breastfeeding in public, good or bad?

That man is out of his mind. If she just sat there letting the baby cry then they would have been annoyed by that too most likely. Sometimes it's too far to walk back to the car or take your baby home for a feed. Some women have to rely on public transport and everyone will be getting annoyed at the screaming baby. Also expressing milk and using a bottle just isn't an option for lots of mums. Sometimes they can't express and sometimes the baby just won't take a bottle (or would take one all the time and stop breastfeeding).

If a woman were to get her boobs out for any other reason in public men would love it but lots of men and some women are squeamish about breast feeding which is really stupid.

Most women feed discreetly anyway as much as possible. There are women who say they don't care but I think it's just as much out of respect for others that women should be as discreet as they can.

Personally I will breastfeed in public but I will dress so that I'm covered and I will try not to draw attention to myself. If anyone has anything to say to me though I will stand my ground.

I have no problems with public breastfeeding. A baby has to have it's food, and it is just simply feeding a baby, at the end of the day. It isn't as if mothers have to whip out her breasts in full view, either - it is perfectly possible to breastfeed very discreetly, without showing the world.

Fair enough, she should have purchased something at the pub, not necessarily a meal, perhaps an orange juice, but apart from that there should be no problems, in an ideal world.

I breastfed in public all the time, My son was 30 years ago, in the US when breastfeeding itself was unpopular. I carried him in a Slingling baby sling, and 'whipped out the boob' when he was hungry. I could even shop for groceries when he was eating. I did use a blanket to cover, as to be discreet. I did remember a woman pulling at the blanket to 'see the baby'. I explained to her he was eating, but to no avail. I even said the bright lights bother him, that is why he is covered. She pulled back the blanket, and said loudly "HOW DISGUSTING!". Surprising, a teenage stock boy came to my support. He said no one knew, until the disrespectful lady pulled the blanket away. ;) You can breastfeed in public. And do so in a private manner. But, if you choose to sit at a restaurant/pub to nurse, then at least show some respect to the place an order some food.

Im planning to breastfeed my baby and when needs must I will deffo be doing this in public, I will use a blanket to cover, but that is for myself to feel more comfortable, not for anyone elses benefit....Alls I can say is good luck to whoever asks me to leave or stop. I will respond by asking if they have breastfeeding facilities, if they answer no but there is the toilet then I will remind them that under the Equality Act 2010 it is now breaking the law if they ask me to leave, stop feeding etc.... sooo good luck to them is all I can say!

Of course with the lady who just went and sat in there, I must admit I would order a drink or something, just because I would do that anyway.

Well first, the staff had every right to ask her to either order a meal or leave, they would do that to anyone who would just sit down. Its a restaurant where pple eat...the woman took up a table to do what she wanted to do but didn't order, therefor taking up a table which means they don't make money. If she wasn't breastfeeding and was taking a breather, she still would have been asked the same question.

I always answered to these type of questions that they should atleast be covered up....but now, i don't care one way or another, a baby needs to eat.

BUT as i agree it is natural, breastfeeding mothers need to really not use that reason as well, that rude jerk was right, urination is natural, sex is natural, but we wouldn't do that in public. And as bf'ing is natural, it is a way to feed a baby and isn't disgusting to look at if you happened to turn a mothers way. Hope that made sense.

But ya that guy is ignorant pig. Like really, im sure he wasn't disgusted, im pretty sure he wanted to swap seats so his wife won't catch him drooling over a little bit of boob.

I was able to actually bf my son, but i wouldn't do it in public, my choice, just not something for me.

Now that AOL article, did that mother make a deal out of it? Did she actually accuse the restaurant of any wrong doing? Cause, if she refused to by a meal, they had every right to kick her out. They said nothing, regarding your first paragraph, about being kicked out because she was bf'ing...

I always breastfed mine in public if I had to, but I always tried to find somewhere to sit where I could do it discreetly, e.g. facing a wall in a restaurant. If baby needs feeding he needs feeding. He can't wait until you've found somewhere convenient to do it.

I doubt very much whether any women likes getting them out in public, and I certainly don't think anyone flaunts it or flashes them gratuitously. If people don't like it they should turn away and not look.

Some restaurants and pubs like to ask women to go feed their baby in the toilet. But why should they? It's horrible to sit in a toilet for that length of time.

Babies, particularly really young ones can be unpredictable about when they want their next feed. So what's the alternative? Stay at home all day every day for fear that if you go out you might need to feed your baby in public? That's just crazy and no good for mother nor child. I suspect the people that moan most about it would also have something to say if you left your child to scream in public because it was hungry.

The person in the restraunt was right to ask her to order or leave, like everyone else said..it's a business and they're in business to make money. However, if she was a paying customer having a meal by herself or with her family there should have been no problem. While sex is natural, and urination is natural, you don't do those things in front of people(usually). Eating is natural, and I would just as easily nurse my child as I would eat in public. I was modest when I first started breatfeeding my first and avoided most situations where it would be necessary to do so in public. That is until I was out eating with my family in a busy restraunt and my daughter didn't want to wait, so I went in the bathroom to nurse her, where I was given equally as dirty looks by other woman who claim this is so natural as I would of from a man sitting at a table across from us. There is no shame in feeding your child in public, most women that breastfeed are discreet..it's not as if we just whip our breasts out. If I'm going to get dirty looks doing it I'm at the very least going to be comfortable while doing it. You get arrested for urinating in public..you don't get arrested for eating in public..that's what women are doing, FEEDING their children, not commiting a lewd sex act or something other.

Ohhh,You could have me on about this all day long!,I hate how pathetic people can get over breastfeeding in public can get!!..I read this article too.

To cut what would most probably be a Very looooong answer from me defending Breastfeeding Mothers,What I would say to any narrow-minded neanderthol is...For example if we are in a resteraunt,fast food joint etc....'At the end of the day..What are you here for??...You are here to eat out right??,Order your food because you feel hungry,yeah???......Well that's all my little baby is doing!!'

Breastfeeding your baby is not only the absolute best you can give them,healthwise,to build upon,but also one of the most natural things on earth to do!.I have (and still do) have breastfed 4 children publically now and damn proud of it,Of course I am discreet...Anyone exposed to my 'bits' after 4 kids would certainly be put off their meal LOL,But seriously,Providing you are discreet,there should be no problem whatsoever..and if anyone ever has anything to say,Don't just put up with it...take it further..take it to the manager,if you get no joy there,take it to the headquarters etc...A woman is doing nothing wrong whatsoever in Breastfeeding a little baby in public...I see Adults & Teens doing far worse in public!!

I was breastfeeding my daughter in public 22 years ago.

I always dressed appropriately so i had easy access while remaining fairly discreet and used to carry a large lightweight scarf that I could drape for further discretion. It was rare that anyone was even aware what I was doing.

It is fair that a restaurant or pub ask that you not use their facilities unless you are a customer. Again, i always found I needed a drink while feeding so If I had to use somewhere like that I would order a drink to have while I was feeding.

In the UK and the US its less popular to breastfeed than in most other counties...and for some reason we have a craving for skin in our movies, magazines, and television, but are really weirded out by so many other displays of skin that are not sexually charged. I don't personally understand the double standard.

I breastfeed. I have no problem with women who don't...it's just my personal choice. I also have no problem with women who need to breastfeed their babies in public, but I think there's a lot to be said for modesty. I cannot personally bring myself to bring out a bare breast in public, and I wouldn't expect people not to stare or be offended if I did. Natural or not, those are still private places.....and that is exactly why nursing covers and blankets are available.