exactly. Plus- the kid's head is blocking the view of the nipple. and in most states- that's all you have to have covered at all to avoid obscenity charges.
People being disgusted by it are immature.

Not all babies will take a bottle my youngest wouldn't for any reason. There are women who try to stay covered but it doesn't always work that way it didn't when nursing my youngest either.Most importantly why should a baby have to eat in a car or a bathroom you aren't forced to?

This is SUCH a good explanation of how I feel. I don't have children, and if I did I'd probably prefer bottle-feeding them, but all it really comes down to is how and when the baby wants to eat. If a baby doesn't like to drink from bottles and is hungry while the mother is out in public, it's ridiculous to expect her to go sequester herself just so that she can fulfill her child's basic needs.

It irritates the hell out of me when people (*cough*Bill Maher*cough*) say/imply that it is only acceptable for women to show their breasts in public if it is for the entertainment of heterosexual men (no, seriously, he said "There is a place where breasts and food do go together...It's called Hooters.") Breasts are most likely (speaking in terms of evolution) attractive to straight men BECAUSE of their role in reproduction/motherhoo d - they indicate that a woman is a) sexually mature and b) capable of feeding a child. That is and always will be their primary purpose, and to be honest, it's a little hypocritical (and sexist) to be so squeamish about breastfeeding when nudity (or near-nudity) for sexual purposes is so accepted in mainstream culture.

I feel that breastfeeding is natural and normal. Our society makes breastfeeding, which isn't easy to start with, so much harder than it needs to be. The sexualization of breasts and lack of education and support in our society is really shameful. funny. Breastfeeding is only hard because we make it hard, and so many women fail because of that. I could write a book on it, but that's been done.

That being said we DO live in a society strongly sexualizes breasts, and we have to conform to the society's rules that we live in, even if they are silly in principal. I feel women have the right to feed their children whenever and where ever they need to, but they should also take the feelings of the people around them into consideration. This means taking steps to ensure they don't expose themselves in an unnecessary way- that is what nursing covers are designed for after all. It is a pretty simple solution and a common courtesy to others to not just pop your boob out and make your self the "elephant in the room."

I myself have fought through some pretty difficult obstacles, physical, medical and societal, and breastfed 4 children with varying degrees of success. Having been through the pain and misery of my experiences, I don't blame any mother for giving up and resorting to formula. It is scary to me though when women make blanket statements about how they would never breastfeed because it is disgusting. Obviously it is up to each individual mother to decide for themselves, but formula is to breastmilk like junk food is to a balanced diet. Formula companies spend a lot of money trying to cover up that inconvenient truth without getting caught in out right lies, but the facts are out there for anyone who wants to dig them up. I like to think most moms would like to avoid feeding their babies a junk food diet if possible even if it makes them uncomfortable, but most moms don't see the situation that way.

if my baby is hungry i feed him, regardless of when or where! im not going to the bathroom to feed him, im not leaving the restaurant to feed him, he eats when he wants to. just as i. i usually always cover myself but i think its fine whether you do or dont. sometimes my little guy fights it with a cover and i will nurse him without. i dont understand why people think its disgusting.

does it bother you when you see a baby being fed a bottle?

I guess I feel like you don’t usually HAVE to breast feed in public, there is a woman’s bathroom or your car, or other less public places to breast feed then in the middle of a McDonald's Do you want to eat your lunch in the bathroom or in a 130 (or -20) degree car? Neither does a baby. In fact, in many states employers HAVE TO provide a safe place for workers to breastfeed that is not connected to or near a toilet.

It's disgusting to feed a baby where people shit. Think about that the next time you suggest that to a new mother and her hungry child.

I've only explained about EIGHT times that MANY babies cannot "just take a bottle" as Nipple Confusion is the single most common reason breastfeeding fails. I've been a Lactation Consultant for more many years and breastfed my own kids into toddlerhood. NONE of them could take a bottle (as is per usual for many breastfed babies) and none of them would allow a shawl or blanket over their head. I see women breastfeeding all the time, and I NEVER see anyone "hanging out." I DO HAVE A "SACRED RIGHT" TO FEED MY INFANT AS NATURE INTENDED.

If someone is "offended" they chose to be "offended" and they don't have to look. They don't have a right to air their "offense." Taking less offense to things that do not concern you will make your life less stressful. I guarantee it.

What is best for my baby is best for everyone. I would rather "offend" a prude than offend MY BABY and cause a feeding disorder (which bottles can cause in many babies, even ONE of them) in my baby.

My baby, my right. The law upholds that right.

Breastfeeding "in public" meaning feeding the baby whether the nipple peeks out for a second or not, anywhere the mother and baby have a right to be, is LEGAL in all 50 states. Being "offended" is not a law, nor does anyone "being offended" make much of an impression on those who know they are doing one of the best possible thing for their babies.

NO ONE has a right to say anything to me if I need to feed my hungry baby in the manner in which she was intended to eat. They can stew in their own juices and deal with it. It isn't the end of the world to catch a glance of a baby feeding. However, a premature weaning or suckling disorder COULD BE the near end of the world for that baby and mother.

When you catch a glance of a woman doing her BEST to feed her baby "in public" YOU forget about it in 30 seconds (unless you really have issues and it stays with you, in which case, it is FAR from my issue to deal with that) however, a feeding disorder, which skipping feedings and bottle use can cause and the possible premature weaning that could occur could result in lifelong health and emotional issues for the baby.

WHICH is more important to prevent? ONE person "taking offense" to something they saw for a few minutes, or a baby having their way of life ruined?

The answer is clear.

Amen, sister! Who the F(#^ thinks babies only eat every 4-6 hours? Someone who has never spent more than a half hour around a baby.

My preterm baby fed about 25 times in every 24 hour period. I also have a history of depression and PPD. I didn't take her out "in public" much for the first 6 months, but she needed to breastfeed for much longer than that. She fed frequently and even at a year, was still breastfeeding every 1-3 hours most days. I could have holed myself up in my house (and with my PPD compounded with agoraphobia, it would have been the worst thing for me) or I could take her out and feed her.

As my first child got severe Nipple Confusion, because we were uninformed at the time and gave her some bottles in the beginning (and the hospital staff gave them to her without our consent. It took FOUR MONTHS of work to feed her well. However, I refused to give up on breastfeeding and I did it anyway!) Because the first one had Nipple Confusion, I never again had bottles in my house. If I had to see a client (I became a Lactation Consultant when my second child was a toddler) my husband would give my baby my milk in a shot glass. But, I'm a terrible pumper, I get very little, despite being a great bresatfeeder and making enough milk for 4 or 5 kids in the beginning. I would pump every other day, in the morning, just so I would have a few ounces in the freezer for when I had to see a client. However, when I went out and wasn't working, I went out WITH my baby and fed her with my breasts.

I never had anyone give me a look or say anything. I got some smiles and nods. I met people head on with eye contact and a smile when I was breastfeeding "in public" and was a damn force to be reckoned with. NOBODY every bothered me.

As for "letting the whole world see." I don't see this happen. I'm an LC and know when babies are being breast fed. I see fewer and fewer women trying the "blanket tent" method, which gets more attention than just latching the baby on and feeding while you go about your business. I'm not seeing the women "letting it all hang out." And, honestly, I don't think they exist. Breastfeeding women can be discreet without drawing MORE attention to themselves (which blanket tents, shawls, cowls DO) by just latching the kid on and letting the baby nurse.

As you said, "Planning around the feed" assumes babies are all on schedules. Most good research shows that Cue Feeding (allowing the baby to eat when he or she is hungry) is best and so there is NO planning involved. Chances are, when you DO go and try to "feed before you leave the house" the baby senses something is up and refuses to eat. I know mine did.

I also am of the belief that we "get offended" not only because we CHOOSE to be offended, but because we have inner issues with the thing we are offended by. Whether that be breastfeeding, porn, tattoos, PDA, people who still eat gluten, or (in my case) giving babies and toddlers blue Kool Aid in a bottle.

Yes, that offends me, and that is MY issue, not the issue of the mother who chooses to feed her kid blue Kool Aid in the bottle. It's my issue to deal with and the mother has NO obligation to stop doing it just because I think it's gross. So I'll deal with my issue on my own (while trying to continue to whittle my "Things I'm Offended By" down) and the mother who does this is FREE to do her thing. It isn't UP to me to choose what or how she feeds her child. So I say nothing, I don't LOOK and I DEAL with my issue without involving the people who are exercising their rights to do as they please.

Nuff said.