slack on nursing in public

[LA610]

I'm a ftm mom, this question is for the ladies who breastfed previously. Recently I've been seeing a lot of stories/bashing on mothers nursing while in public. I plan to breastfeed my son, nursing and pumping and if i dont have a bottle and my baby is hungry...he's going to eat! Opinions on covered vs uncovered nursing.

[KathyM123]

I breastfed my baby and always covered up in public. Many people are uncomfortable with it so to be respectful I kept everything covered. There was one lady that asked to see my baby while I was nursing and I told her I was nursing. She threw a fit. Wish they could have the same respect. Also, my son who is 7 doesn't know he was breastfed. He doesn't even realize that is something that people do. It is not an easy thing to explain.

[secondandlastone0914]

I am not bf my son but I have no issue with a woman bfjyst so whole *** is not out and kept out when baby is the tee-shirt trick is a perfect way to do it so you are descreet but baby can still feed and not be covered by blanket or have to use a bottle not all baby's like covered or will take from the bottle but I have had friends who did the tee-shirt trick mention in earlier comments due to this reason and people will gawk stare no matter what either way you do it uncovered or covered and I know I would not wanna squeeze In a small stall if I was a mother with other kids whom could not be left alone or was special needs  just to breastfeed my newborn not all restrooms have bigger stalls or even have a section in them for breastfeeding. So I do understand sometimes it is easier to just do it where you are at whether you are covered or not. And cause baby don't like covered or wont take it  from bottle. You just do it how you feel is comfortable to you and the baby and if anyone has a issue they can kiss your butt, stop staring etc.

[mrs_farris]

KevinJrMommie if you are out in public for long periods of time,  what are you going to do about engorgement.  If you are bottle feeding,  and are out for about say five hours, your breast are going to beuncomfortably full. You would either have to bbring your pump with you,  or risk engorgement,  mastitis and or decreasing your supply.

[mammatanz]

Breastfeeding is natural. Do not let anyone shame you into not feeding your baby. That being said when I breastfed my daughter I preferred to be covered. I will do the same with this one as well.

[KevinJrMommie]

I am going to be breastfeeding but personallyiI'm not comoftable with breastfeeding in public so what I am going to do is pump and have bottles for when I have to go out and at home breastfeed regularly. :)

[edensinterstate]

I was saying that the whole thing isn't about accepting that everyone has a different opinion it's about making the others feel ******.

[edensinterstate]

I wasn't talking about you. You would understand that if you read through the comments.  Other women were. I was saying that everyone has a right to do as they wish and shouldn't make anyone else feel like they're doing something wrong.

[mommy_to_beauties]

Well for one i didn't say anyone was being disrespectful... for two I never said anyone annoyed me... and for three I never made ANY rude comments to anyone... just had to clear that up... I was stating a fact that there are two sides to this topic. I never even gave any of you MY opinion on breastfeeding... not all people who cover up or bottle feed try and make others cover up but are they not entitled to voice their opinion as much as you are yours?

[edensinterstate]

No mommy to beauties it's  the fact that women who are not comfortable being uncovered try and make those that go uncovered feel like it's wrong and that they shouldn't do it because they are being disrespectful or trying to get attention. We have a hard enough time with society in general accepting us breastfeeding in public. Breastfeeding women should not judge other breastfeeding women for not covering up. That's why I'm just disgusted with the whole topic. If you want to cover up then good for you but don't tell other women that they are being disrespectful if they choose not to or make rude comments about how much those ladies annoy you.

[squidbabeh]

I've seen women whip out their boobs in public to breastfeed, and I am not bothered by it at all, it is what theyre made for. But I'm going to be using a blanket to breastfeed. I've been very modest with my body since I was little, and I don't care about other people being uncomfortable, it's me who wouldn't be comfortable showcasing my bod :p

[mommy_to_beauties]

I think everyone on here should realise that we all have our OWN opinion and we are allowed to have those opinions. Yes i see where people are coming from when they say 'it's natural why should I be able to get my boob out' but I also see how it is uncomfortable for others too. The thing is they are both two different opinions it is each to their own. You think that people are forcing you to cover up but then you seem to be trying to force people not too so it is a two way thing and no body is right or wrong.

[ceara07]

I too am going to breastfeed but honestly people say it's natural but so is going to the bathroom and you don't do that in public. If I need to feed my baby in public it will be by bottle or I will take him to my car or somewhere else private. Just my opinion

[mommylece]

My sister n law has 4 kids one being a baby and all her kids are in sports and when my niece needs to be bf she will go to her car to bf her due to the respect of all the children around and because she doesn't think it's right to even have her breasts out covered.

[mamabear8911]

My daughter never took the bottle,  always on the tab, so all depends on your baby.  Because you might not be able to bottle feed in public like me.  I had a nursing cover or blanket whenever i breastfed my daughter.  I only had it UNcover if i was at home.  I don't want ppl seeing my breast or annoying ppl staring at me feed my baby!

[GeekMom1213]

I should make myself and my baby uncomfortable and frustrated to show respect for other people's children? This is an argument I haven't heard before. Is this like "gay couples shouldn't be allowed to hold hands in public because my children will not understand"?? If your kid asks questions, answer the questions. That's your job. You're the parent. It's not my job to allow you to shelter your child from the way the world works. If you're too lazy to talk to your kid for five minutes and explain how babies eat (or that love is love regardless of gender), that's not my problem.
I nursed my son for two years. I covered him with a blanket in public maybe twice when he was brand new and I wasn't sure I was confident enough to latch him without overexposure. After that, I never covered again. Nobody saw my nipples. Nobody ever saw as much of my skin as an average teenage girl shows on a daily basis (except maybe when I nursed at the beach, but I sure didn't show any more than their skimpy bikinis did). I mostly layered tank tops or wore nursing tops but if I was out in just a t-shirt for some reason and had to pull it up and expose a bit of belly, that's what I did. My child's comfort and nourishment is more important than someone else's narrow-minded sexualized concept of how I should only show my **** off if I'm a young skinny ****, not if I'm a mother.

[lpnmom41]

I think some women are getting a little too upset over other peoples OPINIONS yes oh course any mother that is breadtfeeding is going to feed their baby that way regardless I have forgot to bring a blanket some times with my kids thinking I'd be gone for a shorter amount of time than I was and yes I still fed my baby but I did it reapectfully. Your whole entire *** don't need to be exposed to feed your baby. You can pull your shirt down and cover most of it. The women that drive me nuts are the ones that go out in public and expose their whole chest when its not nessacary and a lot of them are the ones that want to be noticed want people to say something about it so they can get all offended and go on a tirade of how they are doing what's best for thier babies. I don't know maybe I'm just better at it then some because cover up or not you wouldn't be able to just glance over and tell that I'm feeding my baby.

[camerinj]

my son wouldn't eat with a cover on. believe me, I tried, and he'd pull it off and wave it around like a flag that just brought more attention to the whole affair. so I just went without. if you are worried about your kids staying at a breastfeeding woman, then your biggest concern should not be that you have to explain the purpose of breasts, but rather what proper manners are. I tried to cover, but if baby won't eat that way, then as a mother I had to decide what was most important...Having a teenage boy walking by see my breasts or not letting my child go hungry. I choose the latter. I pump, but as I work 40+ hours a week, anything I pump has to be saved to use during the workweek, not at a time when I am capable of breastfeeding.

[edensinterstate]

Everyone is always going to have their opinion. But it is sad that this is what feeding your baby turned into. And the fact that you think that people should respect your children because they want to look at everything but you don't have to respect the fact that other people's babies don't want to sweat to death is mind boggling. Like I stated before...I  dont just whip it out but I feel for those women that do that have to put up with crap like this.

[katt_24]

In my opinion I breastfeed both my daughter's but I think it is inappropriate To have your boob hanging out in public at Least cover it when I see it in public I don't want my son watching it's weird an even thou it's natural You have to think a teenage boy walking past you is going to think of your boob in a sexual Way I plan to breast feed this time to but I still think it should be covered in public

[mommylece]

I do plan to bf my baby this time around but I do think women should be discreet about it. I have a 7 year old son and 6 year old daughter and they both know that's how babies eat BUT I do think women should cover up because I know my kids are at the age where they stare at things like that because they are KIDS so when out in public women should have respect for other ppls  children. Also as other women stated in her yes breasts are for feeding babies but there are seen as sexual and I'vE seen PLENTY of posts on here about women saying their significant other loves their boobs more since they are bigger and have milk. This is just my opinion so no need for anyone to get all CRAZY over other womens opinions on here.

[MamaMacMurtry]

I intend to bf whenever possible & I don't love the "cover up" thing. I do, however intend to be discreet whenever possible to whatever level my baby requires. I don't want my little man to sweat it out as fast as he's taking it in!

[edensinterstate]

Thank you. It just saddens me that not all women can understand that. That's today's society for ya. Some women out there are lucky we are in this society because they didn't do covers or have formula way back when.

[mrs_farris]

I agree edensinterstate. The whole point of breast is to provide nourishment for your child. I don't like when people chew with their mouths open, but i don't get to dictate how they eat. It disgusts that people feel the need to dictate how a mother feeds her child.

[edensinterstate]

Omg. That's really all I have to say. I currently breastfeed my 5 month old and personally some of your comments sicken me. I WILL feed my baby in public COVERED or UNCOVERED if neccesary. I could care less who's eating, who  doesn't  want to see it or feels uncomfortable...DON'T LOOK then. Some of you women would not be able to live in different countries and are actually the reason why so many other women are uncomfortable doing what's best for their babies in public. I personally don't just whip it out but if I had to, trust me I would. Ugh so disgusted.