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[twirlability]

This is a small stupid, but it’s always nice to have a bit of a breather from the rampant racism, adoption wank and child molestation. Plus, there are boobs. It’s a win/win.

Once again, breastfeeding in public gets people all in a tizzy.

two_stabs makes a post (although a rather inflammatory one) about a Houston woman who was asked to leave a restaurant

Comments

[maenads_dance]

Gods, Breastwank makes me tired. As far as I know, there are no serious health hazards from breastmilk, so I doubt breastfeeding in public, even in a restaurant, is any more unsanitary than mingling with people in general. Modesty, and society's expectations of modest dress, are essentially arbitrary. There's no *good reason* to make public breastfeeding illegal.

At the same time, I can understand some amount of discomfort. However natural and normal the act of breastfeeding is, it's still a terribly intimate one, and while I'm all for mothers having the right to breastfeed in public, it just seems common sense to me that most mothers would want to have a nursing blanket or something else to give them a little privacy. Still, I absolutely disagree with people saying OMG BREASTFEED IN BATHROOMS!!! Because that absolutely IS more unsanitary than breastfeeding in a restaurant - for the mother and for the baby.

[merlyn4401]

Ever tried to nurse a baby who didn't want a blanket over his head? They are not very cooperative, depite their innocent appearance. :)

Still, I mostly agree with you. The interesting thing is, the vast majority of women manage to nurse so discretely, even without a blanket, that you would never know unless you were right on top of them, or happened to glance over and notice during the latch on/latch off process.

[twirlability]

Still, I mostly agree with you. The interesting thing is, the vast majority of women manage to nurse so discretely, even without a blanket, that you would never know unless you were right on top of them, or happened to glance over and notice during the latch on/latch off process.

That's the one thing that confuses me about breast-feeding wank: it IS so discreet. I almost ALWAYS have to look twice to even be sure that it's not just a mum-and-baby-snuggle going on. Not that it matters either way, but you know what I mean. It's baffling to me that people act as though these mothers are whipping their boobs out and spraying random passerbys with milk.

[littlemissalien]

I'm not even nursing yet (only weeks to go though) and I have nursing tops in anticipation. My Mum wishes they had them available on the high street/at the mall like they are now when she was nursing me and my sister. All too often we just got shoved up inside her top, which was fine for me, I was a tiny winter baby who liked the warmth and snuggling, but not my sister who was a large summer baby who hated being hot and confined! Still, me growing up with a public nurser for a Mum (I was 7 when my sister was born, so I remember her nursing) has prepared me well

[pyxiwulf]

IKEAs here have free nappies!!!! and I love the nursing rooms, I never go "hide" to nurse, but the IKEA ones are so nice, that I just want to take advantage :)

[lakinicoyote]

It's baffling to me that people act as though these mothers are whipping their boobs out and spraying random passerbys with milk.
You do one prank, one fuckin' time...
;)

[maenads_dance]

No, I know. I'm basing this off of my aunt and baby cousin - I had the pleasure to travel with them to Santa Fe for my grandparents' fiftieth wedding anniversary, and Jace was four months at the time. Usually my aunt Kathleen didn't bother with a blanket, but Jace put up with it while we were in the airport terminal, anyway.

[gnomestress]

As a patron of the restaurant, I would be able to deal with someone breast feeding (although, honestly, pumps aren't horribly expensive, and they'd save the mom the trouble of people getting upset with her over public breastfeeding...but I digress) As the server, however, it would annoy the hell out of me. It's just very hard to do business with someone when they have a baby happily munching away on some sweater meat

[merlyn4401]

Some poeple also can't pump. :p A good quality pump IS expensive - the relatively cheap little jobs don't do much at all. I successfully pumped with my first, but couldn't get a drop with my next two. And some peopel simply don't make enough extra milk to pump at all. It sounds great, but in reality, it doens't work for many people.

[gnomestress]

I know (one of my friends has a baby that turns 1 next month, and she actually had to switch to formula very early because the little monster sucked her dry...he's HUGE. Not fat, just really big) but for all the people who can't pump, there are those who can that choose not to, or don't realize that they're being inconsiderate.

I'm not trying to be a boob nazi here. Honestly, if it's in public and you're being discreet, go for it. But if you're in a restaurant setting, or any setting where someone's actively talking to you/helping you, you should at least ask permission. It's distracting to some people (if you can hold a serious conversation with someone who is breastfeeding, more power to you)

[merlyn4401]

After spending 3 years breastfeeding, I certainly hope I could hold a serious conversation while breastfeeding! :) I nursed in restaurants all the time - discretely. By nursing the babe before my food came, it ensured that I could eat my meal in relative peace, without having to try and soothe a fussy baby.

The fact is, all babies, all mothers, and all nursing relationships are quite different. You simply can't make blanket statements about what "should" be done. Some babies can't stand to have blankets on them. Some mothers can't pump. Quite a few exclusively breastfed babies will not take a bottle. I'm pretty sure the majority of women are quiet and discrete about nursing, but it remains that the child's right to eat (and it IS a protected right in all 50 states) takes precedence over your comfort factor. All you have to do in that sitaution is....not look. Problem solved.

[gnomestress]

Nursing before the meal comes is in the discreet catagory. It's not bothering the server, and people the next table over can deal with it. The people I have issues with are the ones who try to hold conversations with you (as rare as they are) You can't exactly not look when they're addressing you. ^_^;

Everything else is fine. I'm not saying ZOMFG DON'T FEED UR BABIES STOOOPID MOO! I'm saying if you have the option to do it in a polite way, do so.

[gnomestress]

I can't imagine how weird that would be. That's just...ugh. o.O

[tygrrtygrr]

Not unlike my gyno asking me if I've seen any good movies lately as he has his fingers up my hoo-ha.

*Shudders at memory*

[pernwebgoddess]

I was very glad when my OB was a staid non-talker. I Really REALLY don't want you getting chatty while your hands are in/on my girly bits.