breast feeding

[SmileMon]

Hi,

I'm not sure its the right place, but after all the discussions here, I feel relatively safe to ask.

I've read a "news item" that a mother tried to breast feed in a t-shirt store got kicked out because of it - roughly translated the guy said is "its not nice during a holiday".
I will have to add that during jewish holidays - especially in Israel - the "world stops", during that time people try to avoid driving, turning on lights, cooking, lighting fires and all sorts of customs taken from two thousand years ago.

its in a different language so I'm not posting the link.

I'm wondering what is the american ladies opinions about breast feeding in public? Is it acceptable by society? is it something you would choose to do? will you go to your car, turn on the AC and do it there? will you let the baby cry until you're done shopping? assuming its a clothing store, will you ask the owner if its allright with him/her? will you step into a semi private mesuring room and do it there? the options are endless...

 

[DA Aquamaster]

It's an ADA requirement for employers to provide a suitable location for lactating mothers to breast feed/pump.

But that also basically underscores that it is not socially acceptable in many areas of the country to do it in public.

 

[WasWild]

Interesting that a man posted this question...No offense, I'm just wondering why.

I remember sitting on the toilet in a public restroom (eew, cleanliness?) just so I could feed my sobbing, hungry infant son.

Our society is warped in that it has taken the very basic biological need of feeding one's young and made it into a crime if not done "discretely" and out of public view.

Where I live, people are so conservative that they would get angry even if a mother was "properly" covered while feeding her child. At the same time, there are those who criticize mothers for choosing not to breastfeed their children. You just can't win.

 

[do it easy]

I think it's fine. It not seen very often around here, although I do know some mothers that have breastfed in a somewhat private room in a restaurant. I think she was wearing some sort of sweater or shirt that had a large flap so that once she got everything going, she could cover up, although I wouldn't be offended if she didn't.

 

[The Kraken]

I completely agree with you, WasWild.

The most wonderful thing that can take place between a mother and her infant and our society condemns it.

We are very convoluted in our concepts of what is fitting and proper in society.

the K

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

I think it illustrates just how warped our society has become.

The Australian band, "The Church," had a great lyric, some years ago:
Wear a gun and be proud but bare breasts aren't allowed in this city...

*sigh*

 

[genxweb]

My fiance breast fed our daughter and though she did not try to do it in public there where times when it was the only option (tough she did cover up with a towel), many people are very considerate of situations like that though you will always have the pervert starring or a snicker or two from some one.

 

[WasWild]

Genx,

We're from the same geographic area. Very conservative around here. (I live just west of Harrisburg.) Maybe things are slowly changing for the better? I hope so!

Trish

P.S. Thanks for the link to the PA Dive site.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Our society is warped in that it has taken the very basic biological need of feeding one's young and made it into a crime if not done "discretely" and out of public view.

Where I live, people are so conservative that they would get angry even if a mother was "properly" covered while feeding her child. At the same time, there are those who criticize mothers for choosing not to breastfeed their children. You just can't win.

Personally, in the area where I live I think the attitude against breast feeding has a lot to do with very male dominated extremely conservative values. For example, many people in this area of the country still have problems with the idea of working mothers - even though we have the lowest per capita income in the nation and we have 4 of the 5 poorest counties in the nation, facts that force 85% of our mothers to work whether they would choose to do so or not.

Another issue is I think just plain sexism. Some men just don't like to acknowledge the practical and functional aspects of breasts and/or get hung up on breasts as being purely sexual.

If it's any consolation, the ADA does not consider a restroom to be an adequate space.

 

[The Kraken]

My wife, daughter and I were down in St. Petersburg last end sitting at the pool at our condo.

A young mother was poolside soaking up some sun and had her baby with her (an absolutley darling little girl). The baby became fussy, so the mother, with no great fanfare, simply lifted her child to her breast, unceremoniously draped a towel over the infant, and proceeded to feed her.

I can remember, as a very young boy growing up in the south, when mothers would breast feed their young without covering at all. We thought nothing about it.

Times change, don't they?

the K