Blinker, I'm kind of relieved to see that other women do feel that it isn't something absolutely neccessary. I thought I was the only one. Honestly, the breast feeding in public is rarely neccessary. I hate to sound prudish, but I would NEVER breast feed. I don't want something sucking the life out of my boob when there are store-brand formulas that ARE just as healthy. I have feed all the kids from a bottle & although they aren't genuises, the oldest is 13 and is being watched by Yale and they've asked to test him because of his outrageously high grades. He's always been extremely smart and the rest are as well. It's actually quite astounding to see just how unbelievably incredible the kids are and they WERE NEVER breast fed so I don't buy into that crap. They get vitamins. They eat healthy and take their aloe and coconut oil and wheatgrass/barley grass (we've cut that one out lately for the most part.)

I don't think its something that is totally neccesssary. Of course if that's what pleases a girl, then go for it. But in my personal opinion, I don't want to see it. There are ways to be discrete about it to where nobody sees it. There's a car, a restroom, a breast feeding section/room, etc. It's not something that cannot be helped. less

#1- I tried nursing; hated it! But during my short attempt, I covered myself discreetly so no one could see my tits or the baby sucking. I've seen most other nursing mothers do the same.

Now if all these woman were exposing breasts intentionally, I could see that as a distraction to other diners, but I think they have every right to feed their babies where ever they are out eating. It's natural, it's not illegal. It just happens to make some people incredibly uncomfortable, and it shouldn't really. Kids gotta eat! less

"I don't want something sucking the life out of my boob when there are store-brand formulas that ARE just as healthy."

No, No they are not. Period. End of discussion. I'm a nutrition major, P'Gell is a Lactation nurse. We both can (and P'Gell has told) tell you that is simply false. You what to SCREAM otherwise? Come back with some peer reviewed journal articles, not anecdotes. Honestly, do people think we make these recommendation up out of thin air or something? If you "don't buy into that crap" then well your going to have to reject a whole lot of modern medicine and nutrition if all you need is anecdotes to reject an extremely strong body of evidence to the contrary.

You don't want to breastfeed? Fine that your decision, it is NOT as healthy but formula will get the job done, however don't spread misinformation to justify your decision. less

Thank you, Chaos. If I got into this discussion again......

Formula keeps most babies who are forced to be given it alive, yes. "As good as human milk" Absolutely not. Not in a million years. People need to Read the research, not lie to justify their "choices." ALL of the research. I've been studying lactation for close to 20 years. Get that kind of background behind you, and we can talk. There are thousands of peer reviewed articles, research projects and recommendations that state that there is simply no peer to human milk directly from the breast.

If a woman doesn't "want to" I guess it's her choice. (Not that her baby has any say in the matter.) It isn't a choice I would make. I did what I knew was best for MY babies, even though it was REALLY REALLY HARD the first time. I've read virtually EVERYTHING on the subject and there is simply no research that supports formula is "just as good." It usually keeps kids alive, there are some women who simply cannot breastfeed (approx 0.01% of the female population NO more) but human milk has NO peer in some canned artifical "milk." Never has, never will.

I'm glad artificial milk is there for the babies whose mother cannot or refuse to nurse them, as it keeps them alive. But, human milk is a living substance, it has antibodies in it, it prevents at least 25 different forms of cancer, it reduces the incidence of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes among about 100000 other problems later in life. I would NEVER feed my babies formula, (after my first one had a few oz of 2 different kinds and she puked her guts up) if I had not been able to make my own milk (if I were one of the 0.01% of women who can't) then I would have bought human milk from the North American Human Milk Bank. THAT'S how important it is to those of us who know the facts.

Here's the website for the Human Milk Bank of North America. link

A good site for breastfeeding benefits and FACTS. link less

Blinker, I'm kind of relieved to see that other women do feel that it isn't something absolutely neccessary. I thought I was the only one. Honestly, the breast feeding in public is rarely neccessary. I hate to sound prudish, but I would NEVER breast feed. I don't want something sucking the life out of my boob when there are store-brand formulas that ARE just as healthy. I have feed all the kids from a bottle & although they aren't genuises, the oldest is 13 and is being watched by Yale and they've asked to test him because of his outrageously high grades. He's always been extremely smart and the rest are as well. It's actually quite astounding to see just how unbelievably incredible the kids are and they WERE NEVER breast fed so I don't buy into that crap. They get vitamins. They eat healthy and take their aloe and coconut oil and wheatgrass/barley grass (we've cut that one out lately for the most part.)

I don't think its something that is totally neccesssary. Of course if that's what pleases a girl, then go for it. But in my personal opinion, I don't want to see it. There are ways to be discrete about it to where nobody sees it. There's a car, a restroom, a breast feeding section/room, etc. It's not something that cannot be helped. less

Obviously, I don't have a problem with breastfeeding. It's every woman's choice, yada yada yada (although I do have a HUGE problem with women being judged harshly for NOT breastfeeding...and let me tell you, that happens a hell of a lot more often than people might think).

But, even though I don't have a problem with breastfeeding, I do believe that if it needs to be done in public, there's no reason why it cannot be done discreetly. I'm sorry, but if I am in a restaurant trying to eat, I do not want to have some strange woman's breasts on display. Have we never heard of blankets? (And I've heard the argument "OMG WOULD YOU WANT TO BE HALF-SMOTHERED WHILE *YOU* ATE DINNER?!!" argument, but please. No one's asking that the kid's face be bandaged in the damn blanket. Fuck sakes.)

So yeah, in short: I agree with the original poster. Just because it's natural doesn't mean you should do it in public without being discreet about it. There are lots of things that are natural that still are not appropriate to do in public. less

Have you ever actually SEEN "some strange woman's breasts on display"? Because I'm a Lactation Consultant and I know when women are nursing in public and I have NEVER in more than 20 years seen anyone "display" their breasts while breastfeeding. No, blankets over a baby's head are not the answer. Have you ever done it? Babies hate it. They scream and knock the blanket off and they get hot and sweaty and will make MORE of spectacle than if they were just fed.

When my kids were young, I simply nursed them. People CHOOSE what "offends" them more often than not. I see a LOT of shit that offends me, every single day. (Blue Kool Aid or Coca Cola in a baby bottle being one of those things I see on a regular basis, "Offends" the hell outta me, but it isn't up to me to say anything to those mothers, and it's their choice to give that to their babies, right?) The way some people chew. It "offends" me. What some people order in restaurants sometimes offends me. White belts and shoes "offend" me. But, it isn't up to me to say anything about it. We chose what we are "offended" by. If something "offends" me, it's MY PROBLEM so I simply look the other way and let people live their lives the way they choose.

Please read the ENTIRE thread. Most babies under 6 months feed on average 12 times in a 24 hour period, that means either mom never leaves the house, or she breastfeeds while she is out. NO, putting it in a bottle is NOT an option. (Again, please read the entire thread OR look up "Nipple Confusion" in a search engine to see why) So, mothers breastfeed in public.

If people don't like it, they can simply look the other way.....or put a blanket over their OWN heads and eat their dinner that way.

I must say, for people who consider themselves sexually liberated, I am seeing a LOT of intolerance for one of the things sex brings......babies and the fact that they have to eat, and the fact that many women choose the best for their babies at EVERY feeding. Out or not. less

you're 21 (according to your bio) how do you have a 13 year old? So likely, these are not your children that you're referring to. You simply cannot make assumptions about breastfeeding until you've actually learned about it. Done research.

There is PROOF of children being breastfed and having better brain development than children who are nursed. But taking all that away... there are antibodies and other nutritional elements to breast milk that just is NOT found in formula.

I could not breast feed my children. I spent 2 weeks after coming home from the hospital with my first with a hospital pump, latching baby on, and bottle feeding in rotation. My milk simply NEVER came in. It was one of the most heartbreaking times of my life, added the postpartum hormones that are naturally occurring. I felt like a failure. I tried just as hard with my second child, but was able to more easily accept it. (of course, I took supplements the second time around and my milk eventually did come in, but not for after a 10 days after my baby had gotten dehydrated and had to be bottle-fed exclusively... then she wanted nothing to do with Momma's milk... I digress)

I had to learn that THIS was the reason that formula was created. To be able to feed babies whose mothers could not feed them. I have been able to support friends who had similar issues. One friend nearly died almost a year ago from blood clots and she had to stop breast feeding in order to take her life-saving medications.

It's a woman's RIGHT to feed her children ANYWHERE she needs to (yes, NEEDS). If you don't like it, look away. You don't have to look at her. Trust me, she doesn't want you looking at her, and she definitely doesn't want to see that arrogant look of disgust on your face that you inevitably have plastered on.

"There are ways to be discrete about it to where nobody sees it. There's a car, a restroom, a breast feeding section/room, etc." Are you ACTUALLY suggesting that women go to their cars, in not always great weather, to go feed their child in an uncomfortable way, which would make their child upset, and cause them more trouble than simply the hungry child to begin with? Yes, there are ways to be discreet about it (I don't think people are taking apart the working parts of their babies... ) and most women DO find ways to be discreet (blankets, covers, etc...) but sometimes there's not a place to go. less

Thanks, BBW. You are one of the cases where I am glad formula is available. You, however, did do everything in your power to breastfeed. You tried, and in a lot of ways that counts. Even the few drops of your milk they got gave them a good head start. I have sat with clients who weren't able to breastfeed, and cried with them, it is heartbreaking. But, knowing you did everything you could is good to hear. I'm sorry you weren't able to nurse your kids. I wanted to have vaginal births more than anything. I KNOW it's better for the baby and for me. I tried and tried, and I couldn't do it. At least we know the facts and did our BEST to do what was best. Trying is better and certainly more ethical than making excuses.

Love ya, BBW. less

Yeah, I had to c-sections too. And in the first one, emergency C after about 15 hours of labor, the epidural stopped working after they pulled baby out. OUCHIE! We didn't even try for a VBAC, since I was cut from bellybutton to crotch, there was too much chance of rupture. I was one of the ones who also desperately wanted a vaginal birth! 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

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

The "Classic Incision" like you had has a high rupture rate. I had the low horizontal or "bikini" incision. I did try a second time, but I had the bikini incision. I didn't try for a third VBAC though. My third had her day planned for her.....and she decided to come a month early! I was terrified she was going to get stuck in the birth canal, like her sisters did.

I wish I'd known you when you had your babies. I'd have been at your house every day helping out. less

Yeah, I had to c-sections too. And in the first one, emergency C after about 15 hours of labor, the epidural stopped working after they pulled baby out. OUCHIE! We didn't even try for a VBAC, since I was cut from bellybutton to crotch, there was too much chance of rupture. I was one of the ones who also desperately wanted a vaginal birth! less

Obviously, I don't have a problem with breastfeeding. It's every woman's choice, yada yada yada (although I do have a HUGE problem with women being judged harshly for NOT breastfeeding...and let me tell you, that happens a hell of a lot more often than people might think).

But, even though I don't have a problem with breastfeeding, I do believe that if it needs to be done in public, there's no reason why it cannot be done discreetly. I'm sorry, but if I am in a restaurant trying to eat, I do not want to have some strange woman's breasts on display. Have we never heard of blankets? (And I've heard the argument "OMG WOULD YOU WANT TO BE HALF-SMOTHERED WHILE *YOU* ATE DINNER?!!" argument, but please. No one's asking that the kid's face be bandaged in the damn blanket. Fuck sakes.)

So yeah, in short: I agree with the original poster. Just because it's natural doesn't mean you should do it in public without being discreet about it. There are lots of things that are natural that still are not appropriate to do in public. less

my son is autistic and has sensory processing disorder, so being covered with a blanket to him was like being smothered with it. Woman should be allowed to nurse in the way that is comfortable for them and their child without worrying about being kicked out of a place.

I did nurse by popping my boob out the top of my shirt, because it was the most comfortable for me and my son and gave us the most control over the latch, as a large breasted woman it was not easy for me to do other ways. My sons head always covered the majority of my breast tissue and what was seen is the same amount you would have seen if I was just wearing my normal shirts.

how could this be gross ? its beautiful and natural


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I'm sorry, but I don't think I ever used the word "gross" in relation to breastfeeding. Thank you.

I believe it is every woman's choice to breastfeed; I also believe it is every woman's choice NOT to breastfeed if she so chooses.

I am a sexual abuse survivor. I have issues when it comes to my breasts, to the point where they are off-limits to everyone. I don't appreciate the idea that someday, if I choose to have children and choose not to breastfeed because of these issues and the triggers I experience, I will be judged and vilified.

Congratulations on breastfeeding. Good for you. Don't judge me for not choosing not to do so in the future, because it's none of your business (or anyone else's) since you don't know the whole story. less

my son is autistic and has sensory processing disorder, so being covered with a blanket to him was like being smothered with it. Woman should be allowed to nurse in the way that is comfortable for them and their child without worrying about being kicked out of a place.

I did nurse by popping my boob out the top of my shirt, because it was the most comfortable for me and my son and gave us the most control over the latch, as a large breasted woman it was not easy for me to do other ways. My sons head always covered the majority of my breast tissue and what was seen is the same amount you would have seen if I was just wearing my normal shirts.

how could this be gross ? its beautiful and natural


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