Topic : 10/07 The Latest Debates

Listen, all of you who are against public breastfeeding....too bad. Its legal. Therefore, I am going to feed my son anywhere I want. No, I will NOT go into the bathroom and no I will NOT go into my car. I am going to stay exactly where I am and feed my son. I feed my son at the zoo, I feed my son at a restaurant, I feed my son at the park...ect. I will feed my son wherever we happen to be when he is hungry. Yes, I try the best I can to make it discreet but thats not always possible. My son is not happy with a blanket over his head, and when its 90 degrees I am not going to make him. If you dont like it, dont look. I am not just popping my breast out and waving it all around.  

Bottom line is I am protected by the law with my decision to feed my son however and wherever I want. If you dont like it then I suggest YOU go into the bathroom or into your car until I am finished. 

Breast feeding moms are only trying to feed their infants and dont like being told how where or when they should do that.   

I never breastfed any of my three children.  But I can guarantee you had I, if someone had the audacity to try and tell me where when or how I should feed my child,  I would have pretty much the same reactions as these bf'ing moms. 

Imo, it is the non breastfeeding moms on this board whos opinions are unreasonable.    I think the majority of harsh views all come from the guilt placed on the non breast feeding moms.    I cant figure any other reason for all these messages going back and forth.  Moms seem to own enough guilt and when you start in on a debate such as this, the guilt flies and so do the harsh opinions.   

But thats just MY opinion!  :) 

There are many reasons why expressing milk to give in a bottle is NOT a reasonable option for a breastfeeding mother. 

1) The action of a pump is inferior to that of a nursing child's suction, and using a pump instead of a baby to remove milk can lead to serious supply issues for the mother. 

2) If a mother delays feeding baby at the breast to give exressed breastmilk, she may become engorged with milk, which is terribly uncomfortable and can lead to medical problems, such as a breast infection. 

3) Giving a bottle of expressed milk can cause nipple confusion in a baby, which can lead to problems latching on to the mother's breast, causing low supply and severe pain for the mother 

4) Many breastfed babies will not take a bottle. The action they must use to draw milk brom an artificial nipple is entirely different from that used to remove milk from a breast. 

5) Expecting a mother to do this, despite the many possible problems it may cause, sends the message to mothers that breastfeeding is a shameful act, undermining the fragile resolve of many new mothers.  

Please keep in mind that breastfeeding mothers and infants are doing the most natural, easy, and healthy thing for one another. It is the use of bottles and artificail baby milks that is unusual. I acknowledge that there are some mothers who are unbale to nurse their babies, and some who choose not to. I do not ask a bottle-feeding mother to turn away from me, nor do I give her a disparaging look when she bottle feeds in public. 

Let's have some mutual respect for one another. 

One I don't concider pumping a reasonable suggestion.  Next it is recommended that a nursing mother NOT introduce a bottle till baby is 4 to 6 weeks of age! Even then the child may refuse the bottle. As for making baby take bottle, what would people that think like that suggest? I tried to get some of mine to take a bottle, I allowed my child to cry and go with out nursing and kept offering the bottle, had others offer the bottle and after about 5 hours of crying and my child not eating, I decided that my child was not going to be put through that anymore. I continued to offer bottles in hopes that he/she would take it at some point, some of mine did when they were older, but I had 2 that just would NOT take one.  

I totally agree a nursing mother should be discreet, but I also think discreet does NOT mean taking it to a private place. I nursed discreetly in public places and I never exposed myself or flashed anyone. It can be done discreetly! And just because options work for one person, does not mean it will work for everyone. As a mother I have to chose what is best for my family and me. I do always try and take inconcideration others feelings, but in the end my family comes first and if that means on the off occasion I have to nurse in public, I will do so...DISCREETLY! 

The only way anyone will see my breast is if they come pull my baby off and stick their face in my chest and if they do that, seeing an exposed breast will be the least of their worries. 

I knew because my breast were engorged and yet nothing came out!!!! Do you not ware breast pads to prevent any leakage? I didn't have to because I did not have any leakage. NOTHING came out! So no I couldn't have even though I really wanted too. The point was is that you shouldn't assume to know everyone's reasons for choosing to bottle or breast feed. Again you assumed to know my reasons and were way off base. If you are able and choose to breast feed then by all means you should. It will benefit you and your child. But if you can't or choose not to breast feed then you and your child can still benefit. I held and bonded with my children during bottle feedings just as if I would have if I were breast feeding. I held them and sang to them just the same. That was a personal choice. Because I do realize that some parents make the choice to bottle feed for the wrong reasons.  

So please tell how you can say in one sentence that less then 1% of women can't breast feed end then say in another sentence that "There is probably no reason at all why you couldn't have breastfed. It's hard sometimes... but if you had really wanted to, you could have." Did it ever occur that just maybe I was part of where research has concluded that 1% figure from? 

I think the b/f mother on the show was not willing to compromise at all. BUT pumping is not always an option. First off it is recommended that a nursing mother NOT introduce a bottle till baby is aleast 4 to 6 weeks of age, to make sure moms milk supply is well established and baby does not have a problem with nipple confusion and even then baby may refuse the bottle. I had 2 that would never take a bottle and yes I tried and tried and tried, they just would not have it they would cry for hours and not eat!! 

I also agree both sides need to be flexible and respectful!! I nurse in public  when I have to. I always try to plan outings around feedings, but that just does not always work. When I did/do nurse, I was discreet! So is nursing discreetly concidered being flexable and respectful? 

I feel that many of the b/f women on this board are willing to be flexiable and respectful, but not to the point they have to hide to feed their child. From what I have read they all want to feed their child when and where they need to, but they also say they can cover up 'well most of them do'. I think they are offended that even with the covering up, some people are still saying go elsewheres. JMO 

I am going to be blasted for this. I think that parents of kids whose behavior is extreme in public should be arrested for child neglect. 

What is extreme you may ask? 

1.   In a store. Tearing things up. Cursing. Screaming. Hitting their parents. 

           Why? 

If this was an adult they would be arrested. 

Yes I do have kids. Five and Four. At home, it's no holds barred. In public, you will behave. You are doing your child a disservice by allowing them to behave in a manner that is not appropriate. 

No I do not want to discipline your children, thats your job. How ever you see fit. Time out, whuppins, revoking rewards, what ever.  

We should teach our children that there is a time and place for everything and they should be respectful of others. 

Even though I do not want to discipline your child I will redirect them.  

2.   If your child is kicking my chair I will politely ask them to stop. If this continues I will speak to the parent.