Breastfeeding in Public places

Mr_Red

Story Here

Lou Burns said she burst into tears when staff members at the five-star venue asked her to cover herself and her baby with an oversized napkin in order to avoid “causing offence” to other guests.

The mother-of-three was enjoying afternoon tea in the main Tea Room on Monday when the incident happened.

Ms Burns, who is married to actor Nick Burns - best known for the comic character Nathan Barley, told The Evening Standard waiters rushed over and covered her when she began feeding her daughter.

Im not sure if I disagree with the Hotel here.

Opinions?

BoJack Horseman

Mr_Red wrote: »

Story Here



Im not sure if I disagree with the Hotel here.

Opinions?

Mrs BoJack has a couple of light shawls for breastfeeding in public.

The kid doesn't mind so it works fine.

Its just about choice, if you don't want to use a shawl, don't.
But no harm being cognisant of those around you.

BMJD

I'd tell the waiter to fook off, not that my man boobs are much use at anything.

Honey Monster

Breast feeding is grand as long as your a woman. I get awful looks.

_Brian

God bless we have become easily offended, and down right prudish in our outlook on life.. This woman was doing something natural and the hotel seemed ashamed..

Duggy747

I don't mind if a woman breastfeeds in front of me.

It's when she refuses to top my coffee with a few drops I find disrespectful...

Pumpkinseeds

If you know you're going to a restaurant why not just express some milk into a bottle and bring it with you? I can see both sides of the argument, but some women make a point of being as obvious as possible about the fact that they're breast feeding, as though it's some sort of marvelous achievement. Women have been breastfeeding since time began, surely it's not too much to expect that a woman not whip a tit out in Claridges for goodness sake?

Fuzzytrooper

I have no issue with breastfeeding in public - my first bambino arrived a couple of weeks ago so maybe that's changed my opinion. HOWEVER...if it is going to cause offense then I think it's not unreasonable to ask the mother to use something to cover up a bit. Some places flat out refuse to allow you to breastfeed at all I believe. My wife has a special sheet/cover designed for just such an occasion which she carries along with the baby's nappies etc. If needed she can pop it on and feed away.

I'm surprised that a 5 star hotel didn't handle the issue more sensitively though. They could've had a quiet word. From what you quoted, it looks like their reaction may have drawn more attention to the breastfeeding. Although I wouldn't be surprised if its been blown out o proportion.

hoodwinked

i am conflicted,

i am pro breast feeding,

and if some one was doing it in public i'd just avert my gaze /carry on with my day, wouldn't bother me....

but if someone i knew was doing it right in front of me i'd be like "eww put them away"

Mary63

They should have supplied mother with a burka to cover herself and breast feeding baby.

I really cannot stand these in your face mothers,put it away,we dont need to know all about you and your baby especially when your baby is walking.

These babies are always called Phoebe or Fabian or other horrible names and you always hear them before you see them,Mum and Dad answer their stupid questions incessantly as if they and they alone are the most clever being to get up on two legs,seriously ****ing irritating in supermarket queues. It would be better if once in a while the children could be told to give their tongue a break as their chatter is so stupid,teachers then might be actually able to teach them in school.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

If the child needs to be fed then I don't see why it's a big issue once the lady is discreet about it. It's a completely natural thing to do, and babies get hungry. I wouldn't eat my dinner in the bathroom so wouldn't expect a baby to either.

It's not a woman's fault if others are such delicate flowers that they're offended by the human body.

KomradeBishop

Nothing wrong with it really, but it's something that for many who are not used to seeing it, it will trigger a "wtf?" surprised reaction - which is to be expected, but doesn't mean it's ok to get offended by.

Penny Tration

Has anyone actually looked at the photos of this lady? You can barely notice she's breastfeeding without the massive napkin they made her use. With it, it's very obvious what she's doing. Aside from that, apparently nobody in the restaurant actually complained.

Why the fcuk shouldn't she breastfeed in public? It's not a sexual act, she's doing nothing wrong and tbh, you see just as much exposed breast on a walk down O'Connell Street.

ash23

I don't think it's too much to ask for a woman to cover up a bit while feeding. When I was breastfeeding I had a light muslin cloth that I draped over my shoulder, covering my chest (not the babys face) so that it just looked like I was cuddling the baby to me.

I truthfully don't like it when women don't at least try to be discreet. I've sat across from people who didn't even realise I was feeding. At home I would have no bother whipping my boob out but I would be more discreet in public to be considerate to other people.

Looking at that photo though, she was lifting her top from the bottom so it isn't at all "in your face" and the restaurant were out of line.
I was more thinking about someone who pulls their top down to breastfeed, ergo giving a pretty big eyeful.

SEPT 23 1989

Its the most natural thing in the world to see a mother feeding her kid

people are very easily offended

jester77

It amazes me that anyone could in anyway be offended at the sight of a baby being fed. There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeding a baby, it's what breasts are there for.

The problem is with those who somehow think they are being offended. They should just f*ck off back to their cave if something like that is going to offend them.

Hogzy

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Its the most natural thing in the world to see a mother feeding her kid

people are very easily offended

The hotel staff or the woman? TBH i think both are creating an issue over nothing.

Big deal she was breast feeding...perfectly natural to do etc etc.

Big deal she was asked to cover up...Shes not in McDonalds, she is in a restaurant in a 5 star hotel.

The whole thing is PC gone mad.

Mary63

I was sprayed once by someone breastfeeding,I was sitting in front of her at a talk.

It was absolutely disgusting.

Breastfeeding in public with covering yourself also puts other women especially younger ones off breastfeeding,this is a pity as breastfeeding is important or so we are always being told.

I dont think it makes a whit of difference.

jezzer

i'm all for birds getting their jugs out but there is a time and a place and it can cause offence, not everyone wants to be in the vicinity of somebody getting their baps out regardless of what they are doing it for

Yeah_Right

I am a big fan of women getting their breasts out in public. I think more of them should.








As long as they are hot

anncoates

Personally, I'd like to see society being able to deal with a pair of tits being used for their original purpose without being offended.

That said, it's a private premises so it's their call to ask her to cover up or use expressed milk so she should go along with their wishes.

Have to say though, you'd have to wonder at the type of uptight fcuking gimp that would actually complain about somebody breastfeeding.

Turtyturd

Hogzy wrote: »

she is in a restaurant in a 5 star hotel.

Obviously new money or she would have had the nanny do it.

WellThen?

God im sick of hearing "it's a natural thing". So is taking a ****. Just go somewhere else and do it whats the big deal. Why should i have to look at that while im eating my dinner.

Eggonyerface

Why isint this thread fill of Nathan barley quotes yet? Peace and ****ing

Chucken

Mary63 wrote: »

I was sprayed once by someone breastfeeding,I was sitting in front of her at a talk.

It was absolutely disgusting.

What?

wilhelm roentgen

Bollocks to anyone who is offended by breastfeeding. That is what boobs are for!!. How can you be offended by a hungry child eating what is the most healthy and natural thing for him/her, and not be offended by seeing a 2 year-old walking around with a can of Coke and a Big Mac!!

Satriale

WellThen? wrote: »

God im sick of hearing "it's a natural thing". So is taking a ****. Just go somewhere else and do it whats the big deal. Why should i have to look at that while im eating my dinner.

Why should i have to look at you shoveling food into your gob? Go do it in private, it's disgusting.

Chucken

I cant believe it's 2 years since this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=81540070

IvyTheTerrible

Fuzzytrooper wrote: »

I have no issue with breastfeeding in public - my first bambino arrived a couple of weeks ago so maybe that's changed my opinion. HOWEVER...if it is going to cause offense then I think it's not unreasonable to ask the mother to use something to cover up a bit. Some places flat out refuse to allow you to breastfeed at all I believe. My wife has a special sheet/cover designed for just such an occasion which she carries along with the baby's nappies etc. If needed she can pop it on and feed away.

I'm surprised that a 5 star hotel didn't handle the issue more sensitively though. They could've had a quiet word. From what you quoted, it looks like their reaction may have drawn more attention to the breastfeeding. Although I wouldn't be surprised if its been blown out o proportion.

It's against the law to refuse to allow a woman to breastfeed in a public place, it's a European law.

And people comparing breastfeeding to taking a ****e, cop on.

You see more exposed tit on a young one on a night out than from a mother breastfeeding.

kylith

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

If you know you're going to a restaurant why not just express some milk into a bottle and bring it with you? I can see both sides of the argument, but some women make a point of being as obvious as possible about the fact that they're breast feeding, as though it's some sort of marvelous achievement. Women have been breastfeeding since time began, surely it's not too much to expect that a woman not whip a tit out in Claridges for goodness sake?

Well, as women have been breastfeeding since time began you'd expect people to have gotten over it by now.

Breastfed babies often have difficulty drinking out of a bottle, and vice versa, because of the difference in shape and texture between a nipple and a rubber teat.

I wouldn't like to have to eat lunch with a stuffy cover over my face, and I don't see why a baby should either. None of my SiLs used to cover the baby and you still wouldn't have known that they were breastfeeding. When I see a woman breastfeeding I don't think WTF if I can see a bit of boob skin, I think 'oh, there's someone breastfeeding'.

I'd have told the waiter to give the napkin to whoever complained so they could put it over their own head so as to not get upset by anything they saw.

Donkey Oaty

Eggonyerface wrote: »

Why isint this thread fill of Nathan barley quotes yet? Peace and ****ing

Appropriately enough, Nick Burns also starred in a stage production of "Much Ado About Nothing".

And "The Bill" (£75 per person plus service for the current Christmas Afternoon Tea menu at Claridges).

ash23

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

You see more exposed tit on a young one on a night out than from a mother breastfeeding.

That's not strictly true. Depends entirely on how the woman feeds. You will rarely see nipple on tv before the watershed or on a woman in a low cut top. However, some women who breastfeed freely show their entire breast, including nipple and I think that is where people get a bit unsettled.

anncoates

WellThen? wrote: »

Why should i have to look at that while im eating my dinner.

I find using my neck muscles to turn my head away from the offending breasts to be of innumerable benefit in these situations.

fedor.2.

Mary63 wrote: »

They should have supplied mother with a burka to cover herself and breast feeding baby.

I really cannot stand these in your face mothers,put it away,we dont need to know all about you and your baby especially when your baby is walking.

These babies are always called Phoebe or Fabian or other horrible names and you always hear them before you see them,Mum and Dad answer their stupid questions incessantly as if they and they alone are the most clever being to get up on two legs,seriously ****ing irritating in supermarket queues. It would be better if once in a while the children could be told to give their tongue a break as their chatter is so stupid,teachers then might be actually able to teach them in school.

that's one bitter and miserable post. no offence, but you sound horrendous

kylith

WellThen? wrote: »

God im sick of hearing "it's a natural thing". So is taking a ****. Just go somewhere else and do it whats the big deal. Why should i have to look at that while im eating my dinner.

Have you tried not looking? It's not obligatory.

Taco Corp

WellThen? wrote: »

God im sick of hearing "it's a natural thing". So is taking a ****. Just go somewhere else and do it whats the big deal. Why should i have to look at that while im eating my dinner.

Look at a baby feeding? What's so bad about it? Do you eat in front of others?

wes

Hotel were wrong, babies need to eat, and there is nothing wrong with a mother breast feeding them. If people are offended by this, then they need to get out more or something.

kylith

ash23 wrote: »

That's not strictly true. Depends entirely on how the woman feeds. You will rarely see nipple on tv before the watershed or on a woman in a low cut top. However, some women who breastfeed freely show their entire breast, including nipple and I think that is where people get a bit unsettled.

Big feckin' whoop. Do these people get unsettled by topless men on the beach, or their own nipples when they're getting undressed?

WoollyRedHat

Mary63 wrote: »

They should have supplied mother with a burka to cover herself and breast feeding baby.

I really cannot stand these in your face mothers,put it away,we dont need to know all about you and your baby especially when your baby is walking.

These babies are always called Phoebe or Fabian or other horrible names and you always hear them before you see them,Mum and Dad answer their stupid questions incessantly as if they and they alone are the most clever being to get up on two legs,seriously ****ing irritating in supermarket queues. It would be better if once in a while the children could be told to give their tongue a break as their chatter is so stupid,teachers then might be actually able to teach them in school.

dark crystal

I wonder how many of the poor traumatised patrons had to get out their smelling salts and dainty fans at the sight of this woman blatantly using her sexual playthings to feed a hungry baby. How dare she do such a thing in polite company.

I do declare, it's shocking carry on altogether. Shocking.

anncoates

Maybe it's me, but I've also never seen a woman strip down to the waist, tits akimbo, when feeding a baby in public. You'd have to be lo looking pretty closely to see enough by which to be offended.

Satriale

Chucken wrote: »

What?

that post reminds me a bit of this lady...

DeadHand

Is the sight of a boob really that upsetting?

Women should be allowed to feed their children where and when they want, within reason.

Just avert your eyes, live and let live.

ash23

kylith wrote: »

Big feckin' whoop. Do these people get unsettled by topless men on the beach, or their own nipples when they're getting undressed?

I wasn't saying that I personally have a problem with it but I was just pointing out that it's not true to say that a low cut top is the same as breastfeeding etc.

Some people don't like seeing other peoples breasts. Simple as.
Some women are not at all subtle about their breasts when they feed.

There are extremes in everything. Some people will be offended by a small bit of nudity and some won't have a problem with any nudity. Most of us fall somewhere within this scale. Personally I've no issues with discreet feeding showing a bit of breast but I'm not comfortable with women who aren't at all discreet about it. I probably wouldn't complain but I wouldn't be comfortable with it either and I've no problems with my own breasts. I wouldn't want a man with no top on sat next to me at dinner either or a woman with a very low cut top......I don't discriminate in what I'm comfortable with.

Most women are discreet. The woman in this story was being discreet. I suppose I just don't think that saying women should try to be a bit discreet is something that should be frowned on completely. A certain level of decorum should be expected. It's rare but I have seen women who aren't at all discreet and yes, I'd prefer not to see that thanks.

Pumpkinseeds

What I found annoying about the story was the fact that it made it onto the English news. I mean ffs, it's hardly a news worthy story, possibly she thought she'd get some sort of freebie from Claridges if she made enough of a fuss about it. Again, I can see both sides of the argument for breastfeeding or not breastfeeding in public and I really don't think that it's unreasonable to express milk and bring it to a restaurant. Having said that most of these discussions end badly as many breastfeeding mums tend to be quite militant about it.

All said and done, it's a bit like 56 year old Madonna whipping her boobs out for a nude photo. Some people will think 'Jaysus, put them away already, nobody wants to see them' others will talk a lot of sh*te about it being great.

dark crystal

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

All said and done, it's a bit like 56 year old Madonna whipping her boobs out for a nude photo. Some people will think 'Jaysus, put them away already, nobody wants to see them' others will talk a lot of sh*te about it being great.

No, it's nothing like that at all....

IvyTheTerrible

I tried expressing but it was very difficult.
Should I have just stayed at home until my baby was weaned off breastmilk?

Also, I hear people saying "Oh I don't mind women breastfeeding if they are discreet, but some women just whip out their breasts". I've never ever seen a woman breastfeeding and making a show of "whipping out" her breasts. I must be going to all the wrong places. :rolleyes:

Mary63

I think the hotel were totally correct and they should firm up on the unruly children misbehaving too.
Why should my nice quiet sunday lunch be spoiled by screaming children expected to sit too long,who takes a two year old to a restaurant at lunchtime and orders wine which they sip and enjoy while other peoples lunches are spoiled by loud brats who should be on the swings in a playground.

Staff then say nothing because they dont want to cause offence,its just so bad for business.

Mary63

No,Ivy,cover your self up or go to the toilet or go sit in your car or else go where the other breastfeeding mommies hang out.

Don Kedick

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Its the most natural thing in the world to see a mother feeding her kid

people are very easily offended

Masterbating is one of the most natural things in the world but you don't see me doing it in public. Unless women are looking at me through their windows the big perverts.

IvyTheTerrible

Mary63 wrote: »

No,Ivy,cover your self up or go to the toilet or go sit in your car or else go where the other breastfeeding mommies hang out.

Would you eat your lunch in the toilet? You think it's ok to feed a baby with an undeveloped immune system in a public toilet? Right so.