Should a woman have the right to breastfeed in public?

1. 70

   Silver Fishposted 12 years ago

   Should a woman have the right to breastfeed in public?

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2. 57

   jhunpalerposted 12 years ago

   Yes, breastfeeding areas should be provided in common public places like malls etc. breastmilk is morr nutritious compared to formula milk hencr it shouldnt be prohibitred. Providing a quiet and privatr place for breastfeeding would be helpful to both mother and child.

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3. 60

   honeybee2uposted 12 years ago

   Yes, the baby's welfare is important and the mother should provide the basic need for nutritional food for the baby, especially for the first 4 months after birth.  Babies, especially newborns, should have unrestricted access to their food.  It is not about the woman but the baby, thus there should be no restriction on where the mother should breastfeed the baby.  The woman should be allowed to breastfeed in public places such as parks, malls, train stations, airports, or anywhere, when the baby needs food.

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4. 72

   kwade tweelingposted 12 years ago

   I feel I must answer this with a question (or three).
   
   Should anyone be allowed to eat in public?
   
   Should babies be allowed to eat in public?
   
   If babies are allowed to eat in public, choosing what is okay for them to eat is a little like choosing what the rest of us are allowed to eat in public. ie, none of your business. Or is it only okay for the rest of us to eat fast food in public and not a home made sandwich?
   
   Honestly, this fear of the female body makes me laugh. And pity the state of our society that we will make and enjoy saw 8, but it's not okay to breast feed in public.

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5. 61

   nightwork4posted 12 years ago

   yes they should. why it bothers people is beyond me. my wife breast feeds and i don't care where she does it. obviously a little modesty is needed but other then that, it shouldn't bother anyone. we eat in the open, why can't a baby?

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6. 0

   Larry Wallposted 12 years ago

   If a woman wants to breast fee in public, I have no objections. She can do it modestly, with a blanket or towel to provide a degree of modesty. I think most women would like some privacy. I have a relative who was breastfeeding in the Living Room, I happened to walk in and sit down. When I realize what she was doing, I left. I was not shocked or embarrassed, I was just trying to provide a degree of modesty.
   
   I once worked in an office where we had three women who were all pregnant at the same time. I learned more about birthing babies than I needed. All of them talked that would breast feed in public. After giving birth, they wanted that time to be private and special.

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7. 60

   sen.sush23posted 12 years ago

   In Indian villages, people are quite accustomed to women breast feeding in public; neither the mothers, nor the male in the society, or anyone finds it inappropriate or surprising. As a teenager, and being city bred, I usually saw women retire to a separate room and feed babies in private. When our new neighbor from a remote village, happily fed her baby sitting near the window, in view of the entire neighborhood, it was a bit too much for me. That was because of my own inhibitions with my body. As I grew I realized that it was natural, and beautiful of human or animal mothers feeding their little ones. But true, children may get distracted during the feeding by too much movement or noise, and so it is good if there is a separate room where the mother and baby can be more relaxed. It is not the right of the mother only, it is the right of the child too to be fed when he/she is hungry.

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8. 83

   LauraGTposted 12 years ago

   Absolutely yes!  I love Kwade's response below. When I was nursing, I was sad to see so many mom's cover up, even when just with other nursing moms!  Nursing should be celebrated - it's good for mom and baby. People who don't like it can look away!

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9. 61

   darrensurreyposted 12 years ago

   I don't see the problem with it. I've seen women do it in restaurants. It didn't stop me eating and I'm sure I didn't put the baby off eating.

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10. 71

    donnaisabellaposted 12 years ago

    There is no country in this world where breastfeeding mothers are as inhibited as here in America. In my country mothers feed their babies openly on buses, in restaurants, work places and wherever they wish. It is allowed and not frowned upon because the child is more important to people than the boobs. People will notice a hungry fretful child but hardly a woman's breasts. Sometimes it is natural that women would like to cover their boobies when feeding a child but most of the time it is quite uncomfortable for the baby even if it is okay to do it. I have never felt more guilty and awkward feeding my baby than America made me feel. God gave me natural food carriers that are both sanitary and just the right fit for my baby, why do those who want money hand me artificial bottles and man engineered formulas? They cast a sexual spotlight on boobs, trick women into believing their breasts are only acceptable as sexual objects; get them pregnant and commercialize a formula to get more money from them! It is disturbing.

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11. 60

    smzclarkposted 12 years ago

    Definately! But they are allowed right? It's just frowned upon. I was breastfeeding my baby a few years ago...at the hospital, with a pashmina covering everything but her feet and I got some of the worst looks of disgust (and no, they weren't looks of confusion) that I never did it again; It was frustrating always having to find somewhere private; I hardly went out until I'd stopped.

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12. 59

    Eliminate Cancerposted 12 years ago

    Yes!!  It's a natural thing, are we supposed to pretend that it's not?  Are we supposed to promote breast-feeding as health, but then make it difficult for people to do.
    
    I don't understand the risk?  Are we worried that people will be aroused by seeing the breast?  Most women are discrete, and if it is around enough, people will view it for what it is.  We all think it's cute to see nursing puppies, I don't know why we would worry about seeing a nursing human.

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13. 82

    Becky Katzposted 12 years ago

    I breastfed all three of my children in public and most people didn't even know I was. It is possible to be discreet while breastfeeding. I just wore loose blouses and allowed it to drape down around the baby that I was feeding. No one could see a thing. With that being said, it is very much our right and duty to feed our baby any time they are hungry, wherever we happen to be.
    They were all three healthy, well-fed babies who never got sick. My sister fed hers formula and they have always been sickly and overweight. My sons are now 6'5" and 6'6", weighing between 200 and 225 with none of it being fat. The fats are easier for your baby to digest and therefore not setting them up to hold onto the fats in their bodies for the rest of their lives. My daughter is a teen and still growing but she is 5'10" and slender, not skinny.

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14. 81

    junksellerposted 12 years ago

    Anytime, anywhere she pleases, even if she has to strip nude to do so. It's just a boob, you'll get over it. It's one of the best things we can do for children. The way we have restricted it is a tragedy.

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15. 61

    Der Meisterposted 12 years ago

    Yes, and it shouldn't be as big of a deal as it is. I mean, if it bothers you so much then why are you staring? Look somewhere else.

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16. 61

    OKSara1982posted 12 years ago

    Yes a women should be able to, not only is it natural and best for the baby, some parents can't afford formual.
    
        If a women can't breast feed in public then a man shouldn't be able to itch/adjust himself in public.

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17. 61

    rlahaposted 12 years ago

    Of course! Breastfeeding is a very natural process and if the baby is hungry, the mother should not deprive the baby of being able to get nutrition whenever the baby needs it.  If the mother is out somewhere, and the baby is hungry, the mother should be able to feed the baby wherever she is.  I don't think that stores and restaurants should ban/disallow breastfeeding.

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18. 68

    aidenofthetowerposted 12 years ago

    I normally stay shy away from all of these discussions and debates because it is amazing at how venomous some people can be on breastfeeding and bottle feeding discussions. However, here's the truth...
    
    A baby should have the right to be fed anytime that he or she is hungry. In fact, a baby should be fed right away when they are hungry. A woman, even a mom, has the right to go anywhere that she wants. Therefore, if she is breastfeeding she has a right to do it where ever she is because her baby needs to eat. Period. People argue about whether or not it is indecent, but the truth is unless you are really staring at her you aren't going to see much. If you are staring at her then it is really you who has an issue.

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19. 96

    rajan jollyposted 12 years ago

    This is a very good question. I think this a basic right of a woman. She does not and should not have to ask or be answerable to anyone whether or not she can breastfeed her child anywhere.
    In villages, in most Asian countries women are less literate and have no inhibitions breastfeeding her children. Even women in cities who come from villages are seen breastfeeding their child in public. Education has made us very narrow minded in this respect. Only one with a sick mind can see sexuality in a mother breast feeding her child.

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20. 70

    Silver Fishposted 12 years ago

    Thank you for your comments. In my country Scotland- we have very specific laws to allow a baby to be fed milk in a public place. In England, and indeed many other countries the law is not so clear.
    Even recently in Englad wome have been thrown out of cafes, off buses and out of shops for breastfeeding.
    Many people still frown upon babies being breastfed in public.

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21. 56

    kdawsonposted 12 years ago

    Of course.  Should we make  hungry babies suffer for this Calvinist sexual repression we suffer under?  Whoever finds a woman feeding a baby a turn on should look to himself.

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