I applaud your hard work, Syd. Pumping is NO fun. Doing it for every feeding is a real accomplishment! Kudos!

IMO, though the whole "blanket cover" thing screams "there's a tit in here!" It calls more attention to the Mom and baby, the blanket always falls off, babies HATE their little heads covered, (one of mine would SCREAM and knock the blanket off, or bite me until I removed it, she wanted FREEDOM to see and breathe) so IMO, discreet feeding is fine. And if a little skin is showing? So what. You usually see nothing, less than you see at a day at the beach, or even the mall.

I also think the MORE the public sees breastfeeding babies, in their natural state, the more desensitized to it they become.

face it, babies need to eat, bottles don't work for everyone (and some babies simply can't have them) so if Mom ever wants to leave the house for more than a hour or so, she's going to have to "Nurse in Public."

I used to get "offended" by a lot of shit I saw "in public" from the way some people chew their food, to people wearing clothes they have no business wearing "in public" to Mountain Dew in a 2 month old's bottle, BUT, I feel it is MY problem for being "offended" and not the person causing the "offense." We can choose to become less offended people, I certainly have.

All love intended. All comments made with an open heart and an open mind, and consideration for all. less

"I used to get "offended" by a lot of shit I saw "in public" from the way some people chew their food, to people wearing clothes they have no business wearing "in public" to Mountain Dew in a 2 month old's bottle, BUT, I feel it is MY problem for being "offended" and not the person causing the "offense." We can choose to become less offended people, I certainly have."



So well said. THANK YOU! less

"EWWWW" is not what I feel at all towards it, but I had to vote that as it is closest to my view? Or maybe I should have said "other"?

Though I am an artist who appreciates bodies, and I draw them nude often--I feel there is a time and place for things? I very strongly feel obvious public breastfeeding is unacceptable. I do not mind if someone is sure to cover themselves while feeding and a lot of people do that and I am happy when we can be accommodating to each others' needs and wishes. I do know some people who are almost aggressive about it, though. I think these people hope that by acting this way, I will be forced to accept and get used to it. Recently, I seen a guest at a wedding keep her breast out during a somewhat formal wedding photo. No one could say anything. Maybe she knew the bride and groom would not mind, but for a wedding photo? My opposition to some like this makes them bristle as if I want their babies to starve. And I do not! I just cannot get used to boobies in public. To me, exposed breasts are a sexual signal. I have always found breasts just as sexual as functional--Like it is to a lot of men. My significant other grew up around women who breastfeed in public and people who are comfortable with being naked around others-and he still is uncomfortable with it. Perhaps it is also notable that we are Childfree? I am not as harsh as some, though. I think if I had a business where women frequented, I might try to have a pleasant area for mothers. But even that might get opposition? Hey, it would be providing a quiet seat! That sounds good to me. less

I don't mind when women breastfeed in public, but I feel it is polite and courteous when they use a wrap/cover/blanket while doing so.

Someday (hopefully in the far future, lol) I plan on wearing Saris most of the time so that it's easier to breastfeed discreetly and be fashionable at the same time Lol less

Yeah, my mother and her mother-in-law battled about it (this was the mid-late 1970's). My grandmother raised her kids in the 1950's where 'you bottle-fed, no ifs-ands-or-buts about it'. She and my grandfather refused to let her nurse in their house! My dad (their son) was more open about it. It never occurred to my mother to ask if he was okay with it until YEARS later, and he said "Well, I thought you knew what you were doing."

A peculiar thing my mother noticed while being in NICU (newborn intensive care unit) were the amount of fathers who demanded the mothers NOT breastfeed, because they believed 'their' women's breasts were their property! WTF?? less

The Human Spirit always amazes me.

My grandma was an incredible woman. Had her first baby out of wedlock, with a Gangster boyfriend, was married off to a man she has to "learn to love" when her daughter was about 4, had my dad and my other aunt, and she led a very interesting life. She was a flapper, both before and after my oldest aunt was born. A Jazz Baby. She was wild! She was always being pulled over for speeding when she was young, and very very good looking, and she would pretend she was going to seduce the cop, and then floor the gas pedal and get away. She was CRAZED that woman! less

I have to comment on this again, for my experience I just had on vacation. My baby turned 4 months old today, and we recently made a trip to Disneyland. I breastfeed her, with a nursing cover. I was sitting on a bench right by where Disneyland workers come and go, so it was like a dead end street. I was Right outside the Mother baby center there (the mother baby center was full) My baby is VERY colicky. She is screaming pretty much if she was awake. I was done feeding her, but still had my nursing cover on, and my baby had her binky in her mouth to keep her quiet. This guy gave me a dirty look, and said that's disgusting as he was walking by. He went and sat on the bench next to me that was on the other side of a garbage can. He got on his cell phone, so I just took her binky out and let her scream. He gave me this "wtf? look" and I said "well you didn't want me feeding her so now she's going to scream." heh. Then of course my bf comes back with my kicking and screaming 2 year old

I don't tolerate rude things like that when it comes to my breastfeeding. Especially since I use a nursing cover, and go to a discreet area. If it bugs someone, that's fine. The rude comments don't need to be said meanly in public though.

On another note, I can't breastfeed anymore She hasn't gained any weight in 2 months, and isn't getting enough iron! boooo. less

I have to comment on this again, for my experience I just had on vacation. My baby turned 4 months old today, and we recently made a trip to Disneyland. I breastfeed her, with a nursing cover. I was sitting on a bench right by where Disneyland workers come and go, so it was like a dead end street. I was Right outside the Mother baby center there (the mother baby center was full) My baby is VERY colicky. She is screaming pretty much if she was awake. I was done feeding her, but still had my nursing cover on, and my baby had her binky in her mouth to keep her quiet. This guy gave me a dirty look, and said that's disgusting as he was walking by. He went and sat on the bench next to me that was on the other side of a garbage can. He got on his cell phone, so I just took her binky out and let her scream. He gave me this "wtf? look" and I said "well you didn't want me feeding her so now she's going to scream." heh. Then of course my bf comes back with my kicking and screaming 2 year old

I don't tolerate rude things like that when it comes to my breastfeeding. Especially since I use a nursing cover, and go to a discreet area. If it bugs someone, that's fine. The rude comments don't need to be said meanly in public though.

On another note, I can't breastfeed anymore She hasn't gained any weight in 2 months, and isn't getting enough iron! boooo. less

Recently in the news in some random Midwest McDonald's, a woman who was breastfeeding was asked to leave. The lady doth protest too much and proceeded to find other breastfeeding mothers and have a...tit-in? They all gathered at Mickey D's and whipped their ta-tas out to feed their breed. So I'm curious: when you see a woman breastfeed in public, what is your reaction? Do you think it's wonderful and natural? Do you instantly want to yell "PUT THAT AWAY!"? Or maybe you just don't care?

My opinion: it disgusts me. Just because you have a baby, it doesn't mean you get some sacred right to expose yourself in public to feed them, especially in a restaurant. I also don't intend on breastfeeding my child, if and when I have one. And please understand, I am not trying to imply any ill will towards any woman who choose to do this. I realize we have to freedom to do this, and I am just looking for your opinion.

Thaaaaank youuuuuuu
Love and Rockets,
Blinker less

Mama, have you talked to a Lactation Consultant or a La Leche League leader? Breastfed babies have the RIGHT amount of iron in their blood, but it's sometimes lower than their bottle fed counterparts. Also, any cereal with iron added can prevent your baby from absorbing ALL the iron in your breastmilk by inhibiting the enzyme lactoferrin.

Also, it is common around four months for breastfed babies to "plateau out" on their weight gain for a month or two. Too much solid food can be the culprit, but even completely breastfed babies do this.

They DO NOT teach lactation and breastfeeding in Medical School, so if doctor is giving your grief and your baby is still healthy and growing in height and head circumference, please see an LC or LLL leader. Human milk doesn't just "stop working" unless something is interfering with it, or there is a problem that has NOTHING to do with breastfeeding.

Doctors are usually completely ignorant of breastfeeding and only LCs or LLLls should be helping you.

Good luck. I've seen this problem a thousand times and have never had a client "have to" stop nursing because of it. There is always a solution. Sometimes, it's changing pediatricians. less

OMG. My grandma has a very similar story with her first baby, who was born in the 1920s. The baby was born too early, and weighed about 3 lbs, too. The doctor told her to take the baby home to die (she only went to the hospital because she thought they could stop the early labor, they couldn't.)

My Aunt slept in a SHOE BOX near the wood stove. My grandma (who was a teenager, with a Gangster boyfriend, who AFAIK, didn't marry her) slept on a small couch next to the stove. My Grandma nursed to life with her milk, and in between the baby slept in that shoe box.

My aunt lived until last year, almost 90 years old. less

I contacted the Le Leche leader about a week ago, and she's the one who told me to feed her all the time. I haven't started baby on foods yet, but now she's on iron shots. We go in for some more testing next week. btw, I don't go to my doctor for any baby related issues. For the fact that I've seen the book "what to expect the first year" In his office. I end up calling my friend who is a midwife, or the lactation consultants lol. less

I nursed my youngest child for 4 years. (And my others from between a year and a half to two and a half.) She was a preterm baby, was very small, didn't eat solids well, had a damaged immune system from the prematurity and needed MY milk. I sure as hell wasn't going to stay in the house for four years!

After the age of two or so, I'd try to distract her if she wanted to nurse while we were out. By this age, they can usually wait and you can distract them with a cup of water or watered down juice (we NEVER used bottles after the fiasco with my first baby and her Nipple Confusion) and some graham crackers or fish crackers until we got home. But, when they were babies, they got the milk right from the source when ever and where ever they needed it. less