Why do people get embarassed about public breastfeeding?

Wafaa79

I have no children yet but I am totally ok with public breastfeeding. Many of my friends / family do it. However, they all were subjected at one point or another to comments such as “no one wants to see your tits”, “yes it’s natural but so is peeing, you don’t see me doing it publicly” and my personal favourite “do I whip out my di**?””. I must point out that criticism comes as much from women as from men.
So what’s the deal there? Did such people really forget that the main purpose of breasts is to feed a child and not just for sexual entertainment?
Funnily enough, the same people aren’t so shocked when nudity is used to sell you a perfume or when you see women wearing very revealing clothes to go clubbing. Double standards, much?
I must point out that I have my own body issues and I am not the type to be super comfortable with my own nudity but I don’t get offended when I see other women’s flesh. I am pretty sure also that when I have kids, I will breastfeed them whenever they need to be fed, being in my own home or in public.
I understand that going to the bathroom, having sex etc are also natural things pretty much everyone (me included) would expect you to do in private but I still think they cannot be compared to feeding a hungry child.
In a society such as ours, where nudity became so mundane, I find that hard to understand why some people get offended for catching a glimpse of a breast and therefore expect a woman to hide to feed her baby.
What are your thoughts?
PS: this post is not about promoting breastfeeding. I won’t lie, I personally believe that breast milk is the best you can give to your child and if I can avoid bottle, I will.
But at the end of the day, it’s a personal choice and I don’t judge people for not doing it. It’s your opinion on public breastfeeding that I am interested in.

username123

Im all for it, but certainly people can choose to do something in a discreet manner or they can choose not to. I have seen both the former and latter and the latter comes across as a bit attention seeking (whether that attention be negative or positive).

It doesnt seem to be all that accepted in our society though, its a rare sight at all.

Wafaa79

username123 wrote: »

Im all for it, but certainly people can choose to do something in a discreet manner or they can choose not to. I have seen both the former and latter and the latter comes across as a bit attention seeking (whether that attention be negative or positive).

It doesn't seem to be all that accepted in our society though, its a rare sight at all.

I agree, I don't think a woman should flaunt her breasts either, there is of course a happy middle. What bothers me is that people would rank public breastfeeding as indecent exposure.
I feel also that lots of women feel insecure about their choice of not breastfeeding and will consider public breastfeeding as women rubbing it in their face. They can therefore get defensive about it.
Of course, it goes both ways, I don't think it's fair for a woman who makes the choice of breastfeeding to talk down to a woman who doesn't.

eviltwin

I know a few people who don't like the idea of public breastfeeding but I've been out with these people in the presence of breastfeeding mothers and they haven't even noticed.

I think some people think breastfeeding means you have your boob out, kinda the way you see women doing it on the ads for baby milk, but of course most women can do so in such a way you would only see a woman holding a baby. And tbh I don't blame them for thinking that, breastfeeding isn't on most people's radar and its not really talked about so you can't blame them for not really understanding how it can be done.

Personally I am all for breastfeeding, I never breastfed my child in public because I just didn't feel very comfortable about it but I admire those who do. There should be more support for mums who choose to do it, sadly its not really seen as a priority though.

Lyaiera

I always thought I wouldn't be bothered about someone doing it near me. Then someone I was playing a game with started breastfeeding her child and I wasn't bothered by it at all. In fact I was surprised how unbothered I was. The little fella was hungry, so he fed and was charmingly quiet for the rest of the game. It seemed like the most normal thing on the planet, which I guess it is.

monflat

Hi

I have b/f my two and will do on third.
However any women I have seen b/f or myself I have never seen em fflashing a bit of boob for the sake of it.

I think onlookers if u may call them that have more of a problem with it than the mother themselves.

If it is proven to have great health benefits I don't c whu people have an issue with it.

Wafaa79

Wafaa79 wrote: »

I have no children yet but I am totally ok with public breastfeeding. Many of my friends / family do it. However, they all were subjected at one point or another to comments such as “no one wants to see your tits”,

Don't fcukin look at them so...

IvyTheTerrible

People can get as worked up about public breastfeeding as they like, women have a legal right to breastfeed in public and that's all there is to it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you'd see more boob exposed by a young wan out on a Saturday night than you would by a breastfeeding mother.

username123

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you'd see more boob exposed by a young wan out on a Saturday night than you would by a breastfeeding mother.

You would, and two of them to boot!

Chattastrophe!

Having spent a lot of time in the company of new mothers and babies in the last few months, since having my son, I can honestly say I don't bat an eyelid at someone breastfeeding in my company. It's the most normal natural thing in the world. Nothing to get awkward about.

And I hate this thing that people seem to think the mother just whips her boobs out! It's not like that! Very often I'd be chatting away to a mammy and then realise that she's started feeding her baby and I hadn't even noticed.

ElleEm

I am very pro breastfeeding, and the rare time I notice a woman doing it in public, I have to resist the urge to give her a "well done"! I suppose it is just that you read so many horror stories about women being banished to toilets to feed their kids or having negative comments made to them that I love when a woman has the confidence to essentially say "my baby is my priority, f* you!" to society. I have a friend who is breast feeding at the minute, and it took her about four months before she would feed in public (and not run to her car or rush home to feed). I really admire her for it, although when you are in the presence of a breast feeding mother, you realise how stealthy they can be. I don't know many women who would be happy just getting them out for the world to see.

Wafaa79

eviltwin wrote: »

And tbh I don't blame them for thinking that, breastfeeding isn't on most people's radar and its not really talked about so you can't blame them for not really understanding how it can be done.
.

I really agree that there is still a lot of ignorance linked to breastfeeding and it is a real shame. Hundreds of years ago, it was completely normal to b/f or get another woman to do it for you.
Not to fall into conspiracy theories but the dairy industry is also quite powerful and won't obviously encourage women to use their own milk

kylith

[QUOTE=Wafaa79;90485063
So what’s the deal there? Did such people really forget that the main purpose of breasts is to feed a child and not just for sexual entertainment?[/QUOTE]
Basically, yes. Breasts are, for a lot of people, purely there for sex so displaying them for non-sexual purposes is, to them, something abnormal.

Personally when I have kids I intend to breastfeed and anyone who tries to stop me can get fooked.

meeeeh

I breastfed both until it suited me (about 5 months), sometimes in public. Nobody actually mentioned anything to me. I had absolutely no problems doing it, so whoever the idiots are they are not in my circle of friends.

Addle

I don't think mothers should breast feed at a time or place they wouldn't bottle feed.
Eg. Sitting in a supermarket shopping aisle, in a queue to sympathise at a funeral home, or a public swimming pool edge.

IvyTheTerrible

Addle wrote: »

I don't think mothers should breast feed at a time or place they wouldn't bottle feed.
Eg. Sitting in a supermarket shopping aisle, in a queue to sympathise at a funeral home, or a public swimming pool edge.

Why? Would you prefer the baby roaring from hunger?

Chattastrophe!

Addle wrote: »

I don't think mothers should breast feed at a time or place they wouldn't bottle feed.
Eg. Sitting in a supermarket shopping aisle, in a queue to sympathise at a funeral home, or a public swimming pool edge.

I don't think a tiny baby should be denied breastmilk (their most natural source of food) at any time or place.

e.g. in a supermarket shopping aisle, in a queue to sympathise at a funeral home, or at a public swimming pool edge. Or anywhere else.

I say this as a new mother who isn't breastfeeding.

What's your reasoning?

username123

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

I don't think a tiny baby should be denied breastmilk (their most natural source of food) at any time or place.

e.g. in a supermarket shopping aisle, in a queue to sympathise at a funeral home, or at a public swimming pool edge. Or anywhere else.

I say this as a new mother who isn't breastfeeding.

What's your reasoning?

Personally I wouldnt bring a tiny baby who might need to be fed to a queue in a funeral home and Id step outside the queue if I was going to feed a baby under those circumstances. Funeral home queues are painful for those doing the receiving so Id be all about being quiet and discreet and not getting in the way etc.. Nothing to do with breastfeeding tbh, just funeral ettiquette (id be the same if I was on crutches (getting in the way) or needed to use a mobile phone). A baby doesnt have to be denied, a mother can simply step out of the queue.

I wouldnt recommend breastfeeding in the chlorine filled atmosphere of a public swimming pool at all but for anyone who wants to - go right ahead. Supermarket queue - people think its ok to run their business and social lives from mobile phones in supermarket queues - a feeding baby is hardly going to matter.

lazygal

I fed my first till she self weaned at one and I'm feeding my second right now.

I can't be arsed being discrete or whatever crap people demand of some women who are feeding their children. I don't bother draping my children with cloths or covers or worrying about what so and so might think of me using my body to feed my child. I'm not flaunting myself or showing off, I'm feeding and I'm not going to modify how I feed because someone thinks I'm doing it for attention. Breastfeeding is handy, I'm too lazy to be bothering with bottles and sterilizing and formula90% of the time. I don't get why or how anyone has any opinions on me feeding my children milk from me. And no I don't have my breasts on display or think I'm turning anyone on when I unhook my non sexy breastfeeding bra and latch baby on.

lazygal

I fed my baby during a funeral, a few weeks ago. No one even realised I had him with me until we were chatting afterwards.

eviltwin

Addle wrote: »

I don't think mothers should breast feed at a time or place they wouldn't bottle feed.
Eg. Sitting in a supermarket shopping aisle, in a queue to sympathise at a funeral home, or a public swimming pool edge.

why not?

Addle

It's just my personal opinion.
I've never seen carers whipping out bottles in the same situations.

IvyTheTerrible

Addle wrote: »

It's just my personal opinion.
I've never seen carers whipping out bottles in the same situations.

Because the babies weren't hungry when you saw them in those situations.

username123

I suppose one of the reasons for embarrassment about public breastfeeding is simply because there isnt enough of it, so some people see it for the first time and are simply embarrassed at what they naively perceive at inappropriate public nudity?

I know the first time I was ever in a "locker room" (it was at Rainbow Rapids, I was about 12 or 13) I was totally shocked to see a naked adult woman - it simply wasnt something Id ever seen before, I was in a mixed school that had no showers, didnt participate in any team sports that led to seeing other girls change, and we were private about covering the body in my home growing up. So i was shocked, and embarrassed.

These days you could bend over in front of me naked in the gym changing room and I wouldnt even notice you because I am so used to seeing other women in various stages of undress in the gym.

So, maybe if we had a lot more public breastfeeding, people would be a lot more comfortable with it!

lazygal

Addle wrote: »

It's just my personal opinion.
I've never seen carers whipping out bottles in the same situations.

Do you view breastfeeding women as whipping out anything?

Addle

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

Because the babies weren't hungry when you saw them in those situations.

I've been in the company of a mother who has waited 'til her shopping was complete to feed her baby in the coffee shop in the supermarket.
It wasn't necessary for her to obstruct an aisle to feed a baby the very second she thought it was hungry.

I'm not a mother so it's not something I've ever had to personally consider doing. I've been in the company of people in all sorts of situations who have to feed their children, be it by bottle or breast. But I do feel that there are some belligerent mothers out there who are purposely indiscreet just to make a point, and I think that's uncalled-for and pointless.

username123

Addle wrote: »

But I do feel that there are some belligerent mothers out there who are purposely indiscreet just to make a point, and I think that's uncalled-for and pointless.

Theres always defiant a-holes in every walk of life.

Addle

lazygal wrote: »

Do you view breastfeeding women as whipping out anything?

Not when achieved discreetly.

lazygal

What point are they making? Breastmilk is.digested more quickly than formula so babies need to be fed on demand, especially during growth spurts in the first 12 weeks.

Addle

lazygal wrote: »

What point are they making? Breastmilk is.digested more quickly than formula so babies need to be fed on demand, especially during growth spurts in the first 12 weeks.

I really don't believe that a feed is so urgently required that a mother has to plonk herself on the floor in a public venue to satisfy her child's appetite. If she kept walking about with her baby,to her chest no one would have batted an eyelid.
She purposely created a fuss and only drew negative attention on herself.

lazygal

Addle wrote: »

I really don't believe that a feed is so urgently required that a mother has to plonk herself on the floor in a public venue to satisfy her child's appetite. If she kept walking about with her baby,to her chest no one would have batted an eyelid.
She purposely created a fuss and only drew negative attention on herself.

What was the fuss? You have a negative view of her, maybe everyone else just saw a mother feeding her child. Why should a breastfeeding women need to be discrete and what do you think constitutes being discrete?

Neyite

Addle wrote: »

I really don't believe that a feed is so urgently required that a mother has to plonk herself on the floor in a public venue to satisfy her child's appetite. If she kept walking about with her baby,to her chest no one would have batted an eyelid.
She purposely created a fuss and only drew negative attention on herself.

But if she had ignored a screaming baby she would have gotten the judgemental looks too so she cant win.

I was always very shy about my chest. But when I breastfed I fed in public, and I did it because I refused to be shuffled off to a smelly loo or cluttered broom cupboard for fear that delicate snowflakes would glimpse a bit of boob.

Because I think its fucking ridiculous that breastfeeding mothers are made hide away when our newsagents are filled with magazines like Loaded, Playboy and their ilk in full view, when nearly every TV series shows bare breasts on a nightly basis, where its a non-issue to see topless sunbathing on our continent, where our newspapers have page 3 'models', where, if I jumped up on a pub table and bared my boobs I'd likely get a finger wagging from a bouncer amidst the catcalls from blokes, where as long as it seems breast-baring in public is for the purpose of male titillation, its grand to get them out, but if its for a different purpose, to satisfy a more natural need then we supposedly are disgusting exhibitionists, we are flaunting ourselves and doing it for attention.

So as long as Charlene, 23*, can get her tits out while commenting on current affairs, so can I.

username123

Neyite wrote: »

But if she had ignored a screaming baby she would have gotten the judgemental looks too so she cant win.

I was always very shy about my chest. But when I breastfed I fed in public, and I did it because I refused to be shuffled off to a smelly loo or cluttered broom cupboard for fear that delicate snowflakes would glimpse a bit of boob.

Because I think its fucking ridiculous that breastfeeding mothers are made hide away when our newsagents are filled with magazines like Loaded, Playboy and their ilk in full view, when nearly every TV series shows bare breasts on a nightly basis, where its a non-issue to see topless sunbathing on our continent, where our newspapers have page 3 'models', where, if I jumped up on a pub table and bared my boobs I'd likely get a finger wagging from a bouncer amidst the catcalls from blokes, where as long as it seems breast-baring in public is for the purpose of male titillation, its grand to get them out, but if its for a different purpose, to satisfy a more natural need then we supposedly are disgusting exhibitionists, we are flaunting ourselves and doing it for attention.

So as long as Charlene, 23*, can get her tits out while commenting on current affairs, so can I.

I dont think Addle is getting at any issue to do with showing breasts (I could be wrong Addle, please feel free to correct me) but more about negative attention seeking by making an ordeal out of something that could have been achieved discreetly.

I understand completely what she means, I attended a wedding where a lady walked into the empty reception area and dragged a chair over to face directly onto the oncoming crowd of guests AND partially block the door and began to breastfeed. There were dozens of other seats available that didnt actually block up the doorway or put her in full view of everyone arriving but that is how she chose to feed her child. A bar man asked her to move the chair as she was causing a blockage and she attacked him for daring to suggest a breastfeeding woman should hide away.

eviltwin

username123 wrote: »

I dont think Addle is getting at any issue to do with showing breasts (I could be wrong Addle, please feel free to correct me) but more about negative attention seeking by making an ordeal out of something that could have been achieved discreetly.

I understand completely what she means, I attended a wedding where a lady walked into the empty reception area and dragged a chair over to face directly onto the oncoming crowd of guests AND partially block the door and began to breastfeed. There were dozens of other seats available that didnt actually block up the doorway or put her in full view of everyone arriving but that is how she chose to feed her child. A bar man asked her to move the chair as she was causing a blockage and she attacked him for daring to suggest a breastfeeding woman should hide away.

Seriously how many women do you see breastfeeding with an agenda? I've never seen it.

I think that the problem is that if a woman is breastfeeding discreetly you wouldn't even notice it, I've only become aware of it myself since I was breastfeeding my own child. Most of the time you wouldn't even glace twice at her so maybe people think the women who are a bit more open about it are the norm.

Either way I can't see what the problem is regardless of what way a woman is doing it, if you don't like it just turn away, why is breastfeeding not okay but a girl on the cover of a lads mag with her boobs hanging out is okay Breasts are meant to feed babies after all.

Addle

lazygal wrote: »

What was the fuss? You have a negative view of her, maybe everyone else just saw a mother feeding her child. Why should a breastfeeding women need to be discrete and what do you think constitutes being discrete?

I do have a very negative opinion of her.
Some mothers choose the tops they wear in the knowledge that they will have to feed their child at some stage and want to do it as discreetly as possible.
There's an industry devoted to such clothing.
Some don't as a choice. They are looking for attention as far as I'm concerned.

pwurple

Addle said the woman 'plonked herself on the floor' in a supermarket aisle. Sounds like she blocked the place up.

Women can feed without blocking people's paths. That's just common courtesy.

I don't actually think that's common with breastfeeding though, I've never seen it myself. I've seen it with plenty of other people... Smokers who block doorways, people with headphones on oblivious to being in everyones way standing at the door of the bus, buggies, umbrellas held too low jabbing everyone else in the eyeball.

I have seen someone breastfeed IN a swimming pool, which I thought was odd with the chlorine, but that's her choice. Didn't bother me, wasn't in anyones way. She had another child in the pool with her, so probably couldn't leave them on their own to go wash the chlorine off.

My own experience, I never breastfed in public. I was using shells and shields, had some issues with an infection and was trying to pump after the baby fed, so was not confident managing all that while out and about. If I had gotten it going properly I would have loved to though. So awkward to bring bottles around and controlling their temperature.

Ps, the tops thing? Those special tops are a bloody fortune. I had one, it got puked on a few times... You'd need about 50. Who can afford that? Normal clothes work just fine.

Neyite

username123 wrote: »

I dont think Addle is getting at any issue to do with showing breasts (I could be wrong Addle, please feel free to correct me) but more about negative attention seeking by making an ordeal out of something that could have been achieved discreetly.

I understand completely what she means, I attended a wedding where a lady walked into the empty reception area and dragged a chair over to face directly onto the oncoming crowd of guests AND partially block the door and began to breastfeed. There were dozens of other seats available that didnt actually block up the doorway or put her in full view of everyone arriving but that is how she chose to feed her child. A bar man asked her to move the chair as she was causing a blockage and she attacked him for daring to suggest a breastfeeding woman should hide away.

My post was only partly in response to Addles - the first paragraph. The rest was my own views.

I take your point - much like smokers who hog entrances and make it difficult for people to get in or out give all smokers a bad name, so too will the breastfeeders that stand out for reasons such as that. But you get that in all walks of life - how many times have you seen a crowd of eejits in a bar with a corral of barstools making it impossible for people to get by? So I dont see it as the activity that is the issue, its a personal lack of awareness for those around you. That same woman is likely to be the very gobsh!te who gets off a bus/escalator and stops in her tracks, preventing the people behind her going about their business, or take her time at traffic lights meaning she is the only one who gets through the junction before the lights turn red. She is just one of those people.

eviltwin

Addle wrote: »

I do have a very negative opinion of her.
Some mothers choose the tops they wear in the knowledge that they will have to feed their child at some stage and want to do it as discreetly as possible.
There's an industry devoted to such clothing.
Some don't as a choice. They are looking for attention as far as I'm concerned.

Why should a woman invest money in special clothes for breastfeeding just because people like you have a problem with it?

Addle

lazygal wrote: »

What was the fuss? You have a negative view of her, maybe everyone else just saw a mother feeding her child. Why should a breastfeeding women need to be discrete and what do you think constitutes being discrete?

The fuss was that she blocked shelves and made customers walk around her rather than move a few feet to a seating area.

username123

eviltwin wrote: »

Seriously how many women do you see breastfeeding with an agenda? I've never seen it.

God knows, that was an unusual one alright.

eviltwin wrote: »

Either way I can't see what the problem is regardless of what way a woman is doing it, if you don't like it just turn away, why is breastfeeding not okay but a girl on the cover of a lads mag with her boobs hanging out is okay Breasts are meant to feed babies after all.

The problem is nothing to do with how a woman is breastfeeding and everything to do with someone just making an unnecessary nuisance of themselves.

I dont really care what activity someone is involved in, if they block up the doorway or hold up a queue or cause an unnecessary obstruction/commotion at a funeral or any other inappropriate social behaviour I think I am entitled to express my opinion that they are being a nuisance, breastfeeding or not.

The point is, breastfeeding is not a get out of jail free card to be a public nuisance, obviously there are places that are not appropriate - like holding up a queue or blocking a doorway.

eviltwin

Addle wrote: »

The fuss was that she blocked shelves and made customers walk around her rather than move a few feet to a seating area.

So it wasn't a breastfeeding issue at all then....same woman could have caused the same obstruction to take a phone call

Addle

eviltwin wrote: »

Why should a woman invest money in special clothes for breastfeeding just because people like you have a problem with it?

Sure why wear clothes at all? Because most people don't want attention drawn to them.

pwurple

Addle wrote: »

Sure why wear clothes at all? Because most people don't want attention drawn to them.

Ah come on now. Have you priced those special breastfeeding tops? It's unrealistic to expect people to wear them all the time.

eviltwin

Addle wrote: »

Sure why wear clothes at all? Because most people don't want attention drawn to them.

But why should a woman have to buy special breastfeeding tops when she doesn't need to? Just because some people get all precious about seeing a breast being used for what it was intended. You can look away you know.

Addle

eviltwin wrote: »

So it wasn't a breastfeeding issue at all then....same woman could have caused the same obstruction to take a phone call

But I know the same woman wouldn't have done it to make a call.
She's a militant breast feeder. SHE (not breast feeding) just pisses people off.
It's the likes of her attitudes and behaviour I have an issue with, not breast feeding.
I tend to not like the actions of anyone when unnecessarily forced upon me.

username123

eviltwin wrote: »

But why should a woman have to buy special breastfeeding tops when she doesn't need to? Just because some people get all precious about seeing a breast being used for what it was intended. You can look away you know.

I dont see anyone getting precious. I see a couple of posters, myself included, stating that not every public place and situation is appropriate to breastfeed and other posters aggressively challenging that view using the strawman that its all natural.

eviltwin

username123 wrote: »

I dont see anyone getting precious. I see a couple of posters, myself included, stating that not every public place and situation is appropriate to breastfeed and other posters aggressively challenging that view using the strawman that its all natural.

It is natural though. There is no excuse for rudeness ie blocking a door but that kind of woman is the extreme, the vast majority of women who breastfeed don't want to draw attention to themselves, they just want to get on with it without anyone looking or passing comments.

Neyite

I dont see why there has to be a caveat though. That its ok to breastfeed if she is discreet.

Breasts are everywhere - nearly every tv series that I saw had them out - Sopranos, Sex and the City, The Tudors, Game of Thrones, True Blood and loads and loads more. Magazines have boobs all over the place. Boobs sell crisps and beer, and swing votes in Eurovision song contests. And they were not one bit discreet.

Why is it ok to not be discreet in nearly every other reason for breast-baring, but not while feeding a baby. I just dont get that.

meeeeh

Addle wrote: »

Sure why wear clothes at all? Because most people don't want attention drawn to them.

I never bought one item of clothing that was made specifically for breastfeeding. I still didn't need to take of all my clothes to feed a child. That is just nonsense. As are those blankets or whatever they are. Sure people can use them if they want but really there is f*ck all on show for anybody to see.

Yes breastfeeding mothers can be a nuisance as can be anybody but that is because they are ignorant not because they are breastfeeding. The whole breastfeeding issue annoys me. When you get pregnant HSE gives you about gazillion brochures that have all the same breastfeeding info, copied from the same publication. Of course you get the original publication too. From the start it is considered this big deal and breastfeeding mothers can feel either smug or uncomfortable depending on the situation. And bottle feeding mothers can feel inadequate or even fear the whole breastfeeding process because such a big deal is made out of it. What about somebody just telling people that once you master it it is by far the simplest way of feeding your child. I bottle fed after I went back to work and it is so much more hassle. And yet we tell expectant mothers that breastfeeding is hard work, that everybody will frown at them when in fact very few people are actually bothered about it. And those people are probably bothered about everything anyway and should be ignored. /rant off

Addle

meeeeh wrote: »

I never bought one item of clothing that was made specifically for breastfeeding. I still didn't need to take of all my clothes to feed a child. That is just nonsense. As are those blankets or whatever they are. Sure people can use them if they want but really there is f*ck all on show for anybody to see.

Yes breastfeeding mothers can be a nuisance as can be anybody but that is because they are ignorant not because they are breastfeeding. The whole breastfeeding issue annoys me. When you get pregnant HSE gives you about gazillion brochures that have all the same breastfeeding info, copied from the same publication. Of course you get the original publication too. From the start it is considered this big deal and breastfeeding mothers can feel either smug or uncomfortable depending on the situation. And bottle feeding mothers can feel inadequate or even fear the whole breastfeeding process because such a big deal is made out of it. What about somebody just telling people that once you master it it is by far the simplest way of feeding your child. I bottle fed after I went back to work and it is so much more hassle.

How much would you save on the cost of formula by breast feeding?
And can the amount of energy you save by not having to disinfect bottles be measured?
For those practical reasons alone, I can't understand why anyone would choose not to breast feed.

IvyTheTerrible

Addle wrote: »

How much would you save on the cost of formula by breast feeding?
And can the amount of energy you save by not having to disinfect bottles be measured?
For those practical reasons alone, I can't understand why anyone would choose not to breast feed.

Because breastfeeding doesn't work for everybody.

Also, ya know, some people get judged.