BS: Breast feeding in public

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 05:28 PM

Go sit in the corner, gnu. Ten Our Fathers and Ten Hail Marys.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: gnu
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 05:25 PM

You gotta fuck to be a fodder.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 05:20 PM

Or is that fodder for another thread?

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 05:20 PM

But if you f#cked 'em, they would no longer be moral.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Peace
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 04:46 PM

I'm tryin' to clean up my language. Usually I'd a said f#ck 'em.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: ShockedandAppalledinReading
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 03:48 PM

*To hell with the 'moral majority'*

the moral majority are neither

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Midchuck
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 01:57 PM

If the "moral majority" are going to be in hell, I may have to repent me of my sins after all, so's I won't go there. I've had enough of them in this life.

Peter

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Peace
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 01:51 PM

To hell with the 'moral majority'.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: GUEST,Bagpuss
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 01:25 PM

I have only read half the thread, so apologies if I am repeating anything. I have breastfed many times in public both in England and in Scotland where we have had a law against preventing a woman from breastfeeding for a couple of years already. I can't say that I have noticed any difference. Nobody has ever asked me not to and i have fed in cafes, restaurants, museums, libraries, park benches etc. The worst I have had is the occasional disaproving look - mainly from other women actually. Most of the time, I don't think anyone noticed me doing it - on several occasions people have come up to play with the baby, as they thought he was just being cuddled!

As to the idea that it is fine "in the privacy of your own home" - in the early days, both of my boys fed at 2 hourly intervals. This would have meant that for approximately 2 months I would have been unable to go out anywhere for more than about an hour (given that after they have fed for half an hour you then have to get them ready to go out and change their nappy etc). That is basically akin to imprisonment for no more reason than some people being embarrassed or offended at nothing more than a child getting its nourishment. It is no wonder the breastfeeding rates are so abysmally low in this country if people give up on breastfeeding because they are afraid of disapproval if they do it in public and feel imprisoned if they have to do it in private.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 12:39 PM

It never occurred to me that Alice's nursing was the beginning of a moral crisis. But she is known as Alice the Slut so maybe Bob is right.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Don Firth
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 12:38 PM

Ron and MMario -- Well said!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: MMario
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 12:23 PM

technically, "freedom of speech" isn't relative here, anyway. This forum is a *PRIVATELY OWNED* site; and the owner reserves the right to delete, edit, remove, move, modify, etc. anything posted here.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 12:23 PM

I'd been debating whether to compose that basic reply....thanks, Ron, for doing it for me. 'Bob' made his opinion clear, and had his freedom of speech.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 12:09 PM

"So much for the freedom of speech and opinion.

I brought a viewpoint to the forum for open discussion and the level of insults and lack of intelligent replies says a lot more amount certain individuals here than it does about me."

Bob, you are being a hypocrit and playing martyr. You started this whole discussion by questioning the "morals" of a woman you saw "whip one out" and thought that this represented a "crisis" that "looms" in our society. If this is a crisis, you have not been reading the newspaper.

You need to remember that "freedom of speech" does not mean we all agree with you. If you weren't capable of handling criticism after you set the insulting tone, then you should just shut the hell up. Your opinion and freedom of speech is no different than anyone else. Get off your high horse and join the rest of society.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Scoville
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 10:56 AM

Our cat nursed her entire life (16 1/2 years). My arms were always scratched up from her sucking on my pajamas at night. When she got old and sick, we knew it was time to go when she couldn't even comfort herself with that any more.

At least she didn't suck on my hair the way my friend's cat did!

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 09:53 AM

Sorcha's youngest breast is 22? How old is the other one?

My Lizzie occasionally cuddles up next me and drools on a cotton blanket until it is wet enough to suckle. Poor little Liz was a feral kitten. It was sad to see her try to join Alice's kittens for lunch but Alice would have none of it. Too bad. It would have improved both their personalities.

Freddie was a year old and bigger than his mother when I finally insisted that the nursing stop. Alice would still be nursing him if she had her way.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Midchuck
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 09:42 AM

We have a couple of young cats that were part of a litter that were "rescued" as little kittens from a feral mom, and fostered. They are amazingly well socialized - so much so that they're more like dogs than cats. But they show the effects of having been taken away from the mother early on, like they didn't get to nurse enough to really be satisfied.

One sign of this deprivation is that they tend to chew on stuff they shouldn't, like mail or the newspaper if you leave it on the kitchen table. Another sign of it is, if I lie on the bed - on my back, with my arms crossed above my head and my head on my hands, as I often do if I lie down during the day to catch my second wind - and I'm wearing no shirt, or a short-sleeved tee, the male sticks his head in my loathsome, smelly, hairy armpit, looking for a nipple. And sometimes he bites.

Peter.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 06:10 AM

She nursed a kitten????


Now THAT is weird...

(although, given what Raven kitty does with the bow on my nightshirt, it is highly plausible).

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Wolfgang
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 05:59 AM

A song about it? Sure, there's a beauty of a song about breastfeeding in public and all the guys from the village came to watch and brave Margot only thought they came to watch the kitten she nursed.

Brave Margot

by Renaud
album: Chante Brassens (1996)

Margoton la jeune bergère trouvant dans l'herbe un petit chat
Qui venait de perdre sa mère, l'adopta
Elle entrouvre sa collerette et le couche contre son sein
C'était tout c'quelle avait pauvrette comme coussin
Le chat la prenant pour sa mère se mit à téter tout de go
Emue, Margot le laissa faire, brave Margot
Un croquant passant à la ronde, trouvant le tableau peu commun
S'en alla le dire à tout l'monde et le lendemain

Quand Margot dégrafait son corsage pour donner la gougoutte à son chat
Tous les gars, tous les gars du village
Etaient là, la la la la la la, étaient là, la la la la la
Et Margot qu'était simple et très sage
Présumait qu'c'était pour voir son chat
Qu'tous les gars, tous les gars du village
Etaient là, la la la la la la, étaient là, la la la la la

Maître d'école et ses potaches, le maire, le bedeau, le bougnat
Négligeaient carrément leur tâche pour voir ça
Le facteur d'ordinaire si preste, pour voir ça, n'distribuait plus
Les lettres que personne au reste n'aurait lues
Pour voir ça, Dieu le leur pardonne, les enfants de choeur au milieu
Du Saint Sacrifice abandonnent le saint lieu
Les gendarmes, même mes gendarmes qui sont par nature si ballots
Se laissaient toucher par les charmes du joli tableau

Quand Margot dégrafait son corsage pour donner la gougoutte à son chat
Tous les gars, tous les gars du village
Etaient là, la la la la la la, étaient là, la la la la la
Et Margot qu'était simple et très sage
Présumait qu'c'était pour voir son chat
Qu'tous les gars, tous les gars du village
Etaient là, la la la la la la, étaient là, la la la la la

Mais les autres femmes de la commune
Privées d'leurs époux, d'leurs galants
Accumulèrent la rancune patiemment
Puis un jour ivres de colère, elles s'armèrent de bâtons
Et farouches elles immolèrent le chaton
La bergère après bien des larmes, pour s'consoler prit un mari
Et ne dévoila plus ses charmes que pour lui
Le temps passa sur les mémoires, on oublia l'évènement
Seul des vieux racontent encore à leurs p'tits-enfants

Quand Margot dégrafait son corsage pour donner la gougoutte à son chat
Tous les gars, tous les gars du village
Etaient là, la la la la la la, étaient là, la la la la la
Et Margot qu'était simple et très sage
Présumait qu'c'était pour voir son chat
Qu'tous les gars, tous les gars du village
Etaient là, la la la la la la, étaient là, la la la la la
Etaient là la la la la la la la la la.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 04:37 AM

As a breast feeding mother at the moment (and it took me quite a while to be able to breast feed successfully) I welcome the new law. I do express and feed by bottle but if I am caught short while out...and feeding on demand you might not have expressed enough milk to bottle feed, I do breast feed, but I do it discreetly. I find a quiet corner, have a shawl or sheet or go to the car. Breast feeding is a wonderful and magical experience, I can't really describe it. I do notice that is mainly men that have a problem with a mother breast feeding in public.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 04:31 AM

Here's a little aside concerning breasts and Nestle.

Nestle provided baby formula to poverty stricken children in Africa a couple of decades ago. They actively taught and convinced breast feeding mothers that this powder would give their babies a better start than breast milk. The infant mortality rate rocketed from illnesses other than those associated with famine. Why?

Because the formula had to be made with water - a resource that was in damn short supply as it was, and what was available was dirty, contaminated and often stagnant.

Nestle have been reluctant to admit any responsibility in the deaths of bottle fed children from diseases carried by dirty water, even though it was their campaign to promote formula feeding that caused the huge surge in uptake.

Of course, what they should have done was encourage breast feeding and provide a well, decent drinking water and a clinic.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Jun 07 - 12:07 AM

Aw Mick, I'm so sorry, I guess I should remedy that forthwith, but my mammaries no longer function as teats. The youngest is 22. Guess you'll just have to imagine.....LOLOLOL

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 10:34 PM

Mary, m'love, that isn't about breast feeding, that is about being just an idiot.

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 10:27 PM

I am not usually upset by a woman nursing in public however I went ballistic when a smiling Earth Mother grinned at me at a stop light. She was nursing while driving. Even a slight tap from behind could have crushed that child against the steering wheel.
Inexcusably stupid!

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 10:13 PM

Dammit, Sorch, I went and googled it and there were no pictures of your breasts being fed. What a friggin sham!!!!

I'll get me aul cap and the wellies,

Mick, tongue planted firmly in cheek

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 10:10 PM

'Mammaries in mammals'. Ya gotta love it. We ain't called mammals for nuttin honey.

Yea, Bob, you expressed an opinion. Quite unfortunately you didn't 'tell your tale' of both breasts exposed quite soon enough.

Babies don't exactly desire to feed on anyone's schedule, let alone YOURS. So, you go right ahead and keep your wife home and in seclusion for a year or so. No dinners out, gods forbid, NO bottles. We wouldn't want your wife to actually have to express herself, would we?

Go sit on a toilet lid in a stinky loo for an hour. Eat with one hand while you are doing that. Oh, and please close the door to the cubicle too.

I don't want to see your nipples on the beach either. Nipples and pectorals are just soooo offensive.

Get a ******* life. This is my elbow, it does this. This is my breast it does this. Wanna see my ankle too? Skin is as skin does.

Just who the HELL is this Bob person?

Sorcha, in SE Wyoming, US. Google Sorcha niGhlais. That will be me.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: bobad
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 09:38 PM

My feeling is that breasts should be fed whenever they are hungry no matter where they are.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 09:34 PM

BOB-you are a big moany, and probubly really old, (about 70 or 80 or something), waht your prblum then, stupif?

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: GUEST,dianavan
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 09:24 PM

I find picking your nose in public, disgusting, but people still do it.

If the world conformed to everyone's opinion of what is disgusting, we would live in a very sterile world.

Get over it Bob, society doesn't care what you think. Its your problem. Deal with it.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 09:18 PM

AND IF you are thinking it is OK to feed babies soy formula, read the research..unless they are in dire straits, all sorts of other solutions have been tried (assuming there is a feeding problem of some sort..for heavens sakes don't do it out of philosophy)...bad stuff. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: frogprince
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 08:28 PM

"Has anyone written any decent songs about this?" -Mick

I haven't written any songs primarily about it, but I've written one that mentions it. The few who have heard it seem to consider it a "decent" song, whether or not a great one.
                            Dean

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Rowan
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 07:31 PM

A few years ago a newly elected MP in the Victorian parliament had a new babe and needed to breastfeed. Not wanting to absent herself from the important business of the moment (whether parliamentary or infant-directed) she breastfed (discreetly) in the House. Parliament is a very male-dominated domain and there were (and still are) unreconstructed anachronisms like Bob in abundance, so the uproar was intense. Parliament got fitted with nappy-changing rooms and expressing facilities and everyone settled done to a much more mature set of behaviours.

Having been the partner of a shy woman, I know the thoughts that go through such women's minds about breastfeeding in public, but she always managed it comfortably for all concerned and nobody objected. I came to the opinion (yes Bob, I too have one, and surmise from your spelling of arsehole that you're not from the continent between the Atlantic and Pacific) that many men are quite self-centred in their view of breasts. Pun intended. They seem to have the notion that the only purpose of breasts is to titillate males and react according to their notion of the appropriateness of such titllation.

They seem to not understand that the primary function of mammaries in mammals is to nurture the young and that any other function is secondary. And although I have been very active in promulgating women's rights and was a dab hand at changing nappies (better than my partner, in fact) I don't regard myself as henpecked.

And if I can find it easy to appreciate the semiotics but ignore the content of ads for cars, alcohol and other supposedly male-oriented things I just as easily do the same for women's sanitary products. But my adolescent daughters might have a different appreciation.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: GUEST,Bob
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 07:11 PM

So much for the freedom of speech and opinion.

I brought a viewpoint to the forum for open discussion and the level of insults and lack of intelligent replies says a lot more amount certain individuals here than it does about me.

Regarding Mick's advice on seeking therapy, I don't really feel that need Mick, do you ? I know who I am and don't go through life living an identity or nationality crisis.

As for gnu's remark. After reading through some of your previous posts here and the responses to them from other members, I feel you certainly are in a prime reflective position to speak on this subject.

Scoville, most posters tend to use original comments of their own here, you should give it consideration.

As for the tacky remarks made by some others, well what do you expect from a pig but a grunt.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Rockhen
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 06:56 PM

If you don't breastfeed your baby in public, for the first year of its life, you can end up having to spend an awful lot of time, maybe even half of your baby's time awake, in what ever quiet spot is available in the place you happen to be, often the loo. Tiny babies feed a lot and often take ages. I do agree, however, that a few women are a bit OTT when they feed their babies. Perhaps it may be that they are still getting used to it as it can take a while to figure the technique out for mum and baby. I think there are just one or two, who do, as eanjay put it, 'make a meal of it', for attention, but I don't think there are many.
I never noticed anyone appearing upset when I used to feed my kids, I don't think people could tell because it is possible to be discrete. You could say, why should women bother about being discrete, but I guess our current society has made it so that it is just easier and less hassle, to feed quietly and without drawing too much attention to yourself. Whether, or not, this thread is just meant to provoke heated debate, I would always support anyone trying to breastfeed, (lol, just realised I didn't mean it quite like that...!)as it is not always easy, or even possible, for everyone but is, in my opinion,worth doing. Go for it, ladies! :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: GUEST,Bardan
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 06:49 PM

No as in the houses of parliament. (Hence MP.) Something I very vaguely remember though. I wouldn't be able to give chapter and verse stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 06:39 PM

Oh no...tell me she didn't actually DO IT at a dog show???? Noooooo, dogs aren't that disgusting.






(Westminster Dog Show...the 'Crufts' of the US)

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: GUEST,Bardan
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 06:35 PM

Oh right! It's a British thing is it? Have to admit I haven't watched the news recently or anything. I thought breastfeeding was fine in Britain though. Wasn't there a female MP a while back who was doing it at westminister?

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Sabine
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 06:07 PM

sorry...

"disgusting THAN a breastfeeding mother"
not "like"

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Sabine
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 06:05 PM

ridiculous, sorry.
I am following the discussion on tv and newspapers and can only shake my head.
maybe it's just me but I really cannot understand why it should be healthy to fill your babies with chemical stuff and later on freak out over artificial colours in sweeties.

a lot of things concerning nursing and parenting and childcare here in Britain are a contradiction in terms.

I never liked and still don't like women who feel the need to expose themselves or their breasts in public while breastfeeding. There is def. no need to do so. This also does not have anything to do with "fighting for their rights". Excuse me, this is the 21st century we are living in the "fighting for rights" should belong to the past.

I sometimes find the behaviour of some guys in public much more disgusting like a breastfeeding mother.
On the one minute they are scratching their privates, then wiping their nose and then offering you the same hand to say hello.
Thanks a lot...

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Nick E
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 06:03 PM

To parapharase a line from When Harry Met Saly....
I'll Have What He's Having

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: skipy
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 05:50 PM

For goodness sake, a hungry baby is a hungry baby, we are mammals, it's what we do, so lets do it.
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Bill D
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 05:45 PM

anecdotal? What?

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Amos
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 05:30 PM

Bob:

It's not "your generation"; it's your degree of willingness to face calmly and without reaction what is going on around you.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 05:18 PM

Well, at least the other side of the story is out, and the thread got funny. Erm, SRS/Maggie....'dribble'? DRIBBLE? I didn't dribble, I shot baskets! From the outside circle! If I'd have bared both like that, Bob probably would have gotten a mouthful! How's THAT for offensive?

I do agree that the woman in question was OTT with that behaviour.

I was stewarding at a festival once when our daughter was an infant. I took her into the staff trailer/caravan to feed her. I was alone with her, but I still covered my shoulder with the blanket. 4 older men came in for coffee and saw her feet sticking out. One said, OH A BABY! and whipped back the blanket to see the baby....you never saw so many men turn so many colours in your life. He could not apologize enough, and I couldn't stop laughing. Kate never missed a suck.

Fellas, never ever ever whip back the blankie to see the cute little baby. Well, I guess you could......Hail Caesar, we who are about to die salute you. Not many women would think it was funny like I did.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Rog Peek
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 04:32 PM

Anecdotal then BillD?

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: gnu
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 03:07 PM

Bob said, "Well having read your opinions I think it's fair to say, Opinions are like arseholes, everyone has one."

True Bob. In your case, that makes two.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Scoville
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 02:53 PM

Most women just throw a shawl or baby blanket over the process and get on with business. They should definitely NOT have to do this in the bathroom. How would you like to eat your lunch in the bathroom? Ugh.

Bob, get a life. And some therapy.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Bill D
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 01:54 PM

I suppose that would be different from INdecent songs, huh, Mick?

...and yeah...there is a fine line between just not trying to 'cover up' and being obviously exhibitionist about it. But the process OF making extra effort to hide the feeding is also calling attention to it. Some mothers are as conflicted about it as some men, I suppose.

My final opinion...if it ain't against the law, ignore it.

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Big Mick
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 01:33 PM

Has anyone written any decent songs about this?

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Breast feeding in public
From: Big Mick
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 01:33 PM

To me this is much ado about nothing. Bill D hit it on the head.

Bob, see a therapist to deal with your "Mother" issues. There is nothing more beautiful to see than a Mother connecting with her child in this way. Maggie had that part dead on.

Mick