Originally Posted By Jafar30 The other day I wanted to go to one of the local malls to pick something up at one of the stores. So my mom decided to come with because she wanted to look for a few things herself. So during the course of the shopping we had separated then decided to meet up again. Well I called her on my cell phone to see what store she was at and I said I would just wait on one of benches outside of that store. So I'm sitting down doing some people watching when this woman sits down next to me with a baby whose about six or seven months. I do my little smile towards the baby and say hi to the woman. All of sudden she props the baby up to her chest and pulls out her breast and starts feeding the baby. I immediately jumped up and walked into the store where my mom was. Am I wrong to think that this woman should have at least covered up? Or maybe went to a private area in the mall? And the mall was pretty crowded so there were plenty of people walking by.
Originally Posted By Daannzzz Considering that it is a natural part of life that is occuring millions of times an hour, I don't see why it can't be done anywhere.We are conditioned in a Victorian way that needs to be expunged from our collective memory.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Most women will cover with a baby blanket or something, but I guess I don't see it as being necessary. Once the baby takes the nipple you really don't display anything more than you would in a low cut dress or swimsuit. I'm a guy. I'll look at a woman's chestal area any chance I get. But NOT with a woman who is breast feeding. It just would not be right.
Originally Posted By jdub Discretion in anything is generally appropriate. A baby's got to be fed; that needs to be accommodated. This mom perhaps thought the cost of that accommodation was a free show--but she didn't owe that to anyone (although the least you could have done before staggering off was to offer a choked "thank you" or a couple of coins)... !
Originally Posted By MrToadWildRider >>Considering that it is a natural part of life that is occuring millions of times an hour, I don't see why it can't be done anywhere.<< Daannzzz you could apply that statement to urination or defecation as well - would you like to see that in the mall? I wouldn't. I don't think that breast feeding should be prohibited or anything but why not just go to the restroom or atleast use some sort of garment to obstruct the view of passers-by. Is it really that hard to walk for a mere one or two minutes to a restroom?
Originally Posted By Jafar30 Okay so should I have not got up? Should I have stayed and just stared at this woman?
Originally Posted By Jafar30 I'm not saying that it should be prohibited but use a little discretion.
Originally Posted By jdub Okay, how about this: Pretend like it's anybody eating anything at the mall, & ask her if she got that at the Food Court?
Originally Posted By SuzieQ "why not just go to the restroom" Now that's disgusting. What should she do? Sit on a toilet to feed the baby? Have you no idea the billions of germs in a restroom? Discretion would call for the woman to have covered herself a little. Many women would have. However, there are countless reasons why a woman might not have. I'm a little curious, jafar30, as to why you felt you were supposed to stare at this woman. I thought you were on a bench, not facing each other. I'm totally with daannnzzzz here about the victorian ways. MrToadWildRider - there's a huge difference between feeding a baby and someone defecating or urinating in public (which babies do all the time, by the way. we simply use diapers to catch it.). What you are describing assumes an adult who should have a little more control over bodily functions. To compare a breast feeding baby to an adult is far-fetched.
Originally Posted By dlkozy Where exactly is she supposed to nurse this baby in the bathroom? Most women's bathrooms do not have chairs and I would never nurse my baby in the filthy bathroom stall-unless you thought she should stand! But I agree with discretion. While some may be comfortable with it-others are not. When in a public place Moms should cover up, IMHO.
Originally Posted By jdub >>>When in a public place Moms should cover up<< Dads, too! errrrrghhhhh...!!!
Originally Posted By Jafar30 <<I'm a little curious, jafar30, as to why you felt you were supposed to stare at this woman.>> Because like RoadTrip said, I'm a man were required to stare in that area, but not when there's a baby attached. <<I thought you were on a bench, not facing each other. >> True but the bench wasn't very big. And how's that going to look if I'm sitting next this woman, people would be thinking what a perv.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer It's up to you whether you should have gotten up or not. There's no reason for you to stay in a situation where you are personally uncomfortable. I had a slightly different experience. My daughter had problems breastfeeding, so my wife wound up pumping and we'd feed her from a bottle. We are part of a research study that includes classes, and when we went to class when our daughter was three months old we were the only ones who were using a bottle to feed. It was very tough for my wife and it made her feel like a failure. Our daughter was still getting breast milk, but my wife felt like there was an opportunity for a special connection that was lost by not being able to breastfeed. The woman who was breastfeeding her baby is giving her child a wonderful gift. Not only is breast milk the best thing for a baby, I think breastfeeding fosters a very special bond between mother and child. It should be celebrated.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer >>And how's that going to look if I'm sitting next this woman, people would be thinking what a perv.<< If you're not comfortable, move. It's not that big of a deal unless you make a point of expressing disgust at the mother as you go. You do realize what you had to pass through to come into the world and where you probably got your first meal from, don't you?
Originally Posted By Jafar30 <<You do realize what you had to pass through to come into the world and where you probably got your first meal from, don't you?>> Actually from what I heard I didn't seem to take too well to breast feeding. <<The woman who was breastfeeding her baby is giving her child a wonderful gift. Not only is breast milk the best thing for a baby, I think breastfeeding fosters a very special bond between mother and child. It should be celebrated.>> I seriously don't doubt it, but should it be celebrated in front of Christopher and Banks and Suncoast Video?
