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October 7, 2005, 12:42 pm PDT

Against Breastfeeding In Public

I'm sorry but the last thing that I need to see in public is a droopy, saggy breast with a child hanging off of it... especially in a restaurant!  Breastfeeding mothers are always saying "It's natural" to do this.  Well so is relieving ones self so does that mean that if I get the urge to take a crap in a public place I can just drop my pants and drop a load right there infront of everyone because it's "natural"?  NO!!!    Breastfeeding women need to understand that this appauls a lot of people.  In my opinion, these types of women expect people to have consideration for them but they're not willing to be considerate of others that don't approve of this.
 
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outsider1
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October 8, 2005, 8:29 am PDT

10/07 The Latest Debates

Quote From: dr_joy

Rude people are everywhere, including women who insist on baring their breasts in public on the flimsy excuse that they are breast-feeding, not giving a damn about kindness or respect for others. During my pediatric internship, I found that the women who refuse to show discretion when breast feeding in public are almost always small breasted when their breasts are not engorged with milk, and feel insecure/inhibited sexually. They use the excuse of breast feeding to show off their breasts in public because they can convince themselves that it this is a morally, if not socially, acceptable way to show off their new, bigger breasts. Those who are emotionally and sexually secure, and endorse public breast feeding do it with respect and modesty, acklowledging and respecting that some natural acts are not meant to be done with no restraint in public places, and acknowledging that the breast IS a sexual object, NOT just a source of food for infants. My compassion goes out to the women who are so psychologically challenged , they need to hide behind and use their babies to become sexual exhibitionists. There are plenty of socially acceptable venues to do that, and family restaurants are NOT socially acceptable venues. Farting and belching are equally natural parts of eating for all people, not just babies, and thank goodness most people are kind and respectful and don't just "let one rip" while they are eating in public, simple because it's natural process to pass gas from both ends while eating.    

  

Joy, M.D. 

Kudos to you Joy!!!  You hit the nail right in the head.  I strongly recommend all of the women who breastfeed in public(the ones that have no consideration for others, that is) to read this woman's message because sadly enough the vast majority of it is true.  If you want to be an exhibitionist then don't use your child as a reason to do so.  The best thing about this post is that it came from a doctor's point of view! 

  

Amanda 
 
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October 8, 2005, 8:44 am PDT

10/07 The Latest Debates

Quote From: rlb0504

I just for the life of me can not figure out why this is even a debate!!! Breastfeeding is as natural as having a baby so why do people get so up in arms over it? I nursed my son for a year and it was a wonderful experience. I nursed in public and people were never even aware that it was happening! It was funny to me that both the women on the show that were complaining about nursing in public and people disciplining their kids, did not have children themselves! It's much easier for them to say what should and should not happen when they have never experienced it themselves! And back to the breastfeeding issue, people say they are "offended" by it and that it is "disgusting" to see a nursing baby, but we live in a country where sex and nudity is in every magazine and all over tv. The female breast is okay to see in a bar but not when you're nursing a baby? Where is the sense in that?

Where is the sense in that?  I can tell you.  The breasts on TV look a million times better then the ones that have a child hanging off of it!!!   As for the woman who believed it was okay for her to discipline other people's children.  Many people would not feel that way if parents would get off their butts and discipline them themselves!  When I was little my mother never allowed me or my sister to behave the way so many children do today.  And why didn't we behave that way?  Because when we did something wrong we were disciplined for it because my mom didn't want a bunch of hell raisers tearing everything up when we went out in public.  If we did start acting up in public my mom or dad would take us straight home and the next time they went out, we were not allowed to go with.  My sister and I quickly learnt from that. 

  

Amanda 
 
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October 8, 2005, 2:54 pm PDT

10/07 The Latest Debates

Quote From: abstract

Too bad for you and your prudish son that arresting a woman for nursing in public is ILLEGAL in Wisconsin. 

  

Also, too bad for your son that you are too ashamed of your body to let it do what it does naturally. 

How can you say that this woman is ashamed of her body when you don't even know her?!  I think you're just angry at the fact that she, unlike many breastfeeding women, has consideration for others. 

  

Amanda 
 
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October 8, 2005, 3:06 pm PDT

10/07 The Latest Debates

Quote From: llimom

I live in FL and every year for bike weeks we have to deal with Biker babes riding around on the back of their boyfriends bike with their top off and showing off their boobs to the world if you want to get mad about indecency do something about that or about Hollywood who can't seem to make a movie with out showing someones bust. Leave the breast Feeding Moms alone who are Doing the best thing for their babies.  Don't look if it bothers you and be thankful some one feed you when you were a baby hopefully not in a bathroom either.

The I guess the same goes for the "biker babes".  If you don't like seeing them flash themselves then look away.  It goes both ways.  People shouldn't have to bend over backwards for mothers. 

  

Amanda 
 
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October 8, 2005, 3:18 pm PDT

10/07 The Latest Debates

Quote From: coldfeat

I wonder how many of those babies that died would have survived Hurricane Katrina if their moms had been breastfeeding.  how sad babies died because of no formula!!  I personally think EVERY mom should breastfeed!  but that's just MY opinion...

How can every mom breastfeed when there are women out there that cannot do this?  Are they suppose to just let their baby keep sucking in hopes that milk will come out? 
 
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October 8, 2005, 3:19 pm PDT

10/07 The Latest Debates

Quote From: chinook60

No one is saying that a mother shouldn't breastfeed a child, anywhere, anytime, anyplace. But be subtle about it. I breastfed both my children and managed to do it without infringing on others' rights. This is a beautiful moment for a mother and child, so is making love to your husband but I don't want to be a party to it while having lunch. If you think that men are walking by and looking at you feeding your baby, thinking what a wonderful beautiful thing, then you are mistaken. Men walk by and gawk because they are not seeing this as a beautiful moment, they are looking at your breasts because they are naked in public. This is only a sexual interest and I don't understand why you would want to share the beauty of feeding your child with men like this. My feeling is that if you are comfortable doing this in public while feeding your child, you shouldn't have a problem walking shirtless any other time. What is the difference? You may not think it is the same thing but in the eyes of the people who gawk, it is.

Why couldn't more mothers think the way you do? 

  

Amanda 
 
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October 9, 2005, 9:06 am PDT

10/07 The Latest Debates

Quote From: abstract

Because it's not about having consideration. It's about doing what's better for your children and leading by example. Perpetuating a stereotype that says that women who breastfeed should do so behind closed doors because it's "offensive"  is about as ludicrous to me as saying that women with noses should wear burquas so that men don't have a desire to rape them. 

I have no problems with women breastfeeding in public as long as they use a blanket to cover themselves and the baby.  The women that I have a problem with is the ones that don't even bother covering themselves.  You can still breastfeed a baby while covered up.  I've seen it done many times and these women never had any problems with it. 

  

Amanda 
 
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October 9, 2005, 9:17 am PDT

10/07 The Latest Debates

Quote From: rodell

Don't look.  How could something so natural be wrong????  Who decides what is wrong?  You????  Give me a break!!!  Why should I be exiled at home just because I choose to breastfeed.  If I were a smoker, should I be exiled to my home so I don't bother anyone else?  I don't particularly like any kind of smoke....cigarettes or cigars, so I stay away from it.  I don't tell people they don't have a right to go out in public.  It is not right for me to decide for them what they should or shouldn't do.  You must not have children or you would tell me I should pump.  When you do have children try finding the time to pump, get some sleep, feed your child, and change them and bathe them.  Get a grip and get over it.  It is only an issue if you make it one!!!!

If you were to ask people about this I'm sure many of them would say that you don't have to be "exiled at home" if you want to breastfeed.  Many people, including myself, are fine with women breastfeeding when they cover themselves up.  The baby is still eating if s/he is covered.  As for the breast pump.  One of my sister's friends had decided to breastfeed but when she went out to a restaurant she would use the pump before she left so when the baby got hungry she would simply ask for a cup of hot water to heat the bottle up in.  She never once felt inconvinieced by doing this. 

  

Amanda 
 
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October 9, 2005, 9:30 am PDT

10/07 The Latest Debates

Quote From: moiras

Dr Joy, 

  

It is too my dismay that you practice medicine, and have patients who listen to you.  I have 3 children, age ranges from 11 to 11 months, and not once has a doctor tell me I shouldn't breastfeed in public.  They have all encouraged to feed my child on demand.  I don't flaunt my breast for the whole world to see, but I also don't cover up like I should be ashamed of my act of feeding my child.  I am a nurse, and worked with doctors who encourage woman to breastfeed, not bottle feed for the health and well being of the child. I know in your training your were made aware of the benefits of breastfeeding over bottlefeeding.  I like the woman before me have large breasts, and plan on having breast reduction when I am through breastfeeding my children.  I am not FLAUNTING my breast for sexual pleasure for anyone, I am FEEDING my child.  My 11 yr old daughter thinks it is perfectly natural for me to breastfeed my 11 month old daughter, and is not the least be ashamed that I do it in public.  On occassion while out, she will hand her too me and tell my to feed my daughter.  As a "doctor" do you find this wrong too?  Breastfeeding in public and anywhere else in Texas 

What I would like to know is why you need to show your breast?  The baby is still eating if s/he is covered up.  That's why many people feel that women who just expose their breast while breastfeeding are flaunting themselves.  What I find very funny is that women wouldn't want their children to see bare breasts on television but it's okay to look at them if a child is hanging off of it?  A boob is a boob.  The only difference between the two is that the ones on television look better! *lol* 

  

Amanda 
 
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