Topic : 10/07 The Latest Debates

I agree completely with this one! 

Why does this woman think Women who are breast feeding are doing it to be attractive?  Nice point, since she can't back her opinion up.  Obviously women breast feed because their child is HUNGRY, not to flash their goodies around to the men in the restaraunt or wherever. 

I'm not saying it should be popped right out there on purpose, but if it just so happens that she must do it in that spot, then so be it.  They're not trying to attract your attention, they're simply trying to feed their child in a natural way.  What's so disgusting about that? 

I agree with the woman not wanting to see women breast feeding in public.  I don't want to see it either.  If someone has a blanket, or is discreet, fine.  But otherwise, why do the rest of us have to see it?  The child at this point does not know where it is eating.  I think that this is not for the child's benefit but for the mother's benefit.  Yes, breast feeding is natural --- but so is using the restroom, having sex, and sticking a tongue down your partner's throat,  picking your nose etc.  I don't like to see any of these in public either.   

I have a totally different opinion on breast feeding than most people.  I feel that too many people breast feed for far too long;  a child does not need to breast feed for 1, 2, 3 years and beyond.  That goes far beyond the "health" benefits for the child; in my opinion, this is just for the mother's benefit.  (whatever that may be.)  I dispute the health benefits of breastfeeding too.  I have friends who have breast fed, and friends who haven't.  I can actually say that the ones who haven't breast fed have healthier children than the ones that did breast feed.   

I have actually seen children walk up to their mothers and lift up their shirt (in public) to breast feed.  If a child can do that, s/he is much too old to be breast feeding.  What benefit is it at that point?  

If someone wants to breastfeed, fine, but be discreet about it. I resent the people who try to make those who don't want to breastfeed feel guilty for that.  I've had discussions with people who have gone on and on to explain the virtues of breast feeding to me.  Don't bother; it won't change my mind.  It's not for me.   

The woman on the show who was for breastfeeding, and said she doesn't care where she does it.  That is being just as disrespectful to others as she feels other are being to her.   

LOL OMG you have obviously never breastfeed an active older baby!!!  Especially one that hates having anything touch his head.  It's not like I didn't try!  I was brought to tears during an outing to the Alamo in San Antonio, TX with my first son, trying to latch him on, keep us covered, not bring any attention to myself while he was screaming.  One of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me was the woman who came up to me that day and told me to ditch the blanket and just feed my child and then offered me a bottle of water.   

It is hard enough to breastfeed with out worrying about what other people think.  It is the RIGHT thing to do and the BEST food for babies.  Scientifically proven, period, end of story.  But for more mothers to be able to do this and more babies to be able to benefit, society needs to get over their own prudish behavior! 

I have a good friend of mine who is Muslim.  She wears the full cover except for a veil.  She breastfed all 3 of her children anytime, anywhere they needed to be fed.  I asked her about the modesty commandments of the Koran and she explained to me that breastfeeding was also commanded by the Koran and that doing so discreetly wasn't hard and she didn't need a blanket to do so.  I never so much as saw an inch of skin while she nursed.  So yes there are ways to do it without being a "show off', but it isn't my or your place to decide that for another person. 

The other day, my husband and I were at the grocery store.  A mother with four boys was trying to check out, but her children were running around, throwing coffee beans, and screaming.  Everyone was staring, snickering, or making comments to each other.  I went over, politely but firmly told the kids to knock it off and asked if their mother would want them to do that.  I then went to the mother and let her know what the kids were doing.  She thanked me, apologized to everyone, thanked me a few more times, and made the kids stand next to her.  It was a few seconds out of my day, I was not rude, and it helped her.  If she HAD been offended, I would have apologized I had upset her, but honestly, I would have felt it was her problem.  I only said what 15 other people wanted to, and I tried to be tactful.  

I have two kids and was very strict with them as to their behavior in public.  However, I can't always see everything they are doing, and if they are misbehaving and someone makes a comment to them (without yelling at them, calling them names, or being disrespectful) I have NO issue with it.  Since they are teenagers, it doesn't happen often, but it is embarrassing...to them...and they stop.