Observer Posted July 13, 2004 Posted July 13, 2004 Why should people "have to deal with it" I find it a little disconcerting that some women want to publicly display what after all is an intimate and personal function, albeit a natural one, in public. It's quite unnecessary, and smacks of attention seeking and self gratification by people who enjoy being the center of attention. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Intimate? Personal?? Attention seeking??? Please! We are talking about breastfeeding here aren't we and not pole dancing??? What is there for people to deal with exactly? You can't see anything other than a mother cradling her child, so the most you are complaining about is just the awareness of the mother feeding her child. Ooohh, shock and horror...... she isn't actually feeding her child amongst all that clothing is she??
Minnie Posted July 13, 2004 Author Posted July 13, 2004 Observer, do you have children? I think most women would agree that breastfeeding is a very personal, intimate act between mother and baby. Yes, it's a very natural act, but if a mother breastfeeding puts my children in a embarassing situation then I'm going to speak up and express my concerns, I'm afraid. If some people are uncomfortable with it they shouldn't have to deal with it and be forced to accept it, just because it's "one of the most natural things to do". I think it was Jay who said earlier that reproduction/procreation is also one of the most natural things human beings do, but we don't all go out shagging (excuse my crudeness!) in public. Just because it's a natural thing to do doesn't make it acceptable to do in front of joe public.
Observer Posted July 13, 2004 Posted July 13, 2004 I said earlier that I don't bring up my children to think the naked human body is a dirty, smutty thing or something to be embarrassed about......... blah blah My point is that some people, in particular children and especially boys approaching puberty, may find the act of a woman getting her boob out, whether its to feed her baby or not, quite embarrassing......blah, blah I don't find it embarassing personally, but my children might. If I had a friend with a baby who came to visit at my house I'd be quite disgusted if she started to feed her baby in front of me and my children without first asking if I minded her doing it. Of course I wouldn't dream of stopping her for a second but I'd rather my children were out of the room. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> And if your children are embarassed by it, can't you see that your attitude and conditioning may well have played a huge part in that? Send a child out of the room because a mother is nursing and what exactly do you think will be learnt?? You have just taught them that breastfeeding is something that should be hidden away. "Disgusted" is a very stong word and not one I would ever link with breastfeeding a baby. Perhaps it's you with an underlying issue rather than the nursing mother.
Ripsaw Posted July 13, 2004 Posted July 13, 2004 I am not completely against breastfeeding in public, but when mothers do it indiscreetly and blatantly in front of other people's children I find it inappropriate and I have a right to express my concerns and avoid my children from seeing this and being embarassed Why would children be embarassed about seeing a baby breatfeed, unless they had been taught that it was an embarassing action? I'm a man who wouldn't be the slightest bit bothered where or when a person known to me or not breastfed a baby. I applaud the women who can feed their child naturally without giving a toss about other peoples misguided stigmas and hang ups. Child comes first, ignorant adults come nowhere. I think those who do have a problem should take a serious look at what is important in life and stop being so inconsiderate to other people. It is only a problem to those who choose to make it a problem.
Ripsaw Posted July 13, 2004 Posted July 13, 2004 I find it a little disconcerting that some women want to publicly display what after all is an intimate and personal function, albeit a natural one, in public. It's quite unnecessary, and smacks of attention seeking and self gratification by people who enjoy being the center of attention. I am genuinely gobsmacked at that comment.
Jay Posted July 13, 2004 Posted July 13, 2004 a breastfeeding mother is generally very discrete and all you can see (if you actually look, most people look totally the other way) is the same amount of breast that you would see had the lady been wearing an evening gown (probably less actually!).<{POST_SNAPBACK}> It isn't the discreet majority causing the concern Static, it's those who just want to draw a reaction from people by being deliberately indiscreet, just because they can.
loaf Posted July 13, 2004 Posted July 13, 2004 If some people are uncomfortable with it they shouldn't have to deal with it and be forced to accept it, just because it's "one of the most natural things to do". I'd say the prime reason why some people are uncomfortable with it is because it is something you do not see every day. Personally, as long as the mother is comfortable with what she is doing, what is the harm done?
Observer Posted July 13, 2004 Posted July 13, 2004 Observer, do you have children? I think most women would agree that breastfeeding is a very personal, intimate act between mother and baby. Yes, it's a very natural act, but if a mother breastfeeding puts my children in a embarassing situation then I'm going to speak up and express my concerns, I'm afraid. If some people are uncomfortable with it they shouldn't have to deal with it and be forced to accept it, just because it's "one of the most natural things to do". <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Don't patronise me please...... Yes, I have three children - now aged nearly 11, 9 1/2 and 5 1/2. I breast fed them all (for at least the first month). I am not a burn your bra, tree hugging feminist with radical ideas. Curiously - none of my children (even the 11 year old) would be embarassed by breast feeding. Embarrassment is largely conditioning and they have not been conditioned to find it awkward. They would far more likely be fascinated in fact - and that would be a human interest pure appreciation fascination rather than a "Ooohh look, I can see a whole centimetre of her boob" fascination.
Minnie Posted July 13, 2004 Author Posted July 13, 2004 I said earlier that I don't bring up my children to think the naked human body is a dirty, smutty thing or something to be embarrassed about......... blah blah My point is that some people, in particular children and especially boys approaching puberty, may find the act of a woman getting her boob out, whether its to feed her baby or not, quite embarrassing......blah, blah I don't find it embarassing personally, but my children might. If I had a friend with a baby who came to visit at my house I'd be quite disgusted if she started to feed her baby in front of me and my children without first asking if I minded her doing it. Of course I wouldn't dream of stopping her for a second but I'd rather my children were out of the room. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> And if your children are embarassed by it, can't you see that your attitude and conditioning may well have played a huge part in that? Send a child out of the room because a mother is nursing and what exactly do you think will be learnt?? You have just taught them that breastfeeding is something that should be hidden away. "Disgusted" is a very stong word and not one I would ever link with breastfeeding a baby. Perhaps it's you with an underlying issue rather than the nursing mother. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> For a start, please don't judge me on the way I bring up my children. I am not saying breastfeeding is something to be hidden away, but if my son is uncomfortable about a lady having her boobs out then I'm going to do what I can to stop him from being embarassed. Many children approaching puberty would be embarrassed about the naked body, not because its the way they are taught, it's just the way some people are, some people are shy some aren't. I don't find the act of breastfeeding disgusting, but I would have a problem with a woman, in my home, in front of my children, not first asking if it's a problem with her getting her boob out to feed her child. I am certainly not patronising you, I merely asked a question which I felt was relevant to the topic.
Ripsaw Posted July 13, 2004 Posted July 13, 2004 For Jay and Minnie... Just For You Guys Maybe you'd like to comment on the article?
Minnie Posted July 13, 2004 Author Posted July 13, 2004 Why would children be embarassed about seeing a baby breatfeed, unless they had been taught that it was an embarassing action? Child comes first, ignorant adults come nowhere. I think those who do have a problem should take a serious look at what is important in life and stop being so inconsiderate to other people. It is only a problem to those who choose to make it a problem. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> It's not the act of breastfeeding that causes embarrassment, it's the baring of a breast that causes the embarrassment. People having views and opinions which differ from yours, Ripsaw, doesn't make them ignorant and inconsiderate. People not considering the thoughts of others around them is ignorant.
Minnie Posted July 13, 2004 Author Posted July 13, 2004 For Jay and Minnie... Just For You Guys Maybe you'd like to comment on the article? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> To be honest I don't see the point in your post. My problem is not with breastfeeding in public, if my children are uncomfortable with something I'd rather them not be subjected to it.
Observer Posted July 13, 2004 Posted July 13, 2004 Are they also embarrassed on the beach? Flicking through a newspaper?? Nudity on television??? I'm not judging your parenting skills - but you do contradict yourself in your posts fairly regularly with regard to what is embarrassing/disgusting etc.
Jay Posted July 13, 2004 Posted July 13, 2004 Maybe you'd like to comment on the article? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think it's A violation of the childs rights to be used for advertising purposes in this way. And I think it also highlights the question first asked here, is it appropriate? Do you think it's right to use a child in this way Ripsaw?
Minnie Posted July 13, 2004 Author Posted July 13, 2004 Are they also embarrassed on the beach? Flicking through a newspaper?? Nudity on television??? I'm not judging your parenting skills - but you do contradict yourself in your posts fairly regularly with regard to what is embarrassing/disgusting etc. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If they are embarrassed, so what? Many people are embarrassed by those examples. It's a whole new topic but nudity on television is unnecessary and I certainly wouldn't let my children see anything inappropriate. Point out where I've contradicted myself in this topic and I'll gladly take on board your point.
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