Breastfeed in Restaurants OK or not OK?

[Mom2Natalya]

I'm not reading through this entire thread, but seriously? Why should this even be asked??

And the second choice? "If my kids aren't around"? WTH? It is pathetic that kids think babies are only fed by bottles these days. Before bottles were invented, how did babies eat?

Give me a break. It's not like I'm flashing my nipples around. And no, I don't cover up. I don't eat with a blanket over my head, why should my child?

And do I "like watching others nurse" I don't like or dislike. It doesn't matter to me. I think it's great that women are feeding their babies what was meant by God/Nature. If someone "gets off" on watching me nurse then they're a seriously disturbed individual. And honestly? I could care less. That's not what it's about. It's about nutrition. Not sex. I am so, SO very tired of Americans thinking breasts are for sex. Breasts are for feeding babies.

If he's hungry, he's eating. I'll feed him any time, anywhere.

Where else do you expect my child to eat?!?!?! If I'm eating- so is he. Period. End of story.

(and babysitters? Um, NO. If I want to go to a restarant with my well-behaved child, then that is my perrogative. Unless the restaurant states children aren't allowed, then he can be there and I can feed him while I am there. My children aren't left with sitters. They're MY children, not someone else's to take care of and raise.)

[mandybeyl]

Well said Brandy!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Best thing about all of this is it does not really matter what others opinions are it is 100% legal to breastfeed a child in public. I think we need to work on that vote for women to be allowed to go topless in all cities... LOL

[amys]

Better yet...

How about this...

BABYSITTERS! WOO HOO!

lol

Seriously ...
Back when we were nursing
1) couldn't afford them
2) didn't trust them
3) how would they feed them since my child was allergic to anything but breastmilk
4) my kids went with me wherever I went

[sbp]

lol
Seriously ...
Back when we were nursing
1) couldn't afford them
2) didn't trust them
3) how would they feed them since my child was allergic to anything but breastmilk
4) my kids went with me wherever I went

ditto what she said on 1 and 4!!


DS#2 absolutely refused to drink from a bottle and he had reflux issues and he ate literally every 2 hours, day and night. (Yeah, I was pretty much exhausted for an entire year!! lol) We live at least 20 minutes away from any store so I couldn't even go to the grocery store without him, since it would be pushing it to think I could go and be back within my 2 hour window, since at least 40 minutes were already tied up just in driving. If I had more than 2 stores that I wanted to go to, then it just wasn't happening without him!

[talk2ham.1]

O.k., I said yes, I like to watch. but I think I meant I like seeing that it is done . . . not that I "like to watch." Oh, brother!

I've nursed 3 exclusively for a minimum of 9 months each. . . . well DS#3 is only 7 mos old now. I nurse in public often, but I always cover up. And I try to find a quiet corner where folks are less likely to notice what's happening. If you do it right, sometimes people will sit there talking to you for 5 minutes before you bring the baby out and they jump and say, "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were feeding the baby!" I just smile and say. "Yep! That was the idea." But my babies have been easy to nurse in public. Some women just need a pop-up tent to do it discreetly with their little ones. More power to you if that's you!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Do they make nursing pop up tents? If not I need to get a patent on that and buy the domain name! LOL

[kval07]

Is there some insecurity about DH's inability not to gawk at a mother & baby breastfeeding.

Certainly sounds like it!!

Well, that's great for people who have them and can afford them. Some of us aren't so lucky. I guess we should never leave the house then:shrug7:

Oh good grief. Beth, I got your JOKE. Apparently people lose their sense of humor during "hot" topics.

I think we need to work on that vote for women to be allowed to go topless in all cities... LOL

Oh boy, I have enough issues going around with my top ON!! When I was 19 or 20, working at the movie theatre, the owner of the Hooters on the other side of the parking lot gave me his card, lol. Told me if I ever needed a job to give him a call. Kinda creepy to have this skeezy dude blatantly checking me out, like literally 2 feet away...

[moojie]

IMHO the question asked in the poll was rather sardonic, and kinds of sets you up to sound like a pervert if you're FOR breastfeeding in public.

That being said. I had DD, and was only able to breast feed for a week. It literally tore me apart to have to stop (I wasn't producing). So, for the women who can breastfeed, I am 100% supportive of you, and public BFing, and 100% jealous. You all are lucky to have that experience and chance to offer that "perfect" nutrition that no formula can afford your children. To the nay-sayers, I see some of you don't have kids yet, so perhaps you don't understand what it is to want to give them THE BEST whenever, where ever you can. Seriously, as someone else put it, "It's just a boob." Get off your high horse.

[Joyfulmom4]

Now, I know the law says it is ok in most states.


But, my question isn't should it be allowed. It is, Do you personally like watching somebody nurse while you are eating? I'm also assuming this a normal aged breast fed baby, not a 9 year old or something like that.

Do I *like* watching? lol! Well, when you put it that way, no, not particularly. But I don't *not like* watching either. To me it's just simply ordinary and unremarkable. Hardly worth getting upset about or debating. It's feeding a baby the way babies were originally intended to be fed.

I have yet to encounter a woman who was being "showy" about breastfeeding. I'm sure there must be some out there somewhere, but if they are that way about nursing, they're probably that way in the rest of their doings, so they'd manage to be indiscreet and expose themselves whether nursing or not. But your typical breastfeeding mama does so as discretely as she is able. And personally, I'd much rather see an accidental flash of skin occurring in the process of feeding an infant than the ubiquitous intentional flashing of skin that goes on just about everywhere else around me. I'd have to say there's a lot more skin showing on your average billboard than on your average nursing mama.

Now if someone chooses to feed their baby by another means, that's their choice. But I see no reason whatsoever why a woman should not be able to breastfeed her baby wherever she and the baby happen to be. I find it baffling that people would actually object to this. Sad, really, since social pressures make it difficult for many women to successfully breastfeed their children. Let's leave mothers alone to feed their babies as they see fit.