, never wear a top again. Even when they’re 80. It’s simply not a sexual thing for them. Shoulders, though — those were sexy and it was as important to keep them covered as we here might expect breasts covered, for the same reason.

              • No one knows precisely why humans developed breasts the way we did. I’ve read dozens of theories over the years- they came to mimic the buttocks because we mate missionary position, the “sagginess” signals a female’s capacity to breed, etc etc. Pretty much every idea I ever read explained how women developed breasts for men, and all of these theories were posited by men (Western men, of course.)

                And then a year or two ago I came across an article that actually made sense. Look at babies. Seriously. Go ahead, Google it right now. And not just humans, look at other primate babies, too. Done looking? Cool.

                Now please note that, as a result of our freakishly large brains, our heads and faces are shaped very differently than our genetic cousins. We don’t have far jutting, protruding jaws. And because our faces our so flat, breastfeeding an infant with a flat chest would be difficult and dangerous- can we say suffocation?

                This theory, which is pretty much the first one ever that doesn’t purport that breasts are some grand gift to white men, was developed by- you guessed it-a woman. Aaaaaaaand it makes sense, biologically and evolutionary. More importantly, it makes sense for all humans, of all cultures, and not just for ones like ours that do sexualize breasts.

                Boobs as giant man fun bags? TOTALLY cultural. They were meant to protect your brain.

                No, not that brain. The other one.

            • Brilliant

            • You’re an idiot too. I need to poop, but I don’t do it in public. It’s not ‘normal’ it’s annoying. Go somewhere private.

              • Babies have to poop wherever they are when it is time, even if they are in public. That is why they wear diapers. Grown people are a lot different than babies (at least in that way). Likewise, babies have to eat when it is time, too, regardless of whether or not they are in public at the time, and breast milk is what’s for dinner. Take it up with God or whomever believe created nature.

              • You’re equating pooping with eating? Really? So then maybe you, too, should eat your dinner in the bathroom, according to your logic. If you can eat in public, so can a nursing baby.

          • My boys are growing up seeing women nurse their babies, so it’s normal to them. There’s no mystery about the female breast for them, which I think makes it a bit less “forbidden” and sexy. When they are older, I’m sure they’ll find pleasure in a woman’s breasts, but they have FIRST known breasts as a means of feeding a baby.

            I’ve heard other women tell stories of young males being totally comfortable with seeing them nurse in public, and telling them that they grew up seeing their mothers nurse. That’s the way we change society: let kids SEE nursing, so it’s just not a big deal to them.

            • Totally agree with anonymous. Mothers that breast fed their infants in the past, let’s say the 30’s – the 50’s, usually did it in privacy. Then the modern day formulas and bottles seemed the way to go. But through research and education, we have learned that breast feeding is very natural and healthy for our babies, so we see this surge in returning to breast feeding. Our culture today is not accost accustomed to seeing women comfortable feeding their baby in public. Consistent exposure will allow others to get used to the idea, and will become very comfortable witnessing mom breast feeding her baby in public. It will make you feel no more uncomfortable than a women on the beach in the barest bikini.

          • My husband just affirmed that he has no problem seeing the breast in two different ways. Sexual when it’s meant to be, nourishing our child when it’s meant to be. I’m so thankful I have a mature husband who I don’t have to feel uncomfortable nursing around because he’d be turned on by it.
            Just so you know, you make yourself sound pretty weak because you can’t (or choose not to) see the woman’s body as anything other than a sexual object.

            • My husband loves my breasts (can we can them by their real name and not just boobs as some are doing on this site?) and he loves that they have nourished (and still are) our children. His appreciation for them and me has grown with each of our children and each breastfeeding experience. I do not cover at home and my 7 & 6 year-old boys think nothing of it. They have watched me nurse my 2 year-old and are watching me nurse my 2 month old. They have had their questions, but certainly aren’t embarrassed. Sometimes I cover, sometimes I don’t. If I am with someone that I know would be more embarrassed and I am trying have a conversation with them, then I cover. If I am sitting on a bench with passersby everywhere, I am discreet but don’t usually worry. We all have to find where we are comfortable and not judge others. Our society has come a long way. Using a cover in public is a far cry from being told to go to a private room to nurse. If you move to Quadra Island (where I live), you would be the abnormal one to use a cover. All it takes is time and a positive outlook. When we get to attacking, we are just as bad.

            • Child-Free For Now | Profile

              I agree with this SO MUCH. Thank you for saying so, Mama.

              Some guys are totally brainwashed. Get a grip!

            • I totally agree, i am able to see breasts as both my babys source of nourishment and as sexual object. It definitely took some getting use to watching my wife pop a boob out in public. I dont get why anybody would expect a mother and baby to leave an area to feed. If you dont want to see it, dont look, or remove yourself from the area. As for the immature and ridiculous comments like comparing it to crapping, people should not waste their time arguing with idiots and simply ignore their posts

          • My husband is able to tell the difference between sex boobs and food boobs….

          • Please explain to me how teaching a boy to respect women is a double edged sword?! Are you seriously that ignorant?

          • I have 3 boys, and my oldest will be 8 this year. He was breastfed and has seen me breastfeed his younger brothers since they day they were born. I’ve asked him multiple times after online discussions like this if my breastfeeding makes him uncomfortable or if he thinks it’s weird or gross. His first reaction is always this weird face like “why are you asking such a stupid question?” followed by an answer that usually goes like “no, why would that be weird? That’s normal.”

            If you raise your kids right then they will act and REACT right. If you teach them that breastfeeding is normal then it will just be normal for them. It’s not that difficult a concept.

          • “I think teaching him to respect women is a 2 edged sword.”
            And what the hell is THAT supposed to mean?

          • Another Man's View | Profile

            With all due respect, the reason you’re thinking about boobs as purely sexual, is because of how our (American) culture portrays them. You’ve been taught since you were a small child–before you even had time to form your own view–that breasts are sexual and must be covered at all times in public because they are basically sex toys. Women are shamed for exposing their breasts in any non-sexual context, even sunbathing. In Europe, where breastfeeding in public is commonplace, you certainly do not see teenage boys ogling nursing mothers, they pay them little mind at all since they’ve seen this their whole lives and it’s not a sexual context for them.

            I’m also going to call you out on using the phrase “whip them out”. When you choose language like that, you present a disingenuous argument by give people the mental image of a stripper flinging her tits out of her top, not the typical behavior of a discreet nursing mom.

            Also, what you’ve proposed to be a biological attraction to the breasts, is in fact mostly cultural. There is no biological basis for grown men to desire breasts more than any other part of the woman and not all cultures have sexual breast obsession like we see in the west, nor is it seen in any other mammals.

          • Plenty of men are able to see breasts as situational. It turns them on when it is supposed to, but not when food is coming out of it. That’s why there’s a whole campaign about normalizing breastfeeding-so everyone, even teenage boys, knows the difference. Hopefully someday women can breastfeed anywhere and no one will even notice.

          • I dare you to bottle feed an infant under a cover, and see how easy it is. How fun it is. How comfortable it is. I also dare you to do the same without the cover.

            I also dare you to try and drink under a cover, next to a persons body, don’t you sweat? Is it comfortable.

            While i used a cover beginning, i also realized it caused my son great stress and discomfort. If i was out, and needed to feed my son, i was as discrete as possible, but forget the cover. Its not nice.

            Go eat your dinner under a blanket.

          • In the wise words of my 12 year old son who has watched me nurse all his brothers after nursing him for 18 months…”there are mom boobs and girl boobs, and they are just not the same thing ” That statement shows how I train my children. He figured it out all on his own.

      • Dear Man,
        I appreciate when a man MINDS HIS OWN BUSINESS and lets my child eat in peace, because it shows that he is conscientious of others’ NEED TO EAT.

        A MOM.

        • I was not trying to be hostile, but I get a sense you were. Sorry to offend, but we men will need your help in changing society.

          • Dear Man, I do not think you were hostile or speaking out of turn you did however, give a man’s view, as well as a father whose own wife breastfed. I myself breastfed my children , and am glad I did. I chose to wear a blanket, for my children and I to have privacy. It helped them from being distracted when we were in public while nursing as well. In fact, there were times, others had no clue that I was feeding my children. A child may need to eat, but as a mother who has been there, you should try to respect others while doing so, not using it as a personal crusade . I personally would not have traded the experience for a bottle ever. I hope my grandchildren are breast fed as well. But doing so should not be looked at as a right to be insulting either. Educating people, and belittling them are in fact, two different things.

            • So should we cover our bottle feeding babies? I find it highly offensive to watch a woman bottle feed or feed their baby formula. So should people have to accomodate me? I think not, Nor would anyone want to. They would think it was rediculous. I find it rediculous that people would expect a BF baby to be covered. There is no way I will cover my breast feeding child to accomodate someone else.

              • Dear Jamie,
                I find it rIdiculous that you find it highly offensive to see a baby feed formula.
                I am an avid and extended breast feeding mother but this type of opinion just sucks and says more about you than the formula feeding mother.

              • Jamie,

                Why on earth would you find it offensive for a woman to bottle feed their baby? Don’t you see you become just like all of “them”?Neither is offensive, breastfeeding or bottle feeding.

              • I breastfed for only 4 months, and it was the best 4 months so far. But my 9 month old son is so very highly allergic to dairy, it was almost near death, and i had to change my diet. I still breastfed, dairy is in EVERYTHING. I tried my best, and had to switch to an all soy formula. You are offended by me? By my attempt. I am offended you are so closed minded. Every person has their story.

                I dislike when people are close minded and never try to breast feed, or think its wrong, or will make their boobs grow, or whatever stupid reason they chose to formula feed, but i am NEVER offended.

                You offend me.

            • When is breastfeeding insulting? Is seeing a boob insulting? I don’t think so, so I don’t cover up. It has never occurred to me that my breastfeeding might insult someone; I’m not trying to be confrontational or crusade for something. Breastfeeding should be normal and natural and I hope someday people will do it, uncovered, in public, without anyone feeling insulted.

          • Hi there, I BF my little girl in front of a friends teenage son, he didn’t even notice until his little brother came in the room and said “that baby never stops eating” the teenager then asked if he could feed her, realised what I was doing then made a joke about not being able to and carried on playing on the Wii. It is as normal as you make it and personally, when out and about, I try to cover up the best I can as not only is my boob sort of on show but also some of my post pregnancy belly which I find more embarasing. Most of the time nothing to see once baby has latched on. Thankyou for your general support though Man :)

      • I understand that covering is possibly considerate of others’ thought and comfort level, but would you like to eat with a blanket over your head?

        • Actually, my children found it comforting. It is up to the mother to give the cues. I would find my babies humming contentedly, while nursing undercover. I also made a game to peek at them frequently, to make eye contact. Most often, they would smile contentedly up at me. It was their public security blanket, not a burden or bother at all. Both my children nursed untila little over 1 year old. They actually weaned themselves at that time. The blanket never was a problem.

          • you dont cover a baby being fed by a bottle so why on earth do it with a nursing baby

            • my first was bf…unless covered by a blanket he would get easily distracted and look around, then go back for a bit, look around..well, you get the picture. my second was bottle fed and would cover himself with a blanket or arm, so yes, bottle fed babies will sometimes eat when covered. depends on the baby and what works for them.

          • I tried using a cover, which I gave up after dropping the nipple shield for the upteenth time on the dirty hospital floor and on the floor in the mall etc etc. Trying to balance a diaper bag, baby, nipple shield and cover was not worth the effort. Using a tank top under my shirt allows for nothing to be shown. If people have a problem with seeing the back of my babies head, that’s their problem. Honestly I’ve gotten nothing but positive comments, mostly from older ladies who are happy to see a mom comfortable with feeding her baby and not hiding away to do so.

      • That’s nice… but I don’t care if you were taught that breasts are sexual because they are actually not primary sexual organs. You have the ability to change your way of thinking but I do not have the option, nor do I want the option, to change how I feed my child. You try nursing under a cover and tell me how that works out for your hot baby that just wants to look at the world he was born into.

        Have a blessed day.

        • Try using a flat diaper instead. The baby does not get overheated, as it is thin, breathable cotton. If you are not using a blanket, then cover up all the boob that is not in your son’s mouth, simple. Yes it can be done. Your baby is not hurting by an occasional LIGHTWEIGHT cover draped over your shoulder. If it is that hot, then take your little one somewhere cooler. Eating in very hot areas will make your little one sick .
          May your day be blessed, and your little one be healthy.

          • I think it’s important for mothers to feel supported in breastfeeding their babies however they are most comfortable. I am glad that this solution worked for you. I am sure that when you breastfed this way, you did raise awareness of the importance of breastfeeding.

            I support women who want to cover, and I also support women who don’t cover. We are all doing the same work – providing our children with the best nourishment available, for their health and for ours. If a mom is able to nurse longer because a cover facilitates that for her, more power to her. We know that women’s comfort level nursing in public directly correlates to duration of nursing, so whatever facilitates that mother achieving her goal, I will support.

            However, I think it’s important that those who cover not judge those who don’t (and that those of us who don’t, not judge those who do). Society does a number on our body images as women, and it’s a hard battle to fight. We’re all in this together.

            You have not said this, but I have heard other “cover mothers” imply that those mothers who don’t cover are immodest or looking for attention etc., and that simply isn’t the case. Personally, I found that once I ditched the cover, no one knew I was nursing any longer, so my single male friends would converse normally with me instead of acting like they shouldn’t look at me while we were talking. Nursing without a cover actually became more discreet! I’ve nursed at NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball games, in sold-out arenas, with no one knowing what I was doing.

          • KY. Momma please don’t pretend to support breastfeeding. When you say you support breastfeeding conditionally, that means you don’t support it. We mothers are able to figure out how we comfortably feed and how our babies comfortably eat. For some that is using a cover, for some that is not. Get over it, be happy the baby is being breastfed, and move on. Don’t ever tell a mom how she should breastfeed her baby.

          • So lovely for you that you had such cooperative children. Now please stop lecturing the rest of us on what to do with ours. You were comfortable nursing with a cover. I was not. Your babies were fine with a cover. Mine were not. Different children, different mothers, different circumstances.

      • Uh, look up the word “contentious”…Not what you meant at all. Otherwise, in general agreement!

      • I’m a nursing mother and agree with A MAN’S VIEW… we can do our best to be discreet as well :) The more you respect other’s while you are nursing, the more they will respect you, simple as that.

        • Here’s something else to consider… I believe we NEED to see women breastfeeding in public… UNCOVERED. This is especially important for those who haven’t yet had children. How is a woman supposed to know how to breastfeed if she’s never seen a child breastfeeding? We learn by example. Seeing women breastfeeding is a good thing for our society. We need to normalise breastfeeding in public – if we can do that, then people won’t find it weird.

          • I breastfed 2 children, often in public, and NEVER retreated to the bathroom — though I occasionally moved to a less visible area. I tried to use a blanket to be “discrete” but gave up after a while because the effort keep covered up drew far more attention than wearing easy-to-nurse-in tops. I may have gotten the occasional stink eye but no one ever approached me directly.

            The ONLY reason why a mother should “cover up” is that at certain developmental stages a busy area can be too distracting to nurse effectively — baby popping off to take a look around 10 or 12 times can make your nipples feel like you just skied a black diamond topless. A blanket over the shoulder can encourage baby to stay on task.

      • I think A Man’s View is well-intentioned–he appreciates that context is the key player here, but fails to recognize that men are responsible for interpreting context correctly. Just because a few primitively thinking men see breasts as “sexual appendages” all the time doesn’t mean that the rest of us cannot delineate context.

        For instance, I am a midwife who is also a young man. Part of my job responsibility is to assist women in breastfeeding their babies immediately after birth and in the postpartum period. This involves lots of patience, hard work, and hand-on intimate time manipulating the breast and baby. I revel in these moments not because they are sexual, but rather because of the incredible feeling that comes from helping a mother and baby bond in an unreproducible way.

        On the other hand, I am also a heterosexual man in a serious monogamous relationship–so yes, I do view and appreciate my partner’s breasts in a sexual lens when appropriate.

        My point is that it is my responsibility as a man to separate the nuances of context–NOT a woman’s responsibility to “cover up” in public because there are a sampling of boneheaded guys out there who think with the wrong head.

        Also, I second the comments that if public breastfeeding were more common, our young people who grow up with a less hypersexualized view of breasts and it wouldn’t be such a “big deal.”

      • Did you know that the reason breasts are viewed sexually is because they are used to nourish children? They are an outward sign of reproductive health. So, perhaps if more people would feed their children in the open, more men would realize that the nourishment of a child is a breast’s primary purpose, and sexuality is secondary?

      • In that case, you should cover up when you are eating a meal in public, because it shows that you are contentious of others thoughts and comfort level. That is exactly what my husband would most likely say if he read your comment. A breastfeeding women is not able to cover up at times and nor does a hungry breastfed baby have to wait to eat. My husband did not have an issue with me breastfeeding in public nor does he have an issue with women breastfeeding in public.

      • Many things are sexual that we don’t cover:
        Mouths, hands, feet, legs just to name a few. Are you suggesting we cover those things because people may see them as sexual?

      • You’re an idiot. It doesn’t matter if it’s sexual, we just dont need to be reminded in public that what we consider arousing toys are actually for something gross….

        • Shaun the name calling is really uncalled for. Just because someone has a different perspective from you doesn’t make them an idiot. Also? No part of anyone’s body is your toy. While you may derive pleasure from breasts that doesn’t make them objects. They are part of a person with a mind, body and spirit.

      • My husband says he appreciates it when nursing mothers DON’T use covers. A-men!

      • So because some men have a foot fettish women shouldn’t wear flip flops? Women find 6-pack abs attractive. I suppose you’d outlaw no shirts on e beach then. What if the men just moved from Africa where legs are sexual but breasts aren’t? Floor-length skirts for us Ll? You’re an idiot.

      • My 3 week old grandson will not nurse when he’s under cover… My daughter in law uses her wrap to cover best as she can, but if you really want to see, you can. If it makes you uncomfortable, it is entirely possible for you to just LOOK AWAY… Problem solved!

      • I just have to say, I just moved back to America from Europe. NO ONE in all my travels ever stared, or said a single thing to me, other than an American on an international flight. It seems that only in America is breastfeeding unacceptable and needs to be hidden or banished to a private room. The women I saw in Europe NEVER covered up or made any pretense of it. They LITERALLY whipped their breasts out and let their littles have at it. NO ONE even noticed, well, except for me, when my toddler said, look momma, boob-boos, baby milkies! LOL!
        Americans for all our “liberation” sure can be dense and rude.
        Men, get over it and women, they are just globs of fat that feed babies, BIG DEAL!

      • I don’t think you mean ‘contentious’ do you?
        Do you mean conscious or conscientious, or considerate maybe?

      • ANOTHER MAN'S VIEW | Profile

        People get turned on by all kinds of things. Those who can’t handle breastfeeding moms without getting excited should avert their eyes or stay home. If your teenager hasn’t been exposed to enough breasts to not freak out, then it’ll be good for them. In other words, what goes on in your head is not the mom’s problem. You are responsible for your thoughts and actions.

    • Absolutely not. Definitely not more awesome than this.

      Thank you!

  2. When I started reading this I was getting upset and fully prepared to defend my public nursing!! Thank you for the laugh! I want to print this out and give it to anyone that ever gives me the stink eye.

    • Natalie (and all other mothers) – When nursing, never receive the “stink-eye” from anyone — don’t even think about the people around you, just do what you need to do. Oblivion to everyone else is a great way to avoid the stink-eye. :)

      • LOL! That’s how I avoid stink eye. I just pretend I’m the only one in the room.

        • OMG, oblivious works amazingly. and always smiling and laughing. people cant give the stink eye to happy bubbly moms that are giggling and telling jokes. but their cold uneducated hearts might melt a bit 😉 maybe…

    • Public nursing is not the issue, as long as it is done discreetly. hauling out your boob in a way that is is exposed for several minutes is . I breastfed my children, and using a blanket was never a problem. On occasion, I did not have one. But if you are a nursing mother, then you should know how to keep parts not in the baby’s mouth out of the general public’s eye. I am not talking about a marginal amount of skin. But it is inappropriate in our society to have someone haul it out as if it were a salami, waving it around,before offering it to my baby. Come on ladies, be honest, there is a right and wrong way to do it.

      • Who does that? I spend a LOT of time around nursing mothers (my friends) in public, and while everyone does it a bit differently, I’ve never seen a single one “haul it out like a salami” and/or leave her breast bare for longer than necessary.

        I find that, without thinking, I shield my nipple from view with my hand whenever my baby pops off or gets ready to latch on, until she’s nursing or until I can put it back in my bra. That’s as much “cover” as I generally feel the need for, although certain shirts will lead me to cover the top of my chest more.

      • I have never seen anyone nursing in the way you’ve described.

      • I honestly don’t think you’ve ever seen one single breastfeeding mother if this is your description. I belong to a few breastfeeding education and natural-minded groups so I’m around quite a few nursing mothers and never once have I seen one whip out her boob and wave it around to show. I can breastfeed without a cover more discreetly than a woman with a cover for the simple fact that a cover is like a big neon sign saying “look at me! I’m doing something dirty and mysterious!” Uncovered discreet nursing is 100% possible. Again, stop pretending to support breastfeeding; no one is buying it.

      • Ummm… Actually I have seen two women who “hauled it out like a salami”, and actually they unbuttoned their shirts, tucked their shirt tails behind them and let their boobs hang out for all to see. They might as well not have worn a shirt, and they were not wearing bras either. That was a bit too much for me, and I too was a nursing mom at the time. I nursed for 8 years total with all my kids, and I’m overwhelmingly in favor of nursing, but I have to agree there occasionally a few moms who make the rest of us look bad. I don’t think we should judge each other on our methods, but please, keep it family friendly. Nobody cares if ya flash some skin as you are feeding, but at least make it look like you are wearing a shirt and don’t leave both boobs hanging in the air for an hour while you nurse and have a chat with your neighbors. It only takes 1 half naked nurser to creep out a lot of people and then they slam all nursing moms.

  3. Must Share!!! MUST SHARE!!!!!!

  4. Bravo!!!

  5. I cannot believe I thought I was supposed to nurse in bathrooms after I had my first child. I am so glad that part of my life is over and we now nurse wherever we damn well want to. Also, what is the story behind the nursing in car with a Spiderman mask on?? Hilarious. Thank you!

  6. I’m reading this while nursing my 21m old son on my front steps. This is just fantastic!

      • Anonymous! OF COURSE! Idiots don’t have names.

      • Agreed Anonymous..gross! Breastfeeding is a wonderful natural part of being a mother, but at some point it stops being for the child and becomes a need of the mother. Linda your child is almost two years old, they are on solid food…When the child says “Nurse” to latch on… they are too old

        • Freetobeuandme your an idiot. Read up on breast feeding before making a stupid comment like that. My son could say that by 10 months. Should I stop then?? Of course not.

        • Freetobeuandme lest hope your kids if you ever have any can READ cause you can’t lol! Ever heard of the World Health Organization? Perhaps you haven’t. Before you have kids find them on line and READ their recommendations on the length of breastfeeding (2 year min and beyond) based on… oh nothing more than scientific research. Then come back to Linda and tell her it is ‘just’ for Linda and not her child’s health.

          But then again perhaps you can read and have decided you know better than the WHO (and maybe you do. Care to share you evidential citations?!)

          Love when people hold judgmental opinions based on well …opinion and not fact and yet get to use heavy handed words like gross

          • Sorry for many typo’s – typing single handed while bf! But it’s ok as he is ‘only’ 7 months and can’t ‘ask’ verbally for it yet… but he will soon and ‘gross’ he’ll get it.

          • Oh Silly Alletta,
            Everything I say is based on information acquired over the years of reading scientific journals, I make jokes to lighten the science a bit, but…it is people like you who read one article that bolsters their stance without rationalizing the significance, worldview, and methodology of the article. THE WHO is not focused on well fed Americans—idiot!

            1. WHO, a UN team of amazing people, whose advice it for “third-world” countries. And NOT for advice within the US. Interesting I wonder what the difference is between us and say Myanmar? Do they have nutrient formula or pasteurized milk? No, and since pasteurization is needed for all children up till the age of 2, do you think…maybe perchance that is the reasoning and not that the child should have the breast milk with other valid alternatives?
            2. American Heart Association says a two year old should have 40g of fat a day, the average oz of breast milk contains 2grams of fat. In a feeding a 2 year old needs 8oz every three hours if it is exclusive, thus…the child is getting 128g of fat or 3.2 times the recommended amount needed. Now this fat content is expected and needed for a child 12-18month
            3. The American Association of Pediatrics, in fact recommends breast feeding up till 12 months, and then to the point where both mother and child feel is a good time to stop.
            4. But together with the AHA and AAP and you have a ranger 12-24month, with the inference being no longer than 18 months.
            5. Additionally there is more fat coming in through solid food.

            • Anonymous, it is your culturally-biased inferences are not supported. The WHO actually has units for what they call the “highly industrialized” parts of the world and — lo and behold — they recommend minimum of two years and beyond even for Westerners. The AAP sayS 12-24 months “or longer” (or very similar wording to that; been a year or two since i read it). So stop trying to come of as if you really understand the literature. It’s clear that you are reading things into it that are not stated, or even implied. Furthermore, out of the dozens (maybe hundreds) of toddlers I’ve known who nursed not one of them was exclusive at 2 years old, so your whole formula is patently ridiculous. Also, breastmilk fat is the healthiest fat possible, and the fat the baby accumulates while nursing is the healthier brown fat. Look into it, and get back to us once you figure out how to stop projecting asinine interpretations onto the studies.

            • Seriously?

              You think American researchers know more than thousands of years of evolution?

              Trust the baby. They always wean eventually. When it’s the right time for them. If my daughter hadn’t nursed as long as she did her orthodontia problems would be so much more severe. But there was no way to know that when she was an infant. She knew what she needed far better than I did.

            • It never ceases to amaze me how people assume that a toddler is nursing exclusively, or nurses as often as an infant. I’m always hearing thing like, “OMG, how can you nurse a kid that’s THREE! Are you going to go to the preschool to nurse him at lunch time?” Um, no. A kid that age is perfectly capable of going several hours without nursing, and is generally eating a fully-solid diet, plus a little breastmilk. At least, that’s what my 4 1/2 year old does.

        • Freetobeuandme: I have nursed my children until they weaned themselves off the breast. Out of our six children, one child nursed until three while most were around 2 years old….give or take some months. Nursing is not just for food, it is for the child’s security and comfort as well. They transfer very naturally when offered lots of love and move on….mine all did and they are now raising their own children.

          • Queenmum,
            Thank you for adding to our population problem on the earth with 6 more lives… ever hear about the condom?

            • Guess what it’s those six kids that will be changing your a** and paying your pension! The taxes my kids will pay because of our societies over spending will be around 75% fool condoms are the dumbest suggestion ever! Guess you think the world will just grow more money when your too old to work and are wearing a diaper yourself!??

        • Free to be me, you are not right . Each child is different. I know 10 month olds who can say nurse. They are not ready to be weaned quite yet.

        • ROFLMAO anyone who ever says, “full term nursing is for the mothers” has obviously never nursed a toddler or even a baby that can climb around! I can promise you one thing, there is no pleasure in nursing an older child. Biologically and anthropologically full term nursing is NORMAL…hence the term full term nursing.

        • I would have loved to wean my daughter long before she wanted to. She nursed until three and I sure as heck didn’t do it for myself. I’d have been glad to sleep through the night by the time she was one. I’d have loved to be able to sit down and read a book without her climbing into my lap during the best parts to latch on.

          I loved nursing, don’t get me wrong, and since I only have one child, I cherish the memories, but I would NOT have chosen to nurse for three years and I did not do it for myself!!

      • Gross–finding your 16 month old daughter playing in giant deposit of diarrhea on the carpet after learning to take her pants and diaper off in 1 minute flat while you were upstairs bring some food to your other sick child.

        i am guessing the previous comment was made by an un-nursed older male,,,screw him,,,and let’s focus our energy on enlightening the future generation,,,my son is 6 and doesn’t bat an eye seeing both of my breasts hanging out as my daughter decides which one she wants first. oh, and i have come a long way,,because i definately fed my son in a bathroom stall a few times..and used to be grossed out seeing a “hippie” with her giant boob hanging out feeding her baby.

  7. I breast fed all 5 of my children and I would do in public. Granted I would cover my shoulder and the baby, but I still did it. And I did it no matter where I was. I only had one comment. He was a older man, and said it was disgusting, hos wife swung her purse at him and said How do you think your mom fed you.

    • haha…good!! he needed that!!!

    • Ahaha, I love feisty old ladies.

      • Older women were the most supportive of me breast-feeding in public. I recall one lady sensing my hesitation and she said, “Honey, your baby is hungry and she’s got to eat, so just whip it out!”

    • 25 years ago, was offered great seats to a NFL game when my daughter was 3 months old. Knew it was probably my only chance to see a pro game, so we accepted. Was really nervous about feeding her in a stadium that was 95% men, but it was 90+ degrees and humid and no way was I putting a blanket over her. I tried to be as discreet as possible, but eventually, got the dreaded tap on the shoulder. . . I was filled with fear until the older man behind me says loud enough for everyone around us to hear, “Good for you! I wish more women would just feed their babies.”

  8. OMG! This is hilarious!!! Thank you so much for this fantastic article. Can’t wait to share on the San Diego Breastfeeding Center and The Boob Group facebook pages tomorrow :-)

  9. How about scuba diving and sky diving to name a few more…

  10. LOL! I feed in traffic, but fortunetly my windows are tented so I don’t expose other people to my awkward position… he he he

    • It’s probably not the safest to be breastfeeding in traffic…

    • Pull over!!! That is so dangerous and irresponsible!! I REALLY hope you were joking.

      • She never said she was driving…could have been the passenger..

        • …Except that if an infant (or child) is in a moving vehicle, that child should in fact be in a car seat. This is both illegal and extremly dangerous, driver or not.

          • Except that if she meant by awkward position she was bent over the carseat from the passenger seat.

            • If an adult is hovering over child seat nursing a baby who is buckled in, it is still extremely unsafe. In the event of an accident, the unrestrained adult becomes a giant and forceful projectile and would likely kill the baby. Pull over. It’s just not worth it.

              • Actually, I have outrageously long breasts (34KK’s-I know you’ve never heard of or seen that) and I do wip my boob out with my seat belt on leaning forward to feed my baby in his car seat. My family finds it hilarious but necessary as my baby hates being in a car seat. I can tell you, there is no physical way an accident could fling me anywhere that I could endanger my child doing this. To get my body maneuvered into a place that could jeopardize a baby in a car seat would pretty much defy the laws of physics. Hold your judgments until you’ve actually seen or done something yourself. They’re a bit hasty and incorrect.

          • My sister nursed in a moving vehicle. While her daughter was safe in her carseat. She was able to lean over her to feed her. It’s doable.

            • I call that move the “lean and stretch”. Of course if we are gonna be in the car for a quick trip we don’t bother. On a 12 hour road trip, it’s been known to happen.

            • glad to hear I’m not the only one to lean over twist and stretch to feed the babe in the carseat (no, not while driving, don’t be silly). Doability depends on the bosomage as well as the upper body flexibility. :)

          • She also never said she was in the US. Chill the f*ck out. Most of us over 35 grew up before carseat laws and guess what? Still here. It’s safer to have a child in a seat. But reserve your judgement for those moments when your American-centric head is outside of your butt.

            • Wow. Rude response. And uh, you don’t think the laws of physics are the same everywhere no matter what car seat laws are? you (and I) may have survived OKey dokey pre-car seat laws but you know what? There’s lots that didn’t. I have a friend who met an old man who cried about losing his sister in an accident b/c it was pre-car seat days.

              I assume this mom meant she was leaning over her baby, and I’m sure you’re a great mom. :) But what the other folks are trying to say is that it isn’t safe no matter how you do it. In an accident mom leaning over baby will SMASH baby. Short of an emergency fleeing, what is there that can’t wait being pulled over for a bit to feed the baby? We are too stinkin’ rushed.

              • I love you Amy Martin.

              • Ladies don’t take the bait. Crazy people just looking for an opportunity to get into a comment brawl.

              • Unless she was in bumper to bumper rush hour traffic. Where is there to pull over in that case? People, so quick to judge -_-

              • There are some places in the world where you can be stuck in standstill traffic for 3+ hours and by standstill I mean the cars are in park and nobody is moving. If that is what she meant, I can certainly see the need. Otherwise it’s unsafe.

            • Hahahaha :) love it!

          • I have jumped into the backseat on a long car trip and hung my boob over to my baby so they remained safe in their seat while feeding…ha…the things we do….

      • Mom of 2: Self appointed internet police of breast-feeding babies while in cars. Doesn’t need any actual data to make her verbal shouting-match point. Just needs enough information to make herself feel important and let the little policeman that lives inside of her, out. Relax, Mom. All that stress trying to build up fake outrage and self-righteous indignation will give you heartburn and more flatulence.

      • Um…. Did anyone notice the picture of a DEER nursing a FAWN in the middle of the road with traffic stopped? Just supposed to be funny…

    • My daughter-in-law often sat next to her rear facing baby and nursed in traffic–while I was driving.

    • Do you ever say stuff and then think “yeah, prob should have held that back.” Yeah. You should have. Mom’s can get pretty bent out of shape and judgmental pretty fast…

    • Maybe DRIVING should be your primary focus when you are in traffic. That’s as bad as texting while driving. You not only endanger yourself and your child, you put others at risk. PULL OVER PLEASE.

  11. I absolutely loved this article. I posted it on my facebook page with all of my breastfeeding pictures, for all those people who find it “disgusting” to breastfeed in public. Thank you so much for this lovely piece.

  12. breastfeeding is beautiful and natural but it IS an intimate act with your child and not show time. Nothing wrong with breastfeeding in pubic as long as it is done tastefully. Use a drape (they make great ones that are open at the top to mom and baby can make eye contact) and for goodness sakes don’t do it walking along a buffet with your boob hanging out (oh ya, I saw that at a Shoney’s in the redneck town of Manning South Carolina).

    • Who made you the boss of breastfeeding?

      • Agreed lol…. Who made her the boss?? I breast feed my baby walking in Walmart. My baby was wrapped up in moby and my boob was out and no one knew.. Wow some folks kill me. It’s ok for a girl to come in half naked boobs out butt checks out and eat but a crime a baby eats. Ha come back here when you have had a few kids and their screaming and see if you don’t whip out your boob anytime, anyplace…

    • There is nothing distasteful about breastfeeding: “oh no someone might see sideboob or a quick second of nipple”, people don’t scoff at female stars’ dresses on the red carpet which show just about as much as a person will see during breast feeding.

      I personally don’t like to eat my lunch under a hot blanket, I doubt many babies do either. If you don’t like it, look away.

      • Travis, The good breast feeding drapes, are breathable cotton, and are not hot. That being said, your point is a good one. Breastfeeding, with or without a drape, is possible to do discreetly. You do not have to flaunt your boob, or expose it unnecessarily, in order to give it to your infant. The ones that do, are doing it for the thrill, not for their baby.

      • Thanks for the support Travis. There are too many people that like to push unnecessary covers that are more likely to draw attention than a discreet uncovered mom. Too many people who think breastfeeding women like to whip out and flaunt their boobs. It’s ridiculous to say the least.

    • I agree with you. How about some people don’t want their kids looking at your boobs? What’s wrong with pumping and bringing a bottle?

      • A lot of things, namely, that transporting live human breastmilk is an arduous process, nevermind the pain involved in pumping it out to begin with. Nobody should need to subject themselves that just because you don’t know how your neck works. (It swivels your head in a different direction, for the record.)

      • I’m fine with all kids looking at boobs, so feel free to whip it out.

        You can trust me, I’m from the internet.

      • Whats wrong with kids seeing a baby breastfeed? My ten year old has seen two years of it and has learned that it is perfectly normal. I mean, do you go to the beach and ask the women in bikinis to cover up? Heaven forbid an old episode of baywatch come on!
        My daughters would NOT take a bottle. Neither of them would. I gave them different nipples, tried different bottles, nothing worked. Pump and serve doesn’t work for them all!

      • boobs are a natural part of any child’s life, so what is wrong with them accidentally seeing a nipple while someone is breastfeeding? you should be teaching your children that breasts are for feeding babies, just like a cows tests feed her calves or a cats nipples feed her kittens, etc. Take a cue from Mr Rogers and educate your children

      • I think I’ll take your advice about pumping next time I’m in a restaurant. So what I’ll need to do is express some milk at home and faff around with sterilising etc put it in a bottle and that in a cool bag thing. Then I’ll have to get my server to bring me hot water in a receptacle when my toddler starts shouting “milk milk” at full volume and warm it up for him. Then, to make sure he has milk available next time he wants it I’ll need to whip out my double electric breast pump and put it on. I’ll probably need to moves whole party to sit next to a power outlet. Because of course everyone knows that it’s not hygienic to pump in the toilet, not to mention they don’t have power outlets anyway. Would this set up suit you sensibilities? What will you tell your kids? Don’t forget it’s pretty noisy, and you can see everything. You seem to forget that every time you feed baby from a bottle you need to be expressing to maintain supply and make sure you have milk for next time. So not that convenient after all eh!

        • How about you don’t take your infants that need nipples to suck on out in public, nasty fools.

          • Don’t go in public, Childfree – then you won’t be subjected to those nasty fools that are feeding their children.

            It is suggested to breastfeed up to age 2 for the health of the child… So in order to have a child, we should stay inside for 2 years with them? Or should we just leave them at home alone?

          • WOW I don’t have kids and am just in my very early 20s and I STILL cannot believe that someone could be so f*cking ignorant!!!!! After you have a kid you and your child should be locked in the basement for 2 years so as to not offend the public?? You do realize that humans need oxygen to survive….and despite popular belief, very very recent studies have proven that women and children ARE INDEED HUMANS!!

          • Childfree, your a nasty fool. That is all.

        • Laura, Toddlers are old enough to be taught not to shout when they want to nurse. If yours is doing so, then you are rewarding him for it. If you still want to breast feed him , that is your business, just make sure your are still doing it for the right reasons.

          • Thanks for your advice KY Momma. Can I just check with you as you seem so wise, what the “wrong reasons” for continuing to breastfeed my toddler would be? Also how giving them mothers milk is rewarding them? Finally, my child never shouts he signs but that’s beside the point. You never said what you would prefer, I’m assuming its that “discreet” pumping as that could not be perceived as me gaining sexual pleasure from my 2 year old male child suckling at my breast which is what it sounds like you really think might be going on. Which is all about you messed up psyche and nothing about me.

      • Oh that’s an easy one, some mums find it next to impossible to get a decent amount pumping and some children will refustle. ut even if neither of these are true, please explain why a nursing mum should spend awaste all that time pumping when its Mich easier to pop baby on the breast. And if anyone says anything about it offending people, those views offend me and I really don’t want my kid hearing them, but I can’t control others and neither can anyone else

      • Those same people don’t seem to have a problem walking their kids through the mall where they see way more boobs and butts hanging out the displays of the stores. I have the opposite approach. Seeing a little boob in the name of what theyw ere created for: feeding a child, is all good. Seeing 7 foot tall display posters of scantily sexily clad models in the Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie Windows? Not OK. We don’t walk through the mall.

        • Oh Amy,

          You would LOOOOVE my firstborn. We were walking through the mall when she was 18 months old and passed the triple-wide VC display with it’s seven-foot nudey posters. My daughter stopped short, whipped her whole arm around towards the posters, and shouted “LOOK, MAMA… MILKIES.” Then she got this dreamy smile on her face. Customers were cracking up three stores down.

      • Have you expressed milk? It takes as long to pump as it does to feed, which you still have to do, so you double the time it takes to feed baby. Plus you have to sterilise everything, and keep it cold, so you need a cooler, then you have to heat it up again for baby. Then you need to pump while you’re out anyway or your supply drops, so you have to carry your pump, sterile bottles etc. it’s MUCH harder to pump discreetly than feed, so you’re likely to flash more boob anyway. And then some babies reject the bottle, or worse love the bottle and reject the breast. It’s a nightmare! I expressed full time for 15 months for one daughter when she couldn’t feed for medical reasons. It was hell. No woman should have to do that to satisfy the prudish public. Look away if you don’t like it!

        • Thanks for mentioning how long it takes to pump. I used to have to pump for 2 hours every night just to get between 1 1/2 to 10 oz of breast milk to have in a bottle for my baby. the same baby would drink approx. 7 -16 oz in about 5 minutes on the breast. This was pumping on a regular basis so that I could have it when I needed it: when I went to weddings, etc. and was wearing a dress that made it impossible to breastfeed. It was always worth it to me because I knew i was giving the best for my girls, but I would never expect someone to do this just to accommodate others on a regular basis.

      • I actually feel it’s very important for kids to witness breastfeeding. This is how they come to understand that breastfeeding is the normal way for babies to be fed, which leads them to make the conscious decision to breastfeed or to support their partners to breastfeed when they have children of their own. For example, studies have shown that by the time girls reach their late teens, they have already decided how they will feed any future babies that they may have. Therefore exposure to breastfeeding in childhood and adolescence is essential. Many children grow up never seeing breastfeeding. Instead, whenever they watch a baby being fed it is always with a bottle. What message does this send to them? That bottle-feeding is the normal way for babies to feed. The other negative effect of this is that, even if they do decide to breastfeed their children, they will have never seen it done before, and therefore learn about breastfeeding from scratch. In cultures where breastfeeding is far more common, often young mothers already know what to do, having watched their mothers, aunts, sisters, cousins etc all feeding their babies.

        • My kids didn’t even know what a bottle was the first time they saw one. My 6 year old shouted across a restaurant “What is that thing in the baby’s mouth?” When I explained to him that the mom was feeding the baby, he didn’t believe me! Insisted she was doing it wrong, right in front of the bottle feeding mom. It was awesome.

          • Why was it awesome? Some of us were not able to breastfeed. I was able to give two of my three children colostrum the first few days, but was not able to produce enough milk after that. I desperately wanted to, but could not. All three of my children were bottle fed. Your encouragement of your child’s remark about this mom who may have (like me) been bottle feeding because she could not breastfeed is teaching your child to be just as insensitive as breastfeeding moms blame others for being.

          • That is horrible! What if that mom couldn’t breast feed? Not everyone can, so why is it ok for you to judge someone else when you get so up in arms for people judging you. I personally don’t care if you breast feed in public or don’t breast feed at all. I know that every person is different, as is every situation, so I try not to judge anyone. Maybe you should get off your high horse and try that and think how you made that mother feel. What if she physically couldn’t breast feed and how those comments made her feel? Probably as bad as someone making inappropriate comments about you feeding in public.

          • Coming from a mom who had to endure pumping due to insufficient tools (my nipples are inverted therefore even with the help of a nipple shield was very hard for my son to nurse) I find your comment offensive & utterly stupid. How can you encourage your child to judge a mom that might not be able to nurse her child the way you did? Did you consider that mom might have to feed the breast milk via bottle??? I think I would consider encouraging my son to be open minded & not judgmental……

          • Perfect time to educate your son on ways to feed babies (bottles exist for a reason, and thank goodness they do!)….then he can show more understanding for another “bottle feeding mom” (as you called her) in the future.

      • Some people don’t want to see your face as you are wolfing down a Big Mac. Should you put a bag over your head?

        No one should feel they have to hide their bodies while feeding their babies. Boobs were made for babies and if some kid at the next table sees it and asks his mom, GOOD. The more normal it gets, the more babies will be fed the right way. If you don’t want to have to explain normal things that happen in public, don’t take your kids outside.

      • What is wrong with it? Well, first off, logistics. Let me explain to you how breastfeeding works. Let’s say I decide to appease perfect strangers by pumping before I leave so I can feed my child from a bottle. Let’s say I am gone for 3 hours, which would be about 2 feedings for my daughter. That is two feedings that I am missing. This will cause my breasts to not only be engorged and painful, but this being done frequently sends a message to your body that you are producing too much milk, so my milk production will decrease, making it difficult to produce enough food for my child in the future.

        Secondly, I can understand the fact that people don’t want their children exposed to SEXUAL images. Lucky for you, there is nothing sexual about breastfeeding, so that shouldn’t be an issue. If your child is curious about what is going on, tell them. If you are uncomfortable with telling them, there is a good chance that the mother would be happy to answer questions- I have done it.

        Finally, if you were going to a party and they were going to have your favorite beer on tap, would you lug a cooler with it in a bottle? I think not.

        • There is nothing sexual about breastfeeding? Really? Wow tell that to every man on earth idiot

          • Um not all men…some are gay you know and then there are those who just really don’t find breastfeeding sexual. They see it for what it is – feeding. But yeah there are quite a few who view it as erotic. However why let that bother you? I mean some men find pregnant bellies or bare feet erotic. That didn’t stop me from getting pregnant three times or from wearing flip flops and going barefoot! We can’t let other peoples opinions dictate how we live our lives.

          • No, there is nothing sexual about breastfeeding.

          • There are some non-western cultures that have found western male obsession w/breasts infantile and gross. NEXT!

          • No need to be a rude @$$hole there anonymous! And the only time most men find breastfeeding to be sexual is when they have a fetish for that sort of thing. Not every man in this world is obsessed with breasts…some have a thing for legs, lips, butts, etc hell in some parts of the world women are required to cover ankles and wrist because their culture finds them to be sexually arousing…but every man I’ve ever knew that was a breast man never found breastfeeding to be a turn on.

            • My hubby does! But only when I’m doing it, he just looks away from other women, assuming they would rather he not stare. I think it is ok and perfectly healthy that my husband finds it sexy when I am feeding his child. Not so much a stranger though…

      • Oh no!!!! What’s gonna happen to those kids if they see a breast being used for its intended purpose? Scarred forever?

        Much better to teach them babies need to suck on plastic replicas of breasts, right? Riiiiiiiiight.

        Get a grip.

      • You do know that not everyone is blessed with a good enough milk supply to pump right? That statement shows your ignorance! I struggled to pump 5oz for my baby the one time I had to leave him for a few hours when he was 2 months old! It took me two days of pumping after EVERY feeding to get it! My body just wouldn’t let me pump! So statements like this just make me mad! Not to mention, using a bottle can cause nipple confusion and there’s NO way I’d risk struggling to breastfeed to keep a few people happy!

      • Do you have any idea what a pain in the ass that is? For one pumping is uncomfortable and painful at times. Secondly, you would need to keep the milk cold somehow then find a place to warm it up. Breastfeeding is so much easier. Your milk is right there ready to go. Perfect temperature and perfect amount. You never breastfed did you? I feel bad for your kids if u have any.

      • Why don’t you tell that to my screaming baby who wouldn’t take a fake nipple. I pumped all day long and he refused to take a plastic nipple. The real deal is better.. Some folks so their level of education..

      • If I had relied on pumping to feed my child when I was in “inappropriate” places to breastfeed, I’d have never been able to leave the house! Pumping sounds easy but not everyone is able to pump. Some women’s breasts just don’t respond to a pump like they do a nursing baby.

      • Drinking from a bottle is different than drinking from the breast. It’s easier, the milk or formula comes out faster. Some babies, when introduced to a bottle, will not feed from the breast again. So to do what you suggest would be risking the whole breastfeeding experience. And since breastfed babies have better immunity than formula fed babies, you could be risking the baby’s very health. Please put some thought into what you suggest. If you don’t want your kids looking at a breastfeeding mom, just put yourself in their path of sight and move on… no biggie…

    • Loving the irony of having a problem with a baby being fed ata buffet. Nice one, buffet breastfeeding lady. Covers, my arse.

    • Since when is EATING an intimate act? Please, if you feel that way, take your dinner to your bedroom and do it – DO NOT go to any restaurants, malls, sporting events, etc and have a snack or meal. That should be reserved for the privacy of your own home… OR, I guess by your logic, you could eat under a blanket; in the dark… where it’s super hot…

      • oh and by the by, I’m PUMPED while driving, in traffic. I have an hour commute and it was easy, but A LOT more exposing than nursing, which I have not done in the car.

    • when at shoney’s, do as the shonites do, isn’t that how the saying goes?

  13. AWESOME!!!! thank you!

  14. Hope you don’t mind, I’ll be posting this on the FB page of LLLWiesbaden.

    I couldn’t stop laughing at the Spiderman mask.

  15. WOW! Love this!
    I have never tried sky diving–but I agree that it probably would be better to leave the baby on the ground.
    I do think that scuba diving is another place where it would be better to leave the baby on the shore.
    If you wouldn’t use a cover to bottle feed your baby–then there is no need to use a cover to breast feed!
    I DO think that those bottle feeding mothers should keep the covers on those FAKE boobs and nipples that they carry around out in public–for heaven sakes keep the cover on until just before you pop it into the baby’s mouth and cover it back up the minute that you pull it out…..truly disgusting.

    • Mera

      “truly disgusting”??? I’m very offended by that. I intended to breastfeed my child. I wanted to and I tried so hard. I had nursing help and they also could not find a way for my daughter to feed from me. For the two weeks we tried breast feeding the only way she’d feed was cup feeding. Very time consuming, takes much much longer than breast feeding, more is wasted, it also takes a long time to pump. So you know what? After three weeks of this we resorted to using a bottle. I felt guilty about feeding my baby in public because I was using a bottle!! I would never look down on another woman for using a bottle, but I still punished myself. Then as my milk dried up, horror of horrors I had to use baby milk powder!! How awful, I just did not deserve to be a mother did I in your opinion? Was feeding my baby so ‘truly disgusting’? The baby we’d tried waited for for years and years?
      The result was postnatal depression. BAD postnatal depression. The kind of postnatal depression where you spend 3 months in a psychiatric ward bad. Oh, and it was WITHOUT my 9 month old as there were no mother and baby units – I’m sure you think that was truly disgusting also. Thank heaven for my wonderful supporting husband who cared for our amazing daughter (who of course fed her with a truly disgusting bottle).
      Please, really, consider there are women who just have to use bottles and don’t deserve to be made to feel bad about it.

    • i’ve finally given up on my “truly disgusting” feelings about bottle feeding and i feel better. i’ve let go another source of distress for myself. 2 months into nursing my daughter, i had some bad experiences and disappointments with the women who were in my support group and peers.

      they were personal and individual (not to mention PRIVATE) matters and i really felt strong emotional pain as i watched a few women give up the breast.

      i felt righteous, because i struggled so hard to establish a nursing rhythm. we had poor latch in the hospital that didn’t subside for weeks. my milk did not come in for an astonishing 5 whole days as i wept at the free formula samples i was given at the hospital. (i saw those cans as some sort of ‘get of jail free cards’). i resented them while i was unable to part with them. ppd led me to consider them, but had the hospital not provided them i wonder if i would have been so tempted at times. that left me very unhappy with formula marketers after our nursing routine was well established. i felt violated and abused by my hospital to-go bag and by 4 months, i donated it.

      then women began telling me that they were unable to latch in the hospital and couldn’t deal with “not” feeding their child for those days. these women knew that the colostrum was in fact present, but they chose something more instantly gratifying. and with my situation being sort of a die trying activity in my mind.. at that point i had no capacity to forgive or understand them.

      a neighbor of mine put up the good fight for 2 months before she wanted baby sitters, nights out and “her” life back. they began CIO at the same time they cut off her attachment to natural feeding. they set up video survailance in her room and watched from their iphones for any sign of distress. crying for three hours at 2 months was not their idea of stress or distress and i just felt nauseated and i wanted to adopt their child.

      then so many of my fellow pregnanteers (yes i made up that word and it’s mine now, do not steal.) skipped the try, and went straight to the bottle, some to resume their drinking habits, some smoking, some “freedom”. the desire for freedom from the most nurturing part of a child’s life cut me like a knife. i had a real hatred rocking at this point.

      during my daughter’s second year i returned to work, through experiments with pumping i found that i had a high lipase content in my milk and if i wanted it to last more than a few hours, i had to pasteurize it with heat in a saucepan and then rapid cool it. i did this at work, which was part time, but it was hard and one was not an ok age to wean in my mind. so i went through all of it to continue and we did. she nursed when i was there and daddy was able to bottle feed as well. what a wonderful, hard, joyous, painful, unforgettable time.

      in retrospect, i’m not entirely sure why i endeavored to give up so many of my wishes for 23 months. and then i got it, it’s not for everyone. i’m not in any position to judge any mother for bottles or boobs or time recommendations and even though i never confronted anyone about their choices, i had spent sooo long deriding them in my mind. i thought back to when i was younger, i thought a lot about how i would feel if the tables were turned on me and my true feelings at the time. i could see many points in my past where breastfeeding would have not been a priority, times that i writhed at the thought of being the only source of food and could imagine my husband with a fresh bottle being able to relieve me of the duties i CHOSE.

      but, i wasn’t righteous because of a choice i made. i was just doing the best i could and that’s what most people do, i’m no better or worse. once this all occurred to me as my own ego shrunk i have a basic praise for women’s choices in this manner.

      there are things i find so much sadder and even abhorrent that children are faced with. bottles vs. breasts is pretty low in the order now. it had never occurred to me the suffering that women experience over nursing in public and what an oppressive stance there is against it until now, today. it could be my geographical location where it’s in the triple digits from may to october, cover up? yeah, no. and furthermore, non issue.

      anyway, this is way too long, but as i came to accept myself as a new mother and ditch the constant worry, i’ve been able to see other women in a more understanding and positive light regardless of a great many choices that we all face and overcome. i’m just at peace with the fact that if a mother is loving, non abusive and active in parenting that she’ll make the best choices.

      so what’s the big deal about a little nip slip? priorities for me make it a total non issue, but i loved the humor of this blog post. the comments have been a real eye opener too.

      what could we accomplish with all this passion if we all got together with a cause? the emotion and activism possibilities from this group could be groundbreaking.

      any one else feel like they’re pissing as much time away as i do? lol.

  16. If humankind is ever to colonise other planets your list needs to be changed. Breastfeeding in zero gravity would be awesome. But I agree babies should be strapped in on launch and reentry.

  17. Hilarious…pure awesomeness! Why is it that there are so many people disgusted by a mother breast feeding her child yet not disgusted when scantily clad women show WAY too much walking down the street? Have some self-respect and cover yourself up, unless you are working a strip club, at the beach (mind you, I’ve seen some doozies there too) or enjoying some really fun times with your significant other…

  18. Add while line-dancing. It’s fine while you’re scootin’, but the babe bites down when you stomp! (And how would I know? Well, it WAS a church dance, and I had a towel draped….)

  19. My philosophy: nothing wrong with breastfeeding in public. But if you don’t want scantily clad women showing THEIR breasts walking down the street, then just cover up. It works both ways. The only difference is one is used to attract attention and one is used to feed a baby. Breastfeeding is awesome. A great way to provide nutrients to your baby. But why is it okay for a woman to show her boobs in public when she is breastfeeding and is natural and when a woman is just scantily clad or in a sexy ad, its considered disgusting and immoral. Either way, I don’t like to see another woman’s boobs unless I’m in a lockerroom or someplace where its natural. Its not because its wrong. Its just a personal preference. Breastfeed all you want, but why just have it your way the highway. If someone prefers you don’t expose your breast to them because they really don’t want to see that, unless they do, but they don’t mind you breastfeeding in general, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Its just a matter of preference. It doesn’t make it wrong. Its honest.

    • Not sure about your laws, but our laws in Australia say it is unlawful to prevent someone breastfeeding. It’s not my way or the highway; it is, however, natural and normal and you don’t have to look. If someone prefers not to see my boobs while I breastfeed, that’s fine; I won’t be offended if they look away. A locker-room is not an appropriate place to breastfeed – you need back support for one thing (well, I did). A restaurant or buffet is, on the other hand, an appropriate place to eat.

    • Oh, I’m quite happy for scantily clad women to show their breasts, feeding babies or not. Thanks for asking.

      (Yes, I’m a straight woman. Just never saw anything disgusting or immoral about breasts, what a strange idea.) And what is this ‘natural lockerroom’ of which you speak, where women frolic naked and unabashed? Is it an American phenomenon?

    • You are so right skeptical. I do have to say that if done properly, breastfeeding is not only natural in public, it should not draw extra attention. If it does, it is no longer breast feeding, it is exhibitionism.

  20. What I meant was, I don’t care if a woman around me is undressed, as long as its in an appropriate place. I don’t necessarily want to see a naked woman, but certain places its considered appropriate and you have no choice.

    • I hear you, but I just don’t get it. They are just boobs. They really will not hurt anyone. Your concept of “considered appropriate” is your concept. Your views may never change, but are not in line with laws of most of the world or with history in general. I question the words “considered appropriate.”

      • But there are other views out there just as valid. Most of the world may not feel the same way as you do. Or rather, other people may not feel the same way. Does that make their opinions less valid or wrong because they disagree with you? That’s what makes America great is that many people have different views on things. I don’t think breastfeeding is wrong or bad. I think its an awesome thing, which I’m sure other people on here are ignoring because I disagree with the majority on one thing. I just happen to be a modest and private person, as I’m sure other people are too. Not that breastfeeding is immodest. But my personal preference is different. I don’t think breasts will hurt me or anyone else, but majority of people do not want to an opposite opinion because it is different from what they believe. You believe its appropriate to have a bare breast out in public
        I don’t. That doesn’t make yours or my opinion less valid or true. Its when people can disagree gracefully without insult and just agree to disagree. I don’t go up to women breastfeeding and tell them to stop it or to put their breast away, because I have more respect, class, and politeness than that. Its not nice to do that. But if I express that to a friend and ask politely that they just cover up while breastfeeding in front of me, it shouldn’t be a big deal. If they had a problem with something I did and politely and respectfully asked me to stop or do it another way, I would do my best to do so because it would be important to me to honor and respect their presence and company. But what I wouldn’t do, and forgive my language, is say, “screw you, I don’t care what you think or how you feel, I’m gonna do what I want no matter what you say. Just don’t look at it!”

        • The way I grew up, that’s considered rude and immature.

        • That’s sad that you think a hungry baby should have to be covered just to comfort someone else or that you feel the need to unnecessarily bend towards other people’s comfort as well. I would say “screw you” to someone who has a problem with me feeding my children. I am sooooo very glad to live here in Europe as an American where natural is actually NATURAL!! We don’t need laws here to protect a woman’s right to breastfeed because it’s just *gasp* NORMAL! You can’t walk into a gas station here without porn magazines sitting near to the registers with fully naked women on them as well. This continent is not prudish but it is also not overly-sexualized as well. Breastfeeding is normal, nudity in many cases is also normal. Get over the human body, if you feel so traumatized my it perhaps you should talk with someone. I really don’t understand how someone could have that big of a problem with seeing a human body, but especially a woman breastfeeding her baby!

  21. This is so awesome. Will definitely share this!

  22. The only thing I have to say to you is that you are an idiot and the problem with all that is rotten in our society. You do not get to pick and choose. Why do you not want to see someone else’s body? What is it going to do to you. The point is that it IS APPROPRIATE TO BREADTFEED A BABY ANYWHERE YOU LIKE. So you can go ahead and add “when a mother is feeding her child” to your freakish list if when it is appropriate to see parts of a woman’s body.

    However, I think it’s all in your mind. Not because of any risk of offending anyone else’s sensibilities because I simply could not care less (as said earlier, head, neck etc) I’m pretty sure no-one sees anything when I feed my kid and there are people I work with who flash more boob at work than I do feeding. In summary GET OVER IT.

    • I wasn’t being offensive. Its just a personal preference. Like I said its not wrong. Just honest. Doesn’t mean I hate breastfeeding or that breastfeeding is wrong.

      Doesn’t make me rotten. Why does it have to be your way only? You don’t know me or if I’m even a mother or know women who have kids. I’m not judging women who breastfeed. You really need to consider what you say before you say it. You hurl insults with no knowledge of who I am. I didn’t insult anyone. I just said its a personal preference for some people. Nothing wrong with that.

      • Meh, I agree.

        I breastfed and am planning on breastfeeding this next one. I don’t think breastfeeding is inappropriate; however, if there is a private place that is easily accessible and/or your baby will tolerate a cover, why not? You’re not going to change anyone’s personal opinions by being aggressive about it and whether you like it or not, it makes some people uncomfortable.

      • Skeptical, you can have an opinion as much as you like. Doesn’t mean you get to dictate to others based on that opinion. When I feed my baby, wherever I am it is about me and my baby. You and your opinion couldn’t be any less relevant to me.

      • Skeptical, I really do understand your point. Keep in mind that not all nursing moms are militant about it. I own a nursing cover but was only able to use it for a short time before my son started refusing. My daughter would’ve had no problem with a cover, but my son – no way. All babies are different. I also try to nurse in my car but he is now to big for that. I’ve nursed in tiny cramped spaces before, even a broom closet. The only place I won’t nurse is a dirty place like a bathroom, yuck! Anyway, my point is that some moms are more shy about nursing in public and really do try to find alternatives. Sometimes there is no alternative. In that case I try to find a quiet spot and get it done. I do wish that I didn’t feel so shy about it, because I believe that most of people’s attitudes toward nursing in public is just from how they were raised. If we all saw more nursing moms in public (like in Europe), then it would be no big deal.

      • You are absolutely right, it is a personal preference, and there is nothing wrong with how you feel. However, personal means just that – it pertains to and exercises influence over you and you alone. There is nothing wrong with your preferences dictating your behavior, but they don’t get to dictate mine or anyone else’s – just like I don’t have the right to demand that random strangers on the internet breastfeed their babies.

    • Laura, I agree, breast feeding done properly is not offensive. But being intolerant of other’s feelings when they express an opinion is counter productive. Being militant about it makes you, not them look like an idiot. :( Sorry, but it is true.) Try educating them instead of insulting them. You made some good points, but I think most were lost because of your self righteous attitude to those who do not understand the difference between exhibitionism, and naturally feeding your child.

      • I would like all those exhibitionist breastfeeding mothers to raise their hands please. On what basis KY Momma do you tar women with the exhibitionist brush? How dare you cast such aspersions. I’m yet to meet a woman who feeds her child to get a thrill. If anyone does it for that reason please do comment as I’d love to be proven wrong. The point of the article and my point is you cannot say “but” or “if” or any other conditional statement when you say you support breastfeeding as WHEN you do the underlying truth is that you do not support it at all.

        • It’s ridiculous to imply that if you don’t breastfeed publicly all the time you “don’t support breastfeeding at all.”.

          I support breastfeeding and a woman’s right to breastfeed in public, BUT will also use a cover or go to a private area to nurse, if possible. If not, l nurse in public.

          Of course, I consider myself a moderate when it comes to my personal feelings on breastfeeding and am obviously part of the minority in this crowd.

  23. I laughed myself silly at numbers 1 through 4, but was so sad at #5 to realize that women still hide their babies & boobies in a public toilet to feed their little miracles. I nursed my kids in the 70’s & 80’s and it happened then & obviously happens now. I had hoped we had all progressed in 35 years to the point where nursing was considered a normal thing to do and young mothers would not be pressured into doing this anymore. I guess we still must keep educating the public.

  24. Who doesn’t want to see breast? Feed the kiddies. I sure don’t mind catching some side boob.

    • And that right there is the reason I DO cover.. I’m a very modest person, and the thought of some creep trying to get a peep while I nurse is not ok with me.. I actually had a man try to lean over and look while I was nursing with a cover.. I glared at him and he walked away.. But I was covered and sitting off by myself, which is my personal preference while nursing as my son was a LOUD nurser…

      • Not saying that every person that doesn’t mind seeing a breast is a creep, but to try to get a peep when a woman is trying to stay covered was creepy to me!

      • I’m sorry HR. I was trying to be comic relief. I don’t really try to catch side boob of breast feeding mothers. Men sure can be perverts. But really the kiddies need to eat and I don’t understand why it’s a big deal.

  25. Skeptical ur somewhat missing the point. Yes opposite opinions exist. Yes they r both valid to that person.who holds them. But the ‘plz cover up’ opinion u have requires someone else to do something to suit ur stance on this subject, when if u were the truly sensitive, polite individual u claim to be, u would overt ur eyes, engage ur neck or move away to avoid seeing anything u feel uncomfortable with. Your sensibilities should not be made the mother or babies problem. That’s the whole point of ridding hungry babies & breastfeeding mothers of the unnatural shackles of some prudish, high prudish& mighty, overly sensitive

  26. Sorry phone error. Breastfeeding mothers r doing a caring natural essential for life loving act by feeding their baby in public. Don’t make ur problem their problem. Covers should only be engaged on the delicate heads of uncomfortable onlookers with no neck muscles who have had their eyelids removed. Get over yourself Skeptical.

    • So your only solution is get over yourself and and you are too sensitive and prudish? Essentially, my opinion doesn’t matter because you say so? Well, I guess I need to just ask for another table at a restaurant if I do not wish to see that. Hopefully it doesn’t offend the woman breastfeeding, but if it does, that is not my problem. I will remove myself from the situation and then be called a prude because I did so.

      I was not missing the point at all. I guess it must be my problem.

      And you missed the part where I said I would not go up to a woman in public and ask her to cover up. Its impolite and rude.

      As I said, it is rude to consider no one but your own opinion or feelings. Does it bother a breastfeeding mother if people stare at her because she is not covered up, especially men? A lot of people don’t stop staring simply because she tells them not to, because they are other people with thoughts and feelings of their own. They do not follow the woman’s orders because she does not tell them what to do. Its not prudish to consider a woman’s body as beautiful and special, but private. Its respectful. Its also respectful to not look at it. But most people aren’t respectful and have rubbernecks, because its a woman’s bare breast out. People rubberneck because its different, just like they do at a car accident. Its not nice to do it, but its out there, so they are going to stare.

      • When I started reading this, I wondered why you would need to move to another table — why couldn’t you just refrain from looking? But by the end of your final paragraph it starts to become clear. So you are one of these people who cannot help but stare, even though you believe it’s disrespectful? TBH, it really sounds like *you* are the one who shouldn’t be out in public; not the breast-feeding mothers.

      • Yes. You finally hit it right on the head. If it makes you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to ask for a different table, then by all means do so. You cannot control the actions of others, or even the situation. You can only control how you yourself act, and if the situation is something you can’t accept, remove yourself from it. If it offends the breastfeeding mother, she’ll just have to get over it.

        Your moral standards have nothing to do with her moral standards, and vice versa. You have no right to tell a woman to stop feeding her child, or to expect her not to do it in your presence, simply because it makes you uncomfortable.

        Your opinion is valid to you, and in that respect, when you find yourself in a situation where you have to witness a little side boob, leave.

      • I’m not trying to stir the pot here, but that IS exactly right- your opinion doesn’t matter OVER THE NURSING BABY’S NEEDS. It may be rude not to consider anyone else’s opinion except your own, but nursing mothers are considering their babies first and foremost- not only is that not rude, but considering anyone else’s preferences (not needs!) over your baby’s needs is just plain wrong.
        And if you do feel the need to move to another table because you can’t help looking- sure, fine, whatever you need to do if you must- as long as you don’t do it obviously and let the brave mother know that you’re moving because you can’t handle her dedication to her child.

      • Oh, yes, Skeptical, it is much more important for an innocent baby to suffer because some stranger needs an attitude adjustment. It is disrespectful to a baby to say mom should use a substandard method when it’s not necessary (bottle) or become unbearably hot (covering up), or grow hungrier and hungrier while mom tries to find some place to cloister herself.

        I wouldn’t care at all if you asked for another table. Go right ahead.

      • Fortunately you do not have the right to not be offended. Neither do I. So you can offend me all you like and vice versa. The answer is still the same, look away.

      • Skeptical, I was a nursing mom back in the late 80’s. When in public, I did my best to be discreet, but with one hand holding my baby and the other needing to press down on my breast so as not to suffocate him, his waving arms would inevitably dislodge the blanket I tried to so discreetly position. Without a 3rd hand, it was rather difficult to keep myself totally covered.

        And, while I respect your opinion, when it comes to choosing the needs of my baby or the needs of a disapproving or uncomfortable stranger, I am sorry, but the needs of my baby are much more important to me. You have the ability to avert your gaze… whether you do or not is up to you. But I would not disrupt my feeding baby over and over again just to cater to your sensibilities.

        And before you say well they now have these nursing covers that go over your head and which the baby can’t dislodge, consider my daughter in law who has a 3 week old baby that absolutely will NOT nurse covered up! Sometimes the needs of one far outweigh the needs of another, and considering the fact it is so easy for you to turn away, even if you feel the need to move to another table, I’m sorry, but you are the one with the problem, so it is up to you to figure out a solution you are most comfortable with. The baby’s needs come first!

  27. I loved Breastfeeding, both my singleton and my twins. No one ever even tried to tell me to cover up. Even in the park with both babies latched on – I think the sight of my terrifyingly flabby tummy was far more distressing to passers-by than my lovely milky boobs!
    Great article :)

  28. Lol I still whop mine out in public to feed my 2 year old, love this page – great

  29. Let’s not forget that men have boobs too! which are visible to all in many circumstances. So why are some people so squeamish about a woman breastfeeding her baby, usually in a very discrete way? The only difference between man and woman’s breasts is that female breasts have the useful function of nurturing a child, which, if you were lucky enough, was a privilege for you and many of the people who find it in-appropriate or even disgusting to witness. I really can’t see the importance or usefulness of all this fuss about nothing!

    • I dont want to see man boob!!! YUCK cover those up

    • Well, to be fair, with a little coaxing male breasts can also function as baby feeders. It’s a little known secret, but I’ve known a few cis-men who’ve chosen to lactate for their children.

  30. I was in a shopping centre the other day and the parents rooms were full, so I had to feed my baby in the middle of the mall. I expected to get a few funny looks, what I didn’t expect was the middle aged fellow who actually applauded me and said well done. Sometimes you get nice surprises (I’m on Australia/

  31. I am perfectly fine with breastfeeding as ling se you are fine with me getting an erection staring at an exposed breast. In fact, public breastfeeding should be mandatory. Oh and you have to make eye contact with me.

    • My dear boy, you are free to do what you wish with your own eyes. It seems you are slightly confused about your sexuality, but that is not my concern. However, don’t be surprised if you find yourself in trouble when staring at a feeding infant and becoming aroused. That kind of behaviour is not tolerated very well for the most part.

    • Go ahead and get the erection… you can almost guarantee that the breastfeeding mom won’t be looking at your pants to notice. However, if the dad is around and notices, you might want to walk away 😉

  32. concerned feminist | Profile

    I understand that boobs are actually a sexual identifier to for the most part males in terms of biologically finding the preferred mate so i honestly don’t have a problem when women are showing cleavage etc. though nipples in public is probably a no-no because there are some socially defined norms. Being human i think its come to a point where it can be done tastefully and we trust in that case to not rudely be objectified if we choose to wear what we want. In the case of breastfeeding, though, i believe it is a time when women’s breasts are de-sexualised because as humans having a successful mate clearly indicated by the subsequent offspring you are feeding should dissuade other males from overly admiring the breast as competition for this mate is now unfavourable and the experience between mother and child is something alternately intimate so i don’t agree with the comments that men have made about wanting women to breastfeed just to excite their shallow sexual obsession with breasts because that is precisely what makes people uncomfortable with public breast feeding. it is the idea that males will sexualise any breast that make mothers not comfy to show them while feeding and passers by judge based on the notion that the mother should expect this behavior and therefore not do something so natural. So men, stop being pigs, grow up and look at boobs on the internet or find a girlfriend who is willing to share her breasts and sexuality with you and breastfeeding mothers please continue to feed your children however you see fit and don’t pay any mind to others’ ignorance.

    • Seriously?
      Women wear sexy skimpy cleavage revealing shirts to attract me…the know exactly how to do this…and they do it well…You have conditioned us to be obsessed with seeing nipples and now you expect us not to want to catch a glimps of a nipple out in public? My dear concerned feminist… stop being a pig

      • concerned feminist | Profile

        You honestly made no point here. I am saying that breasts are a mechanism of attraction and women can use them as such if they choose. dont blame us for conditioning you, you create your own ideals and as a human you can control primal urges. It is within my right to wear anything as revealing as i want and reveal the amount of femininity i wish, that’s the point of feminism but according to most laws and social norms a woman just flaunting her nipples in public for any other reason than breast feeding is considered public indecency. Just in the form of breast feeding, engaging in another natural specification for breasts, it is then inaproppriate to sexualize them. you entirely missed my point.

      • concerned feminist | Profile

        in short if a woman wants you to view her nipples and she is comfortable in showing, that is within her right and she is free to allow you to see her sexuality. if a woman is breast feeding she is simply engaging in the entirely natural and beautiful act of feeding her child whom she dearly loves and is not showing her nipple for sexual attention, so i feel for the men on this website or in public to outwardly comment about fetishizing a breastfeeding mother’s nipple is rude and that is the mechanism behind principle that makes people feel uncomfortable about nourishing a baby with the healthiest form of food possible.

      • Not all cultures tell me to be aroused by breasts, so they aren’t, which disproves the misguided idea that men are somehow hard-wired to be aroused by them, so who’s the pig now?

        • *not all cultures program men to be aroused by breasts … (sorry, typo)

        • concerned feminist | Profile

          those same cultures are the ones who allow their women to nurse freely, it is all about context. i was referring to north american and most anglosaxon culture, most of which im sure that this article primarily focuses and primate arousal of breasts is biologically proven not anthropological. breast size is a subliminal message of reproductive ability in a partner. in chimps and other monkeys you will notice that the hind regions are larger, this was to draw the male to those quarters for reproductive development. it has been postulated that humans have evolved to have larger breasts in the front to support attraction for “facing each other” mating positions. basically boobs are a form of peacock tail feathers or a baboon butt naturally. however our cultural beliefs and human consideration make us capable of differentiating appropriate comments, context of attraction and dissuade inapropriate advances.

  33. free the boobies! I pumped with my first for 9 weeks and let me tell you it was exhausting! Thats why I gave up after 9 weeks! With my second Ive been breastfeeding her now for 10 weeks,straight from the tap :) and at first I was modest about it but ya know if baby’s hungry shes gotta eat! And Id rather not starve my child for the sake of other people feeling that my breast being out makes them uncomfortable,I dont know you I dont care! I will probably never see you again in my life,my child however I do care about! It sucks that a lot of society views breasts only as a sexual object when they are meant to nourish our babies!

  34. Fantastic. But here’s one place where it really should be permitted (even encouraged) – in churches!
    In churches in Italy, in the Vatican museum, on the facade of the Rome church of Santa Maria in Trastevere, Mary is shown nursing Jesus.
    I live and work in western Honduras and it is not uncommon for women to breastfeed in church. The most interesting breast-feeding (particularly for a US priest friend who was visiting) is when the bride at her wedding Mass breastfed her baby, seated in the front pew.

    • Thanks John for your lovely comment! I have breastfed in church and it was actually quite a spiritual experience. Mary breastfed Jesus and there is plenty of religious imagery to confirm that. Also Jesus is often depicted as a sort of “man baby” rather than what an actual young baby looks like which is interesting. I find it odd that, as I understand it, breastfeeding is frowned upon in many US churches and even within religious communities and by some Christians it is frowned upon at all. Others believe they should hide themselves away or totally cover themselves but there is no evidence that Mary did this when feeding Jesus. Quite the contrary, it is the very act of her feeding him that shows her as a selfless mother in statues and paintings alike which abound in the Christian world. I do wonder if it is to do with the fact that many if the early settlers in the US were Puritans or other orders who did not have or believe in imagery of Saints etc and that this has influenced modern attitudes to breastfeeding and the Christian religion?

  35. There is certainly nothing wrong with a women breast feeding in public or most anywhere. Being one of the oldest of eight kids I was quite used to my mom feeding my siblings openly. My wife pumped for the first kid but threw that out the window on #2. I do think there is a such thing as decency though, it’s not decent to stare at someone (breastfeeding or not). So, the times that I have encountered a mother breast feeding I just don’t stare because I think staring is rude and I want to respect the mother and the baby who is trying to eat.

    • Too bad all men (and women!) don’t have your attitude James! Bravo!

    • Well, it’s really not polite to stare at anyone. 😉

    • James, I agree with the concept of decency. I bf my 3 boys on demand, which required many bouts of feeding them in restaurants, parks, shopping centers, etc. Having myself been taught that we all have private areas, I was uncomfortable with just “whipping out” my private parts in public areas and felt it was my responsibility, as a parent, to teach my children respect and decency. My boys have grown up knowing the utilitarian purpose of breasts, and have been labeled some of the most well-adjusted children in their school. They do not feel the need to either stare at breast-feeding mothers, or to avert their eyes in embarrassment. In order to solve this disagreement between “both sides”, I feel that decency, respect, and understanding need to be practiced by all parties … mothers AND the public.

    • James, Obviously, your mother raised you properly. You are absolutely correct on all points. Breast feeding is perfectly normal, with or without a drape. Thank you for your input.

    • You go James. I just want to know about all of the creative words that have been thrown about regarding breast feeding. What are ya ll complaining about its Gods design for a mother to breast feed baby. the breasts were put their for a reason. Just like men have a private area to create babies and wemon their personal . haven’t any of you ever watched a cow ,horse, donkey, feed their young? what planet are you from. No pun intended. Come on lets get real.

  36. Great article! I was all ready to be up in arms when I saw the title and then had a good laugh! I BF my three children and did it everywhere from the side of the road, to public parks to restaurants and never got a comment. In BC where I live BF in public is protected by the BC Human Rights Commision. And all you mommas who are out there in public, you are helping to raise the next generation of breast feeding mothers because when we normalize this we make our culture a breast feeding, baby friendly one!

  37. My daughter is now 11 months old. I’ve openly nursed her at Shoney’s, at a local pizza joint, last night at my six year old son’s school program. I’ve never had anyone say a thing to me. My husband is sometimes apprehensive, but I just remind him that I am protected by federal law. Plus, I am very discreet. More because of my own body image issues. We don’t use a cover because my daughter won’t tolerate it; but I always wear a cami under whatever top I’m wearing. I just lift my shirt up, pull a boob out of the nursing bra and top of cami and let her have at it. Very little boobage exposure and no flabby tummy exposure. :)

  38. At Christmas eve Mass our 6 year old was in the Church pageant, when baby started crying. Our awesome (Nun) Sister Kathleen took baby and I into the room where the priests get ready before Mass. There were a couple of old-school men in there but I sat at a comfy chair to nurse and could still watch the pageant and have some privacy.

  39. When my son was an infant we lived in England where breastfeeding is much more acceptable. I nursed him at church, on the bus or tube, restaurant etc… no one ever told me to move or cover up. I wore baggy shirts and a nursing bra and no one saw much at all. When we came back to Canada it was a different story! “You really should use a blanket and cover up.” “Do you have to do that here?!” and many other rude comments were hurled my way. My response has always been, “Where and how I feed my baby is my business. I didn’t ask for your advice or input, so go away and leave me alone.”

  40. At Christmas eve Mass our 6 year old was in the Church pageant, when baby started crying. Our awesome (Nun) Sister Kathleen took baby and I into the room where the priests get ready before Mass. There were a couple of old-school men in there but I sat at a comfy chair to nurse and could still watch the pageant and have some privacy.
    Iam not shy about nursing- I’ve had meetings with my mortgage broker and others wearing baby and nursing with a cover and nobody knows. When business calls mom has to keep going!

  41. One of my friends posted this on facebook, and I had a lot of fun coming up with ideas before I clicked. Weirdly, you and I had no overlap.
    First thing that came to my head: Doing pole work at a gentlemen’s club. Not that there’s something wrong with a gentlemen’s club, but that pole work needs focus, and probably isn’t the safest for a small person with poor neck control.
    Sports came up. Unless it’s golf. It’s probably okay to breastfeed while golfing.
    Piloting a jet during wartime conditions.
    Fire dancing. Or being safety for a fire dancer.
    It’s a fun game, really. 😀 Thanks!

  42. I haven’t read every single comment on here
    But I think it’s very respectful to other people to cover up a bit while breastfeeding. The world is getting better about breastfeeding moms and that’s wonderful
    But some people are still uncomfortable with being exposed to it. You wouldn’t want to be in an uncomfortable situation so why should you expect other people to?? If you feel so strongly about breastfeeding in public then compromise with those who are uncomfortable with it and cover up. As for babies being hot under the blanket or cover…your body will naturally cool down or warm depending on what your baby’s temperature is. My point is that covering up is respectful…point blank.

    • My daughter would never eat under a blanket. Would you?

      • It is not always SAFE for a nursing baby to be re-breathing CO2 while nursing. A heart murmur that is expected to close or other related health issue could end in death or at least reduced oxygen to the child’s brain. I still cannot believe that people think it’s ok to smother a baby a little to make immature adults feel “comfortable”. Ack! Scary!

        • Oh please, it’s not smothering a baby.. There are many fabrics out there that will give just enough coverage to let people know that you are nursing and give them the chance to look away.

          • Oh please, and every baby is different, and you apparently think all children are like yours. Look up the word anecdote.

          • So it’s okay to reduce oxygen to a baby w/a heart problem? B/c that’s the post you were responding to here. Do you have a magic lens to know which babies have heart problems, or lung problems, or overheat even w/o any covering at all? You know … just be seeing them across a room or crowded mall? You must be insanely rich with those magic powers! No need for anyone to see a doctor; they can just have you spy them remotely and BAM — medical diagnosis!

            • I am sure no one was trying to talk about a mother feeding her baby who had medical issues. You however, took offense when I am sure that was not what the person was referring to. Also, using a drape does not automatically mean the baby is having breathing or overheating issues. My little girl had asthma. When she had difficulty, her lips would turn blue (Scary stuff for a new mother) The light weight drape I used did not affect her negatively. On occasion, I did not have a drape. If you choose not to use a drape, just be aware of your surroundings, and adjust how you feed your child if you need to. (Like I have said before, Whipping your breast out, and waving it around like a salami is not the same thing as feeding that child. One is exhibitionism, one is taking care of a baby and it’s needs. The later being a perfectly natural, as well as acceptable thing to do.

        • Melinda, The drapes I used were breathable thin cotton. No baby would have been harmed using that, with or without a murmur. Smothering is not what proper draping is about, especially now, when most are open at the top.

      • Just like to add that my daughter had some sort of apnea like disorder, and would actually stop breathing if her head was covered even with a loose fitting hat. I got sick of calling 911 because someone “told me” I had to cover her to feed her.

  43. Feeding in the car usually means stopping the car, unless you are super-flexible. But pumping doesn’t! There’s no reason not to use the commute to express breastmilk if you’ve got a hands-free kit.

    It doesn’t wholly resolve the need to pump in the middle of the day, though. And you might find that if you’ve fed just before going to work, and are expecting to feed on your return, that it isn’t an optimal time to pump.

  44. The first time my three year old saw me breastfeeding his brother he smiled up at me and asked so when do I get some of that?

  45. Oh, yes, I eat under the blanket all the time… in my sleep, right? That’s where all the crumbs come from, right?
    Oh wait – NOT! Men sexualize breasts when they are immature… but even my 14 year old knows what boobs are for! Boobs are for babies.

  46. Oh, and let’s add – at the workbench in the chemistry lab. There is NO food in the chemistry lab (unless it’s Monsanto then I’m confused….) :)

  47. Ya’ll have no consideration for other people. I nursed my baby until she was almost 1 and it was beautiful and wonderful but that doesn’t mean that I want to see or my kids to see YOUR boobs. It’s a private thing and while I nursed at the mall, while out eating dinner, at Disney world, no one had to see my goods bc I covered up with light fabric. Covering up isn’t hard and it allows you to nurse without grossing the rest of out! Think about someone else other than yourself sometimes.

    • Well, I have to deflate your puff-up theory b/c my babies got hot even w/o any covering at all so i wasn’t about to throw even a light fabric over them. Older kids often remove the cover or fuss w/it, drawing even more attention to the fact that you’re nursing to begin with. Just b/c it worked for you doesn’t mean it works for every one. I can’t believe you nursed and are grossed out by another woman doing it. I mean, I believe you when you post it, but it’s so hypocritical. Why don’t YOU think of someone else sometimes and just choose to look away and move on w/your life instead of thinking they — INCLUDING THE BABY — should accommodate you or other adults. It’s pretty clear that you are projecting your own selfishness here on others. Look into it.

      • *puffed-up theory. :)

      • Just because I like to look at mine doesn’t mean I don’t feel very uncomfortable seeing a complete strangers boobs. Even by accident before I look away and direct my children to focus on something in the other direction. We all live in this world together and compromise is not that hard. People can easily do what they want while respecting others at the same time believe it or not. but others just want to flex their “legal right” bc they can. I can legally fart in public but out of respect for others I don’t. It all about compromise and caring about yourself and baby first and foremost but secondarily caring for others as well. It’s possible.

    • Im really surprised that some can have breast fed your own children and use the term grossing out in the same sentence – people choose to be offended far too easily – thats you and their problem . There is certainly nothing gross about it

    • EG,
      When breastfeeding in public, I certainly was NOT thinking of myself! I would much rather have been nursing in private. However, I WAS thinking about my baby and his needs and I am sorry, but his NEEDS far outweigh your opinions or sensitivities!

  48. I enjoy this site. I like hearing women’s opinions. I always have. I feel like I have inside info. Like I infiltrated the secret club.

  49. Cover your tits! No one wants to see that.

    • Look away and get counseling for your uptight, disrespectful psychological projection on other people. It’s illegal to say shite like that to nursing women where I live. You can be fined if caught doing it more than once.

  50. I loved the pictures and then got swept into the comments. Where is the “like” button?!? Too many excellent comments that I wanted to “like”! ?

  51. Re no 1., my mother in law once breastfed my husband while driving his six older siblings to school. Guess she didn’t have time to pull over. I also guess times have changed.

  52. breast fed my 3 children and never felt I was flaunting my boob in public , its quite possible to cover flesh with having to suffocate the baby in a blanket . You dont cover a baby when its having a bottle so rather silly to do it because you are feeding naturally .

    Society is the problem not breastfeeding in public , and hiding it away is not going to help retrain peoples perception of what breasts are primarily for .

    Breasts are for feeding babies first and foremost , everything else is second to that .
    Isnt it odd where the naked breast is exposed everywhere we look , people have the nerve to be offended by one of the most beautiful sights , a nursing moma and child . People educate your sons , Fathers avert your eyes and get over yourselves . The world does not evolve round your sexual ideals

  53. I prefer babies who are engaged in breast feeding in a restaurant or theater. Their mouths are occupied and their inane screaming and babbling don’t ruin my evening.

  54. There are alot of things that are “perfectly natural” that we don’t do i public. By most of your logic, people should be able to just pitch a squat wherever they want. They should be able to whip it out and take a pee. According to what alot of you are saying, people should be able to have sex in public. It is a natural act and if you don’t like it you can just avert your eyes or go somewhere else.

    My point is that we live in a civilized society and in doing so we give up the right to perform certain acts in public for the exact reason of not making others uncomfortable. It’s not all about you and your baby. It’s about society as a whole. I’m not saying that society can’t change. What I’m saying is that people aren’t entitled to just break societal norms just because they feel like it. Taking a few seconds to take your baby somewhere a little more private isn’t going to hurt them.

    • Random Guy,
      Tell me where I should go to be more private? I arrive at the mall by bus, so going to the car is not an option. If I am in a restaurant or store, where can I go? The bathroom? Would you want to eat in a public restroom with all the smells and all the germs that entails? Come on, be realistic! We have perfectly acceptable places to go when we need to pee. If we want to have sex, we are hopefully old enough and mature enough to wait until we can get to somewhere private. But a baby can’t just be put on hold… When he or she needs to eat, they need to eat!

    • The baby is eating. Just keep that in mind and it will help you understand why we think its ok to breastfeed in public. Its only eating. Not deficating. Or vomiting. Having sex or masterbating. Just eating!

  55. I am sooo tired of breast feeding in the bathroom. I knew it was wrong when I did it. I was like what the fuck am I hiding from. This is such bull shit. I shouldn’t be in the damn bathroom doing this.

    We need to stand up and be heard we need to breast feed in clean places not fucked up dirty places

  56. Just because a woman is nursing her baby, does that mandate that no one look at what she has exposed? If you’re in public, shouldn’t you accept that whatever you display might be seen? (Accepting of course that it’s considered rude to gawk at anyone, for any reason.)

  57. In the Southern United States in the fifties, it was a common “opinion” among white people that Negroes were “distasteful” but a “natural” part of life. By following the logic I’ve seen in all the “cover up to respect me!” comments, I’m going to assume that we should have kept the separate drinking fountains? Not cause there’s anything wrong with being black, you know. Just as a way to respect the sensitivities and opinions of white people who didn’t like it.

  58. We had a 4H computer club – all boys from 9-17. On the wall of my office was a poster of two bare breasts with the caption “fast food outlets, two convenient locations – you’ve got what it takes to make a healthy baby and it doesn’t cost a thing”. I noticed that the poster would catch the boys’ eyes right away. Then they’d read the caption and say “Cool!”. I thought the boys were totally cool.

  59. One: most of the women who have commented are acting like bitches in a wolf pack, constantly nipping at and fighting with each other, until there is something else to attack (“man”).

    Two: the argument that breast feeding is natural, thereby precluding you from having to abide by any societal constraints, has a couple flaws. One day when I decide I’m OK with going to jail, I might just point them out to you by…

    Taking a shit in front of you when you are breast feeding.
    Throwing that shit at you, once your baby is not in the line of fire, because it’s not his fault you are ignorant.
    Coming into your house and pissing in your toilet after you did to overmark it as my territory.
    Eating insects out of my mate’s hair, then fucking them while your baby “looks around at the world it wants to see”.
    Standing up on my hind legs, roaring and thumping my chest, then beating your husband (mate) to death with my bare hands for the right to fuck you in front of all the other public-place-breast-feeding members of your tribe.

    These are all things that happen in nature, in other mammalian species. I think it’s a much better argument than “societal construction tells us that boobies are sex toys”. Don’t you agree?

    I know you don’t, and knew it before I posted. To a liberal, anyone that doesn’t share the same view is bigoted or prejudiced. I’m not bigoted or prejudiced, because frankly I don’t give a fuck what you do as long as you don’t fuck with me. I’ll check your boobs out and keep my mouth shut while you breast feed, if you’re a desirable specimen (i.e. you’re good looking). If you’re not, be prepared to have shit thrown at you, watch your mate beat to death, and get fucked in public.

    • Well, “Puzzled” do you feel better after that vulgar, stupid and illiterate comment? I do hope so because you are obviously near a heart attack. I imagine this comes from jealousy that your mother didn’t breast feed you ,or possibly are that you are merely a nasty person.
      Usually men are excited by breasts and breast feeding because these are very basic nurturing human things to do. To be without those nurturuing moments makes people bitter, nasty and vulgar and their silly little opinions not worth the cloud they are written on.

    • Puzzled… Really??? Are you serious??? How old are you??? Please find a dictionary and look up the word “maturity”… Obviously you have absolutely no concept of the term! :(

    • Troll alert…*sigh*

      Eating is natural and socially acceptable…..a baby drinking breastmilk is natural. All of the above “natural behaviours” are not socially acceptable.

  60. concerned feminist | Profile

    The difference between breast feeding and public waste elimination is the entire vulnerability of it. People are not private about eating so breastfeeding is just natural feeding that has always been done in the open around others, the argument is not that it is just a natural act that everyone does, its the argument that it SHOULD be considered for the natural publicly acceptable act that feeding and nurturing a child is. However exposure of genitals and waste elimination is unhygenic to others (and yourself really) and is a different form of vulnerability that has always been guarded and private naturally. So the argument is about context of what is natural. It is natural to hide to use the bathroom however nursing is nothing inaproppriate or dirty it has been done naturally in the open and due to this people should see it as such.

  61. No one cared about my boobs until I breastfed my children. No one told me to hide them under a blanket, or use one of those silly Hooter Hiders, or that I was offending anyone, that is until I used my breasts as nature intended. My breasts worked for a solid 5.5 years, producing the honey nectar that kept my children well, healthy and robust. I wasn’t embarrassed nor was my husband.

  62. Actually, there is a place that I believe is inappropriate for nursing my children, though it would be completely acceptable to give hem bottles, and that is in he sanctuary of a church or synagogue (or other place of worship) when there is a service in progress. i am sure others would disagree, but I would rather find soewhere else than nurse at that time in that place.

    • I couldn’t agree less! Surely Jesus was breastfed?
      I breastfed my daughter in the Sistine Chapel, one of my most beautiful breastfeeding locations ever. :) But I digress. Actually I have fed all of my children during church on many occasions. I’d hate to miss out on worship and its much easier to quall a squalling child with the breast than carry them all through the church to get outside.

    • Jesus was breastfed. If there’s anyplace that breastfeeding should be welcomed, it’s church.

  63. this debate itself is a cycle. some breastfeeding mothers are concerned about their privacy and what others will think while still thinking it is best to breastfeed. they prefer to use a cover or go someplace discreet, because it makes them feel like others will be more comfortable and that makes them more comfortable. other breastfeeding mothers could care less what others think and are perfectly comfortable “whipping it out” in public.

    if it bothers you when someone breastfeeds, go away. close your eyes and hum the national anthem. think about your happy place. if it bothers you to breastfeed in front of others, do the same.

    the only person not engaged in this debate at all is the child. they aren’t worried about being popular. they are clever little monkeys.

    please breastfeed however you and your child find appropriate. being considerate of others is important… like so many replies so far have very considerately called people idiots.

  64. I had such a giggle the other day. My 4yo son was at a coffee shop having breakfast with his granny. There was a mom there who was bottle feeding her young child, and he struck up a conversation with her, telling her about the sister I was ‘growing in mommy’s tummy’. The lady asked “are you going to help your mom out with your sister?” and he said “Oh yes! I’ll help my mom with anything”, and she said “Are you going to help feed your sister?” and paused and said “Oh NO, I don’t have to do THAT! My mommy makes milk from her BOOBS!”. :)

  65. I was very offended by this article I am a breastfeeding mother and when your baby is hungry you need to feed them they aren’t gonna wait n if you have ever breast feed you know that you cant wait either this article was just pure stupidity for 2 of the pics weren’t even real one was an animal and another was a cartoon and the one with the mom driving I doubt that really happened and as for the one with the mother with the knife in her hand she wasn’t getting in a fight she was out getting food for her family as in cutting down fruits and the bathroom one your just discusting I have never seen a women breast feed her child in a bathroom let alone on the toliet There is a law passed now that women can breast feed there child where ever they need to with out discrimination and its not like women are pulling there breast out for the world to see they are covered up when feeding I will breast feed my son where ever its articles and ppl like you who make women choose not to breast feed because they don’t want to deal witb the comments and stupidty!!!!!!

  66. It is obvious it is a joke, but it is not getting anywhere and it is sure not such fun. The sexual connection most men have to women´s breast is a very old instinct, just like mating as much as possible by jumping on any female around to spread your genes. Are we still doing that? Should i kill the guy that smiled at my wife a minute ago? Do i slaughter my neighbour because he wears pink shorts? Then i would have free food and shelter during my lifetime in jail. No, we guys just have to control these instincts that have no more to do with everyday´s reality. One thing that does not change is that breastfeeding is the best way to feed babies. Seeing a women breastfeeding a baby is beautiful in many ways, so guys, stop behaving like gorillas, just drop the sex thing and be thankful of just being there…

  67. why don’t you just pump that way in public you easily feed the baby? honest question. not a mom.

    • Pumping breastmilk is FAR more difficult than it seems. Some moms just can’t do it. It can hurt, then you have to keep the breastmilk at a proper temperature and then reheat it in public when it’s ready. And many breastfed babies won’t take a bottle. Forcing moms to pump is NOT the solution. Why can’t you just look the other direction? Honest question. It’s not that hard.

  68. I have had nursing issues with both of my kids – different issues, but issues nonetheless. I usually covered up with my older one. With my younger one (who is 4 months now), frankly I can’t be bothered to cover up most of the time. She pops on and off all the time – this “does she feed every couple of hours?” type of question is laughable to me, as I can’t even tell you how often she latches on in a typical day, and there is nothing predictable about it other than it seems to be all the time. And, when my son is not in part-time pre-K, I am juggling his needs, my own, and the baby’s. I often just don’t have a 4th or 5th hand to grab and juggle the cover as well! I have nursed in many settings, in other people’s houses, etc. all without covering up. I do think it’s a good example to kids and young adults to just matter-of-factly do what I need to do – including feeding my child – as a parent.

    Also, I was widowed in my late 20s, and found out during that time that I had a fertility issue that might prevent me from getting pregnant. (My second husband and I did have to use fertility help to have our two kids.) It broke my heart between when my late husband got sick until I did eventually get pregnant to see both pregnant women and nursing moms, because I didn’t know if I would ever join their ranks. That said, the only time I was ever annoyed at a mom for breastfeeding in public was a mom who was next to my now-husband and me on a plane, announced several times quite happily that she would be breastfeeding (once would have been enough, if the announcement prior to doing it was necessary at all), and then didn’t cover up. But, would I have ever DREAMED of telling her she “shouldn’t” breastfeed her baby, should change seats, etc.? No! I switched seats with my husband, who didn’t mind at all sitting next to her, and I dealt with my own emotions. Even though it hurt and I wished I wasn’t in the situation, I knew it was my issue, not that mom’s.

    And now I am the mom in nursing shirts, often juggling my fussy little nurser, while dealing with my I-need-attention preschooler. I’m thrilled, if tired! :)

Recent Comments

TheFeministBreeder® is a Registered Trademark of TFB Initiatives, LLC. ©2015 | Designed by OSN