Topic : 10/07 The Latest Debates

I agree with the long red haired comedian woman who said others should be able to say something to parents about a child's behavior.  I was so pleased to hear what Dr. Phil said about his son in the restaurant.  So many parents have gotten away from just pure politeness of removing children from public when being naughty.   

  

I have 3 children, and I do remove them when they are naughty.  Case in point, one time at the airport (international flight) this woman had her son (about 3-4 yrs) in the waiting area & the boy was just obnoxious.  He would rumage through other children's bags (honestly!), & when the other child's parent would remove the items from him & take back their own child's luggage this boy would scream nonstop at the top of his lungs!   

  

The mom was sitting next to me& just said calmly, "those are not your things.  The man had every right to take them away."  The boy kept screaming.  The mom actually attempted to make excuses for the child rather than do something about it.  I had enough & got up to move to another area, but not without commenting,  "you REALLY need the Super Nanny!"  The woman was appaulled, but not nearly as much as the rest of us passengers who thought, "Oh no!  we have to get on the plane with this kid!"   

I'm a new mom.  My daughter is 2 months old and I am breastfeeding.  Breastfeeding is proven to be better for our children yet it's perfectly okay for people to give their babies bottles in public but not breastfeed.  I agree that we can do it while trying to cover up but as a new mom sometimes it's hard to get it all down perfectly.  My husband is in the military and we are stationed in Germany which I guess I am grateful for b/c they couldn't care less here if you breastfeed in public.  Americans are the only ones to seem to have a problem with this.  I will get better at covering up while feeding  but I loved what the mom on the show said, "it is not my right to breastfeed, it is my child's right to eat when she is hungry!!"  This should not even be an issue!!

  

I think it is great that woman breast feed I have two older children 9 and 7 and I'm expecting my 3rd, I was unable to breast feed the first two. I am hoping I'll be able to breast feed this new baby when it comes, but I agree about breast feeding in public, I understand that when a baby is hungry that they need to eat but guess what there is a machine that will pump your milk so that you can put it in a bottle so that you can take the baby out with you. This seems like such an easy solution, I think those woman where all being difficult just to be difficult. By bottle feeding when your out in public, it is also not just left up to you to feed the child, this way you get to enjoy your time out to. Why that woman wanted to make such a big deal about being able to pull her breast out for everyone is beyond me. She is one person in a place of business, when she is breast feeding, why should everyone else be made to feel weird, and feel that they can't left there head up without having to see that woman's breast. Believe the baby won't mind if it gets a bottle instead of the breast every once and a while. 

The  segment on correcting other people's children in public really hit a nerve with me. It's too bad that there wasn't more time to spend on this one.  I agree that I wouldn't want some nut case correcting my kid.  

  

I don't think it's appropriate for a stranger to correct a child in public, unless it is a matter of safety where the kid is just about to do something dangerous that could cause harm or injury.  

  

When kids are way out of control in public and the kids are in other peoples spaces and faces in the grocery store or restaurant or where ever, I feel it is appropriate to go the parent or whoever is in charge of the kids and tell them that they need to regain control of their kids. 

  

I have been in restaurants with my wife and have had somebody's kids just running wild as if the restaurant was some sort of playground. In one case when we spoke to the mother and told her that her kids were out of control and disturbing us, the woman told my wife that she was fat and told us to go mind our own business. So not only were the kids out of control but the Mom was as well. 

  

Ouch -- what does this say about our collective manners and civility? 

1) I believe there should be a compromise on breastfeeding, the breastfeeding mom being as discrete as possible, covering up and/or repositioning herself, etc. 

2) I believe that condoms should be distributed in an acceptable way to all; either in vending machines w/mandatory sex ed and usage of condoms or leaving them in baskets in the nurses office and/or the sex ed class. And yes teach abstinence, revirginization and whatever can help these kids be successful in life. Let's face it when you were on the couch hot and heavy was your first thought birth control? LOL 

3) I was raised in the south where strangers do not correct other peoples children. However, when I see child abuse, I say something to the parent not too offending but to get the point across. It can be done. I'll never forget an elderly stranger saying to me that my son (18 mos) was too old for a pacifier when he had an oral fixation and it comforted him from a child's stressful situations.I was appauled! In a nut shell, people should not correct other people's kids, but maybe something in the order of my she has an awesome pair of lungs! (if she is screaming nonstop). 

I am a nurse who has helped over 5,000 mothers/babies learn to breastfeed over the last 20 ys. I am also a mother who has breastfed all 4 of my children. 

  

In 1994 I was part of a breastfeeding sit in at an area mall in Albany, New York  to support a mother who was asked to leave the mall for (discreetly) breastfeeding her 4 month old baby. All the TV news stations were alerted as well as the AP and local papers and came to document the "feed in". I asked my co-woker, Dr Michael Horgan, chief of pediatrics at Albany Medical Center Childrens' Hospital to make a statement to the media and he has happy to oblige. In his statement he noted that the efforts of the medical community to encourage and support breastfeeding can be negated by a negative public reponse such as this one that sparked the "feed in". 

  

As a community we have a responsiblity to support good health and the VERY first (and critical) step is the breastfeeding of our babies. The needs of children come before the needs of adults! Not only should we support public breastfeeding, we should encourage it and praise these mothers for their efforts to provide the best for their babies. Public breastfeeding is a wonderful role model for potential new mothers (sadly, still about 50% of American babies are not breastfeed). When the public says "out of sight" you also say "out of mind". 

  

As a direct result of that "feed in" the law in New York State changed to state that a woman has a right to publically expose her breast for the purpose of breastfeeding anywhere she has a right to be. (Oh, the power of women!) 

  

On a side note, I am currently serving on active duty with the USAF in Germany. The Europeans laugh at Americans for making this an issue. 

  

My final note to all mothers who are breastfeeding their baby---THANK YOU! Your baby is soooooo blessed :-) 

  

  

  

  

i am the mother of 2 small children.  my youngest is just 2 months old and i am a firm believer in breastfeeding being the best thing for my child.  i do not feel that it is my right to tell anyone else what they can and cannot do, but likewise, i don't want others telling me what to do.  i nurse in public when it is called for, but i always try to cover myself.  i don't feel it is right for me to make someone else uncomfortable because of the choices i have made as a mother, however, i don't think it is right for someone to infringe on my rights either.  if everyone would use a little bit of common courtesy this wouldn't be an issue.   unfortunatly, our society has turned breasts into sexual objects and tends to forget about what  God made them for.  I think it is sad that this is such a huge debate, because it is such a natural thing to do.  

  

to find out what the laws are in your state about breastfeeding in public, go to http://www.lalecheleague.org/Law/summary.html 

  

i hope this is helpful. 

How can you call yourself an advocate for breastfeeding and make a rude comment like that. 

I have seen many a breastfeeding mom and I have never in my life seen a woman just  "WHIP IT Out " as you say happens.  The only time I have ever seen a woman whip it out was in r rated movies with such material.  

I am in 100% serious doubt that any of these breastfeeding moms are feeding their children in public for the sheer joy of presenting herself just so.   

In fact I have meet many people in my day that do find deficating in public extremely funny, and quite enjoyable if I do remember.  

perhaps you shpould focus your attention on the people who are actually doing things that are offensive to the public...like 16 yr old girls walking around with skirts so short you can see neverland....I find that more OBSCENE then a BFing mom.  

  

But if you insist on whiping yours out by all means bring it on.....I for one will not find it obscene or offensive ..a little odd yes but offended no.  

I am all for  breast feeding in public....Never was asked not to...Never was asked to go to the rest room to do it, the i know someone that was....Not in this life would I feed my children in a bathroom.   

  

I am all for condoms in school...I would rather my children have the knowledge to use protection than not to. 

  

I also am all for disaplining other children IF they are in MY home and would expect my children to be if they are at someone elses. 

Where are all of you living that you have seen this show already?....Where I am it is on today friday at 5pm... 

reading all of your comments about the shows guests has gotten he all fired up to watch...I have been posting in this topic area for the last week .and it was getting pretty interesting.. 

Congrats to all you public  breastfeeding mamas who take no crap...