Breastfeeding

[Lionheart_0]

Edit: I re-opened this after talking to an admin.

 

 

 

As a warning, please no more "get over it" arguments.

[Pkmastachaos]

I've seen a few mothers breastfeed their children in public, and a few classy restaurants as well. Personally I don't understand why it shouldn't be allowed, as many of you have already said its a natural part of the woman's body; and it's healthy for both her and the baby. The child needs to eat so it should be fed.

 

 

 

Couldn't attribute much to this thread unfortunately. :?

[Flodder450]

Edit: I re-opened this after talking to an admin.

 

 

 

As a warning, please no more "get over it" arguments.

Get over it![/irritatingloinheart_0]

 

But why is it "bad"?Its [bleep]ing natural! :evil:

 

And if YOUWere the child that ere breastfeeded? would YOUMade such a problem about it?huh! -.-

[Agunimon979]

You could breastfeed the kid in the car, or in the bathroom if it needed to be fed constantly. But really, why would you bring an infant into a classy restaraunt (i'm talking about nice, expensive restaraunts, not hick loud&dirty places like McDonalds or Chilis or something.)

[Da Pirates]

I have nothing against it, just seeing it in public is "different".

[Flodder450]

You guys act like a nude boob is like an atomic bomb who can explode anywere,anytime :?

[Zierro]

The pro-restaurant breastfeeding arguments always stems back into, "You shouldn't be bothered by it." Well, the fact at hand is that people do feel bothered. Otherwise this thread wouldn't exist.

[warri0r45]

The pro-restaurant breastfeeding arguments always stems back into, "You shouldn't be bothered by it." Well, the fact at hand is that people do feel bothered. Otherwise this thread wouldn't exist.

 

 

 

The follow on question from the fact that poeple are bothered by it is if the mother shouldn't do it in public merely because some people will take offence.

 

 

 

Personally I hate the sterile, politically correct image society is turning into. I hate the idea that people want every second thing outlawed just because it offends someone. So people are offended by breast feeding in public? They have every right to be offended, but not eveything which people are offended by should be banned. Do I personally think that breastfeeding in public should be banned? Hell no. It hurts no one.

[Zierro]

I never suggested for it to be "banned". Much like cigarettes have their own areas, I think breastfeeding should have areas too. I think I am mostly defending the children with innocent minds - they could get the wrong idea if their parents don't teach them about what they are seeing. Kids might just find the idea upsetting since they don't really know what's going on. Sometimes ignorance isn't always bliss.

[issy2]

I never suggested for it to be "banned". Much like cigarettes have their own areas, I think breastfeeding should have areas too. I think I am mostly defending the children with innocent minds - they could get the wrong idea if their parents don't teach them about what they are seeing. Kids might just find the idea upsetting since they don't really know what's going on. Sometimes ignorance isn't always bliss.

 

 

 

Wow, are you serious? A kid being psychologically damaged by seeing breastfeeding? OH MY GOD!! MUMMY!!!! BAD WOMAN BAD WOMAN WITH BABY!!! lol the idea is laughable! Alot of kids were breastfed themselves, and half of them will grow up to do it or attempt to with their own kids, and even if their parents don't explain it to them, it doesn't mean its going to damage them or anything. The obsession with protecting children nowadays is ridiculous! It's wholeheartedly healthy to learn about the facts of life, and breastfeeding is not like sex, "I'll tell you when you're older!" Anyway, young children are naturally curious - believe me, they would ask if they wanted to know. Young children don't need to be protected against it, they should know what breastfeeding is. They see it, they're curious, they ask, they're told about it.

[Flodder450]

I never suggested for it to be "banned". Much like cigarettes have their own areas, I think breastfeeding should have areas too. I think I am mostly defending the children with innocent minds - they could get the wrong idea if their parents don't teach them about what they are seeing. Kids might just find the idea upsetting since they don't really know what's going on. Sometimes ignorance isn't always bliss.

 

 

 

Wow, are you serious? A kid being psychologically damaged by seeing breastfeeding? OH MY GOD!! MUMMY!!!! BAD WOMAN BAD WOMAN WITH BABY!!! lol the idea is laughable! Alot of kids were breastfed themselves, and half of them will grow up to do it or attempt to with their own kids, and even if their parents don't explain it to them, it doesn't mean its going to damage them or anything. The obsession with protecting children nowadays is ridiculous! It's wholeheartedly healthy to learn about the facts of life, and breastfeeding is not like sex, "I'll tell you when you're older!" Anyway, young children are naturally curious - believe me, they would ask if they wanted to know. Young children don't need to be protected against it, they should know what breastfeeding is. They see it, they're curious, they ask, they're told about it.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!a child psychologically damaged by seeing a boob? are you even serious?

 

jezz.....politic correctness FTL... -.-

[Aijiru]

I don't know how it is with boys, but by the time I was like 6 I knew exactly what a breast was and what was it used for. Little children like to ask questions and explore their own bodies and their mother's. I'll be surpresed if any child I know thought of breastfeeding as something strange or awful. And I live in Spain, you know, conservative catholic European country ;).

 

 

 

Also my sister, who lives in Italy, has a little child and breastfeeds him when he needs to, and believe me, you wouldn't see anything even if you tried to. The baby's head and the t-shirt covers almost everything.

 

 

 

You know, that whole business of "I don't like seeing it so it should be covered or done where I didn't see it" seems a bit egotistical. Personally, I don't like when couples kiss next to me and I'm eating (not the normal cheek kissing, but the "making out" variety - sorry if that sounds a little off, I don't know exactly how you say it, but hope it makes any sense), but that's my problem, not the couple's. If it disturbs me too much, I'll just look away or swap places. I don't have any right to dictate what they have to do.

[doomy]

Yeah, you wouldn't see anything anyway, would you?

 

(ive never actually seen it in public, or can remember my mum with my siblings so...I wouldnt be too sure)

[Kiriyama]

You guys act like a nude boob is like an atomic bomb who can explode anywere,anytime :?

 

 

 

It can make some men explode whenever they see it. ;)

[Zierro]

Umm? When did I ever mention anything about psychological damage? There's a difference between getting the wrong idea about something and becoming psychologically damaged - big difference actually. No more putting words in people's mouths, alright?

 

 

 

"I don't like seeing it so it should be covered or done where I didn't see it" seems a bit egotistical.

 

 

 

Yep, just like the idea of, "I'll do it where I want, whenever I want."

 

 

 

You people say, "What's the big deal about breastfeeding?"

 

 

 

Well I say, "What's the big deal about having a little empathy?"

 

 

 

Yeah, you wouldn't see anything anyway, would you?

 

 

 

Did someone read the first post?

[BlueLancer]

 

You people say, "What's the big deal about breastfeeding?"

 

 

 

Well I say, "What's the big deal about having a little empathy?"

 

 

 

I can't really think up of many things that could require more empathy than allowing a baby to be fed in peace when it's hungry... Which is more important, the nutrition of a human being which can't feed itself, or the personal disgust of an immature grown-up who thinks it's unnatural to feed the baby?

[rushrock]

 

You people say, "What's the big deal about breastfeeding?"

 

 

 

Well I say, "What's the big deal about having a little empathy?"

 

 

 

I can't really think up of many things that could require more empathy than allowing a baby to be fed in peace when it's hungry... Which is more important, the nutrition of a human being which can't feed itself, or the personal disgust of an immature grown-up who thinks it's unnatural to feed the baby?

 

 

 

I agree, BlueLancer. And Zierro, that's just the public, social norm that is speaking for you. It would be horrible if this norm affected our lives in everything we do. Not everyone will accept this, perhaps, but what we are talking about is a defenseless baby who needs to eat. It doesn't get to choose when it's hungry, and I think it's pretty disgraceful to offer breastfeeding "zones" for this. It's not harming anyone, not in any way. People need to start to learn how to accept this, and this is much easier to do at a younger age. Young, innocent children will see this, and see that it is acceptable, and move on. Nobody's going to start a fit, and nobody is going to be damaged by it.

 

 

 

And please, don't compare this to sex or anything else like that.

[Zierro]

Which is more important, the nutrition of a human being which can't feed itself, or the personal disgust of an immature grown-up who thinks it's unnatural to feed the baby?

 

 

 

That's what this all comes down to, and I'm glad we finally have someone on this thread that realizes that. I feel that someone who has paid to have a nice meal shouldn't have to move just because the mother refused to bring a blanket or shawl or move herself. And of course, you all feel differently.

 

 

 

You see, in my eyes, you are forcing uncomfortable people into seeing something which makes them feel over all unpleasant, resulting in loss of appetite. But in your eyes, I am forcing the woman to cover up/move somewhere else while breastfeeding because it is considered unappetizing, resulting in loss of pride.

 

 

 

It's not harming anyone, not in any way.

 

 

 

Loss of appetite when you paid for your food and expected to have a good meal = Mother brings blanket to restaurant or takes a few steps to seclusion

 

 

 

If ruining someone's appetite is not harmful, then neither is bringing a blanket.

[rushrock]

You're not suggesting that the majority of people are disgusted by this, are you? It's really only a select few who would see this and actually lose their appetite.

 

 

 

You're caught up in this norm. The fact is that we need to change this norm for people to accept this and move on.

[Zierro]

Only a select few choose to breastfeed in a public restaurant. In all my years, I've only seen breastfeeding done in a pediatrician's office - never have I seen it done in a restaurant. That atmosphere is completely acceptable, however, others feel differently about diners.

 

 

 

You see, I'm only asking for one thing. I've compromised already. The pro-breastfeeding side has not budged at all - not even when I suggested to sit in a corner and finally said it would be okay in diners as long as we couldn't see. What does that tell you? This issue isn't about the baby getting his food - if it was, the mother wouldn't care about walking a few steps to please her son. By refusing to do anything, she is only pleasing herself. If you ask me, this all has to do with pride. "I shouldn't move - you should move!"

[rushrock]

Only a select few choose to breastfeed in a public restaurant. In all my years, I've only seen breastfeeding done in a pediatrician's office - never have I seen it done in a restaurant. That atmosphere is completely acceptable, however, others feel differently about diners.

 

But as I said, only a select few, I really, honestly believe, would really feel that disturbed about it. I don't want to try and speak for everyone, but I think that's the case. And if it's still not, it's a completely fair and natural thing to do. We're talking about nourishing a baby. You are caught up, again, in this norm and see it as unfit for people's eyes. I find it disturbing that you think this.

[rushrock]

And so what if it's a little bit about pride? Not so much as pride, but as convenience. It's more of a curtesy thing, to allow a mother to feed her child.

[Zierro]

We're not really talking about nourishing the baby though. If it was really the mother's number one priority - she wouldn't care about accepting openly breastfeeding as improper etiquette in a diner. She would swallow her pride and bring a blanket, for the sake of her baby.

 

 

 

Convenience? "It is convenient for me to ignore your pleas and do what I want, where I want."

 

 

 

It's more of a curtesy thing, to allow a mother to feed her child.

 

 

 

It's also courtesy to please both your baby and others around you by using a blanket or moving into seclusion. Instead of picking that which satisfies Uncomfortable People + Baby, the mother chooses Mother + Baby.

 

 

 

And if it's still not, it's a completely fair and natural thing to do.

 

 

 

Wait a sec... If it's not just considered nasty by a select few (meaning lots of people feel that way), then that still makes it completely fair? Where is that jurisdiction coming from?

[rushrock]

We're not really talking about nourishing the baby though. If it was really the mother's number one priority - she wouldn't care about accepting openly breastfeeding as improper etiquette in a diner. She would swallow her pride and bring a blanket, for the sake of her baby.

 

 

 

Convenience? "It is convenient for me to ignore your pleas and do what I want, where I want."

 

You're saying that a mother has to live by these specific rules when going into a diner to protect other people? "Oh honey, darn, I forgot the blanket. We'll have to go back home because I'm worried that people will see me feeding my baby and be disgusted by it."

 

 

 

The fact is, there shouldn't be an argument of this, because people shouldn't feel disgusted by it at all. But the fact is that they are, you say? That is the norm that is speaking. It's not the mother's faut that it is this way. So yes, she can do whatever she needs to do. She shouldn't care about other people's arguments (again, there really shouldn't be any at all) over something as so trivial as a silly little norm that makes the select few people get all worried about something as so simple and natural as breastfeeding.

 

 

 

I have to step out for a little bit, but I'll definitely be back as fast as I can, and I'd love to continue discussing this.

[Saru Inc]

Yeah, I fail to see the problem as well, restaurant or no restaurant. If you think the breasts or the act of breastfeeding is taboo/ disgusting, then you're probably a bit immature, no offense intended.

 

 

 

 

 

Well I took offence anyways!! :roll:

 

 

 

Umm, well, it's prefectly natural, and just because the woman isn't a supermodel, doesn't mean she should have to go somewhere private, the baby is hungry, the baby wants milk, the mom gives it to him, whether you find it gross or not, it's ok for her to do it. Now, It's not ok for her to just yank off her shirt\bra in the middle of the room and then feed, but you said she TRIED to hide it, whether or not she actually did, she tried so yea, it's ok for her to do it.