Breast feeding in public... immodest?

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Do you guys think it is immodest to breast feed in public, so long as you have something covering up the important parts? Or do you think mothers should go into restrooms or isolated corners/rooms to breast feed?
 
Loki(name removed by moderator) said:
Do you guys think it is immodest to breast feed in public, so long as you have something covering up the important parts? Or do you think mothers should go into restrooms or isolated corners/rooms to breast feed?
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While flaunting one’s breasts is immodest in today’s culture (in America), I cannot fathom how one could consider breastfeeding in public to be immodest assuming some effort is made to be discreet. Breasts were made to feed babies. It’s their normal and proper use.

And fair warning - do not EVER mention bf-ing in a rest room :tsktsk: Would you suggest feeding a toddler in there? Or eating there yourself? Suggesting such is “fighting talk”.
 
Hi Loki(name removed by moderator). As an FYI, there have been a LOT of threads on here about breastfeeding over the years. So I’ll try to encapsulate the gist of what I’ve seen:

Nearly everyone in all of the threads I’ve seen thinks it’s fine to breastfeed in public. I don’t think anyone has said it’s immodest. The point of contention in the various threads always comes down to whether modesty is still applicable at all. That is, some people say yes, a woman should be discrete/attempt to cover, and others say no, it shouldn’t matter.
 
Loki(name removed by moderator) said:
Do you guys think it is immodest to breast feed in public, so long as you have something covering up the important parts? Or do you think mothers should go into restrooms or isolated corners/rooms to breast feed?
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In a word- No.

You can breastfeed in public and do it discreetly. There are tops made for this and even a mom new to nursing in public can practice in front of a mirror at home a few times so she knows how to get baby on and off the breast without exposing herself. This country and culture has sexualized breasts to the point that moms are afraid to discreetly nurse in public because of some busybody commenting on it. I always found it ironic how an adult will throw a fit or be offended by a mom feeding her baby in a Target when the magazines at checkout show more breast that any mom I’ve ever seen feeding her child in public.

Eating in a public bathroom is repulsive and I would have no qualms telling someone they can go enjoy their own picnic by the urinal if they suggested I nurse my baby in a restroom.
 
Depends on how it’s done. If it’s done modestly, no.
 
My sisters breastfed, but they would also use a cloth, cover their breasts. So, I thought that was fine like that, but I’ve seen some who don’t use a cloth. I guess, to me, that would be immodest, but I wouldn’t expect someone to breastfeed in the bathroom. It smells bad in there, is not a place for anyone to eat. On that, we agree.
 
Havard said:
Hi Loki(name removed by moderator). As an FYI, there have been a LOT of threads on here about breastfeeding over the years. So I’ll try to encapsulate the gist of what I’ve seen:

Nearly everyone in all of the threads I’ve seen thinks it’s fine to breastfeed in public. I don’t think anyone has said it’s immodest. The point of contention in the various threads always comes down to whether modesty is still applicable at all. That is, some people say yes, a woman should be discrete/attempt to cover, and others say no, it shouldn’t matter.
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Thanks so much!!
 
It’s very easy to nurse modestly, even to the point of others not knowing what you’re doing. One time I was nursing my youngest during a break at a meeting (church related) and a woman - who I’m sure wasn’t being snarky - said she was glad I didn’t nurse in public because it was so immodest.

I didn’t tell her what I was doing at that moment. 🙂

And here’s another vote for not nursing in a bathroom. Where would one sit? :eek:
 
I’m a big fan of baby carriers. I had a Tula and it was easy to just nurse while I wore her and went about my day with errands and such.
I remember having a conversation with my sister while my youngest was nursing. My sister thought she was sleeping. Nope, just eating. My sister was so impressed and picked out a carrier for herself for her next kid.

When the kiddo gets a little older I just avoid nursing in public except for Church. My youngest is super active and likes to pop on and off me at her leisure while she nurses. It makes it hard to keep modest. And a cover-up? Forget it! She’s ten months and would probably grab it to either throw or play peek-a-boo! 😃

I’m all about public nursing and a mom’s right to feed her baby but sometimes certain suggestions are just out of the question. Both of my kids hated cover ups except when they were newborns. My youngest would start clawing at them right away.
 
I’ve seen lots of women breastfeed and I can only think of one that I felt was seeking attention. I can’t believe that anyone would suggest that a woman feed her baby in a bathroom, unless it’s one of those country club “ladies lounge” deals that has a leather couch and an easy chair with a vase of fresh cut flowers.
 
I had one family member who breastfed her daughter until she was 4 y.o., and I have a friend who was doing something similar.

Some of these have been eating solid food for years. I don’t think it’s necessary in some cases.

With my friend, she had her daughter still on a bottle when she was 7 y.o. She would drink her milk out of a bottle, I mean. She did NOT have some kind of problem that warranted this. She could drink out of Coke cans, glasses, just liked drinking milk out of a baby bottle, and it wasn’t stopped.

Sometimes, it’s hard when the kids are so old and unweaned.
 
No, perfectly modest and natural.

As Pope Francis points out.
 
If you want to tell yourself that the virgin Mary, who was without sin, always found a private room to nurse our Lord in, you’re crazy. No, nursing in public, using your breasts for their intended purpose is not immodest. If someone is perverted enough to be aroused by me feeding my child, they are as disordered as someone who gets off by seeing people wear sandals, and it is not a sin to wear flip flops. We are responsible for influencing others to sin, within reason. A baby eating lunch is not within reason.

I nurse in public as often as I can to help normalize it. It’s only in the last 60 years or so that people have been uncomfortable with it; I’d like to help get back to the good old days.
 
FrenzyJen said:
If you want to tell yourself that the virgin Mary, who was without sin, always found a private room to nurse our Lord in, you’re crazy. No, nursing in public, using your breasts for their intended purpose is not immodest. If someone is perverted enough to be aroused by me feeding my child, they are as disordered as someone who gets off by seeing people wear sandals, and it is not a sin to wear flip flops. We are responsible for influencing others to sin, within reason. A baby eating lunch is not within reason.

I nurse in public as often as I can to help normalize it. It’s only in the last 60 years or so that people have been uncomfortable with it; I’d like to help get back to the good old days.
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Just out of curiosity, how did women breastfeed throughout history? Did they cover up? Not?
 
it has only been since the pin-up girls of the 40’s that people in the US have decided that breasts were purely sexual. Prior to that women breast fed and nobody thought anything of it. Now that women are permitted to show most everything, suddenly breasts are sexual only, and occasion of scandal.
It’s a crazy warped world we live in.
Babies nurse. People need to get over it.
 
I’d like ones that are historically accurate. How was it really for the Virgin Mary, say, since the question was raised? How did she handle that?
 
pianistclare said:
it has only been since the pin-up girls of the 40’s that people in the US have decided that breasts were purely sexual. Prior to that women breast fed and nobody thought anything of it. Now that women are permitted to show most everything, suddenly breasts are sexual only, and occasion of scandal.
It’s a crazy warped world we live in.
Babies nurse. People need to get over it.
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Agreed. 👍

I won’t mind seeing woman breast-feed in public. As a mother, making sure your baby is well fed is of utmost importance. Who cares who’s watching? The child is hungry!!
 
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