Utilitarian Boobs

[Clodfobble]

Recently, BabyTalk magazine released an issue with the below cover image, which generated over 700 letters to the editor, making it the most controversial issue ever. More information on the controversy can be found here, including this gem of a quote:

..."It's not like women are whipping them out with tassels on them," she added. "Mostly, they are trying to be discreet."

I'll admit it--I feed my kid in public all the time. Off to the side and covered with a blanket, but it's still pretty obvious what I'm doing if you happen to glance over. Did you (or your wife) bust out in public, or were you too embarassed (or perhaps not embarassed, but sensitive to offending others)?

[Griff]

Pete did it discreetly in public all the time. I really don't get the problem.

[Flint]

If you have a problem with breastfeeding then you are a sick, sick fuck and should be shot in the fucking head. The end. It's natural. You did it, we all did it. If you can't see a female breast without sexualizing it then you have issues. I'm talking to you, John Ashcroft.

[glatt]

There's public, and then there's public. If we were at a playground a park or something, my wife would have no problem breastfeeding. Toss a cloth diaper over the shoulder and it drapes down. No problem. Even without a cloth, the baby's head covers everything anyway.

But I can see how doing it in church or maybe at a restaurant table might cause some ruffled feathers.

A little discretion, and it's fine in public. Most mom's aren't going to want to breastfeed during a board meeting anyway.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by glatt

ruffled feathers

The same way that the Taliban got "ruffled" at female children being allowed to go to school? The same way that in some parts of Africa people get "ruffled" at the idea of a woman getting to keep her clitoris? I say: fuck them. They can get over it.

[glatt]

Actually, I didn't mean it that way at all.

[9th Engineer]

Flint, you're going on a tangent there. Not wanting to have images of a baby breast feeding while you're eating is understandable. Someplace like a movie theater or airplane where you can't always control proximity would be another inappropriate place to nurse. The mother needs to be considerate of the people around her in certain environments just as people in a park or public open area should be considerate of the mother. Please don't tell me you honestly think asking a woman not to suckle her baby in an inapproprate location is the same as locking her in a house or circumcising her.

[richlevy]

I remember driving my wife to her surprise wedding shower. My dad and I were the only men in the room at the restaurant. One or more of my cousins were breastfeeding at the table.

I'm not much of a drinker, but I believe that I did end up out at the bar.

[jinx]

Mothers have the right to feed their babies everywhere mother and baby have the right to be. If you don't like it, you can leave.
Everytime a mother offers a bottle instead of the breast she is one step closer to weaning. I haven't read the article, but I hope it pointed out at least some of the benefits of not weaning too soon, there are so many.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by 9th Engineer

Not wanting to have images of a baby breast feeding while you're eating is understandable.

No, it isn't. Not to me. I don't understand it - not even a little bit. Breatfeeding is natural and healthy.

Originally Posted by 9th Engineer

Someplace like a movie theater or airplane where you can't always control proximity would be another inappropriate place to nurse.

It doesn't matter where you are. If you have a problem with breastfeeding then it is your problem. It is a natural, healthy thing.

Originally Posted by 9th Engineer

Please don't tell me you honestly think asking a woman not to suckle her baby in an inapproprate location is the same as locking her in a house or circumcising her.

The very idea that there is an "inappropriate location" for breatsfeeding is repulsive to me. Of course, it isn't on the Taliban-level of female repression, but it sure as hell springs forth from the same backwards-ass belief system. Defining the act of a mother feeding her baby as "inappropriate" (and expecting her to cater to your mental hang-ups!) is sick, sick, sick. I can't be any more clear about it than that. I disagree with you 100%.

[BlacKat1980]

Originally Posted by glatt

But I can see how doing it in church or maybe at a restaurant table might cause some ruffled feathers.

Aren't churches family places? And we all eat at restaurants, why can't our babies. Like it was mentioned earlier, it's not like ladies are "whipping" them out swinging with tassles or yelling out for people to have a good old perve. It is done quietly and discreetly. If people are embarrased at seeing a baby have a meal then they should stay away from places where babies are "allowed" to.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by glatt

A little discretion, and it's fine in public.

I wish you had taken this message from my post. I'm in favor of breastfeeding, and would like more moms to be doing it for longer, and feel free to do it in public.

However, while I can imagine a discreet breastfeeding in church being just fine, I can also imagine a feeding in church being less than discreet and being distracting, taking attention away from where it belongs. You wouldn't eat a pizza in church would you? There's a time and place for everything. Also, I was imagining a fancy restaurant when I wrote that part about restaurants. It's really a moot point, because people typically don't bring babies to fancy restaurants. But I think a baby should not be fed at the table in a fancy restaurant. There is a certain atmosphere that others are expecting, and a breastfeeding baby doesn't fit in with that expectation. Unhealthy food aside, a mom breastfeeding in McDonalds would be just fine.

With a minimal amount of discretion, breastfeeding in public is just fine, and I support it.

[BlacKat1980]

If people are distracted from the sight/sound of a baby feeding while in church then they probably weren't really concentrating in the first place. Babies decide when they are hungry, which is more distracting-a screaming hungry child or a woman with a baby attached to her breast for twenty minutes? I know of a few churches in my area that actually have a room where they can see and hear the whole service from and can sit with babies/children who might be noisy or causing distraction (because lets face it, kids hate sitting quietly for an hour or more!). Why should mums have to miss out on socialisation simply because they've had a baby? Is that fair? breastfeeding isn't dirty or unhealthy, or unsanitary.

[lumberjim]

yeah. how does a baby breastfeeding disturb you? edipal images? babies need to eat when they're hungry.

fucking people.

respect the boobies.

[fargon]

Once while I was living in Portland my X and I were eating in a restarant, and a young family came in. The young mother took a blanket out of a bag and started feeding her baby. Across the floor a woman started complaining to a Cop sitting by her and was told to give it a rest the kidlet need to eat too. Hooray for the Portland Police Dept.