On Thanksgiving day, I had my family over and one had a baby. Later on she sat on the recliner chair and let her baby breastfeed in full view of everyone. There were some children there. Shouldn't this be private?
It doesn't really matter if its "private" or not.
Letting children see the real reason for breasts is healty I think. When you hide breastfeeding, that sends a signal that there is something shamefull or wrong about it or that it is somehow dirty. The more children are exposed to the true reason for body parts, the less likely they are to objectify those body parts or oversexualize them.
Are you kidding me. She has every right to sit down somewhere comfortable and feed her child. I hate being expected to feed my child in a bathroom or somewhere uncomfortable.
*Edit. I do think it's important to cover up. I do my best to have respect for others around me, but I expect the same respect in return. Contraction (grammar) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia::
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Now a days, people are more accepting of women breastfeeding in public, especially around family and friends. It shouldn't matter to anyone other than the woman who has her boobs out.
If you are uncomfortable with it, then leave. Its a very natural thing, and it takes a mature person to understand that every woman has boobies, and they are for feeding a baby.
I believe that a woman should be able to feed her child anywhere that she wants. However, because the breast is such a BIG DEAL to people (and not something children should be seeing at those ages) she should use a blanket or something to cover.
But I do not think that it is a problem to feed her child in public. Would you take your kid into the bathroom or into someone bedroom to feed him or her PRIVATELY? No, you wouldn't so why should she have to?
absolutely not! If she was feeding the baby a bottle woukd she go into another room? NO! This is what womens breasts are made for in the first place and that is the use for them. It is the healthiest thing for a baby and there is no need to be ashamed and go hide and be afraid of what other people think
Do you consider when you eat a private matter? If not then why should a breastfed baby have to eat in privacy? I doubt you could see very much of the mother's breast so what's the big deal? It's a natural part of life, that is what the breasts are for.....
No, I have no problem whatsoever with public breastfeeding, but then again I have an OB/GYN mom so I was fortunate to grow up with the mindset that breastfeeding, periods, etc. are not a dirty little secret. Oh, and children are the least phazed, disgust and social norms are learned not inborn.
No it shouldn't have to be "private". Did you eat your dinner in private? And so what if there are children there? Weren't they ever babies?
Harriet
If you had 2 or more children, and you just had a baby, would you make your other children leave the room while you fed your baby? I doubt it.
People need to realize it is a natural process and so what if children see it(especially family members) then if they ask their parents should just explain that, that is how babies eat their dinner.
Why would it be a problem for children to see? Children don't really pay any attention to it. My siblings were 15 and 10 when my daughter was born, and I breastfed in front of them. I also fed in front of my husband's young nieces, they were 6 and 1, I believe. None of the children thought anything about it, and none of them are now scarred by it. My daughter was 5 when my son came along, and I openly fed in front of her. No problems with that, she's now 16.
Bottom line, breastfeeding is NORMAL.
ETA: I have a very early memory of being at a family gathering when I was about 4 or 5. There was a brand new cousin there, my Aunt was nursing. She excused herself to the bedroom to nurse the baby, and my mother went along to continue their visit. I went along with my mother, and remember being in total awe of watching my Aunt and the baby. My mother explained to me that when babies are born, a mother's body makes milk for them to drink and that is where the milk comes from, just like at home when the kittens or puppies are babies and nurse from their mother, or when the horses or cows have babies and they nurse from their mother. I remember having a very good, happy feeling about seeing the baby nursing. I grew up to nurse my own babies. How can that be a bad thing? Fark::
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why should it be? women who breastfeed are only doing what women have been doing for millennia which is giving their little ones the best possible nutrition without polluting the environment because formula needs to be produced, packaged, shipped, prepared, warmed up, given to baby in plastic bottles which end up on landfill etc.
if you find it so offensive then go put a blanket on your head or go to the toilet or some other secluded room to have your lunch... dont fancy that? no, neither does a breastfeeding mum.
I really don't think it's a problem that there were children there. Adults are the ones that see nudity in a different light.
I do think she could've covered with a blanket or nursing cover. If her boob was covered I don't think there is anything wrong with it. I think it's ridiculous to have to go into some random bedroom or the bathroom (ew) and spend 30 minutes without everyone when you came over for a visit.
This is a very natural amazing thing designed for babies. People need to realize this and stop making a bid deal out of it.
was everyone else eating in full view??? or was everyone else eating in private???
no its natural
Did YOU eat in private?!
Why should she have to go hide in a corner just because YOU are uncomfortable?
Everyone see's a breast at some point in their life. There is nothing sexual about breastfeeding so what does it matter if children were there?
I think it's great that she nursed in front of the other children. It shows them that nursing isn't taboo and should be accepted to do whenever and where ever.
Well it all depends, was her boob out for full display or did she have some type of cover up. This debate has gone on for awhile because people still seem to be squeamish with it. (That's what ones breasts are for anyway). For her to be banished to a bathroom, I say no. As long as she was covered up there should be no problem regardless where you are.
Most people have given great answers! Breastfeeding is not a private thing - its just eating, and culturally for all time, eating is a very social thing, not a private thing. Hence the reason we so often chose going to a restaraunt as an outing with friends. Babies are no different - eating is a social time. As for kids seeing - its not like they're seeing porn for heaven's sake, they're just seeing a baby eating. And another poster put it very well - the more often those kids see breastfeeding the better. B/c maybe then we can change the attitude that formula is normal and better and breastfeeding is something dirty.
Nor do I think she should have to cover her baby up. Would you want your head under a blanket while you eat? It would get hot, and sweaty, and very lonely. Babies shouldn't have to either. They should be able to see mom's face. When a baby is latched onto the breast, there nothing to see! Just baby's head at mom's chest level. Baby's mouth is covering the 'offensive' parts. Kudos to that mama for giving her baby the best nutrition possible, and for treating like it is: a normal thing you do with a baby. Its a good thing for kids to be around, and I seriously doubt it bothered any of them. Its not usually what you CAN see when a baby is nursing that bothers people its what they imagine. A lady once went up to a mom holding her baby and commented on how cute it was...until she realized the baby was eating and she turned beet red and ran away. Its ridiculous - she obviously coudln't see anything, it was just knowledge that oh my gosh - baby was nursing at the breast - that bothered her, even though there was nothing to see.
she should have shown a little more respect and asked if everyone were comfortable with it or if she could go in some other room. i think thats rude
when i was breastfeeding i didnt have a problem doing it in front of my family, or my husband's family (but I have two younger brothers and a younger sister ages 14 and 12, and i would just throw a blanket over us if they were around...i just thought it would be weird to have my breast out in front of my little brothers and make them uncomfortable!)
I, for one, dont breastfeed. But I dont have a problem if someone had to feed their baby and they are breastfeeding. Even if there were children there, if they asked what she was doing, a simple "Shes feeding the baby" answer would be good enough for them. All I know is, I bottlefeed and couldnt imagine having to go into another room just to feed my baby, so why should breastfeeding moms? They are doing a really good thing for their baby.
So? I for one, think children NEED to see that sort of thing. I agree with another answerer. If they grow up seeing breastfeeding as the norm, they'll probably be more likely to breastfeed their own children. Leave the poor woman alone. She's just trying to do what is right for her baby. Do you know how hot it gets if you are completely under a blanket? My son won't even eat covered up, because he gets so hot.
 Where was the last debate on wednesday with Mccain and Obama?
 INSTANCE / WAITING FOR SPRING
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Shouldn't breastfeeding be private?