Public breastfeeding

by simplesally 174 Replies latest members private

• 

  Gretchen956

  I have to interject something here... and that is the thought that was thrown out earlier by Pete, that babies have their first sexual stimula when nursing.

  I have been seeing a psychologist to help with my ADD, today was my last appointment, but we talked about this whole thread and the hoopla. When I told him what you said he burst out laughing and said, "that sounds so Freudian." Freudian analysis is really not held to be a valid form of human psychological study, I think personally he really had some serious issues of his own around sexuality and women in particular. Anyway, we just both shook our heads that this is even a subject of conversation in 2004. He said that the people who are uncomfortable are the ones with the issue and not the nursing mother and should remove themselves from the situation.

  My partner saw me reading this thread yesterday and asked me why in the world I would be reading such a topic that has absolutely nothing to do with me. I actually did breastfeed my son, that was almost 24 years ago now, until I got an infection on both sides which made it far too painful to continue. Anyway, I think that its a bigger issue here than breastfeeding, its more about society trying to interject the social and moral standards of a few on the many. And don't we see this a lot lately?

  Sherry
• 

  Cassiline

  Does the healthful behavior pattern linger in the mind till adulthood? Perhaps. Why should full breasts and erect nipples have any special appeal if not? Why are men generally not drawn to suck the chin or knees? Denial of these patterns does not make us more civilized or mature.

  How does this theory work for the close to two thirds of children who are not breast fed? And for those prior to 1970 where less then that ammount were not breast fed? Since this issue of public breast feeding has in recent years become a problem and debated then IMO it was done even less in public. So little boys were not able to witness such if their mothers did not breast feed.

  Cassi
• 

  peacefulpete

  Cassiline....I did say ,"Perhaps". I also earlier mentioned the instinct to nurse that is innate, this likely is a powerful reason for the attraction later in life. I also mentioned that culture plays a large part in shaping the particulars of sexual attraction. As for the comment from the doctor, he could be right, all I know is what is published in medical journals and observed by some mothers.

  Bottom line is that whether we ever understand the psycology behind it, it is comon to feel uncomfortable around a woman with and exposed breast in public setting. I was not wanting the conversation to go this far afield, but must accept responsibility for starting it.
• 

  SheilaM

  until I got an infection on both sides which made it far too painful to continue

  Actually Sherry with Mastitus it is better to continue nursing. My daughter had it...one DR. told her not to nurse, she was in sooo much pain. I had her call La Lache League and they told her NURSE and NURSE some more with warm showers....she said it helped and she continued to nurse. WOW she is amazing..not sure if I could have done that
• 

  Cassiline

  Yes, I am sorry Pete you did say perhaps. But my comment only goes to show if children are not breastfed or exposed to such, then this facisination with the breast is coming from another source, such as the sexualzing of women over the years to the point that even the most benign thing such as feeding a baby becomes sexualized for men and I guess some women. Something I was trying to say earlier but I think our signals were crossed.

  Cassi
• 

  peacefulpete

  Noone could intelligently argue that women are not being depicted as sex objects in our culture. However there is also a movement to denie human nature. I am presently reading an interesting religious studies book entitled The Chalice and the Blade written by a feminist leader, I do respect the work and message. I do think it is misguided however to insist the world share any one view of the body and sexuality.
• 

  LyinEyes

  Ladies, who have breasfeed, your decriptions of feeding your babies is nothing short of beautiful and precious. When Sheila mentioned the baby looking up at her , tugging on her shirt, it made me sigh. I was holding my little neice the other day , feeding her with her bottle and she did that very thing. Even thou my "baby" is almost 10,I got those old feelings again, even thou I tried to breastfeed my children , I wasnt successful.

  Things Cassi said about the lines of thinking of some of the JW's about breastfeeding made me terrified to try breastfeeding my first child. There were a few mothers I knew growing up that breastfeed, most of them modestly, and it was actually frowned upon, because it made some of the men feel uncomfortable. My father was one of them, even thou he and his 10 brothers and sister were breastfeed. There was great talk about one sister who breastfeed her child until the child was over 3 , and it was if there was some unwritten cut off time on how long it would be appropriate to continue breastfeeding.

  I was so repressed growing up , so extreamly modest, that there was no way I would have breastfeed my child.

  When I had my last child , I wanted to give it a try , I was planning on it but he came 2 months too early, with so many medical problems, in NICU , that he didnt even drink from a bottle until he was a month old. He was feed thru a tube thru his belly button. I will always feel I and the kids missed out on something so special.

  It is amazing how the body reacts thou, when the baby crys , a woman's breast will start leaking. After I had my daughter , I was still in the hosptial sitting on the bed feeding her formula, I was talking to my doctor and felt sharp pains in my uterus. The doctor noticed my pain and said that was just natural. That when a woman feeds her child , her uterus contracts and that helps to heal it and stop bleeding. I said, I thought that was only if you breastfeed, and he said no that all a woman has to do is feed her child, watching the baby feed will do it as well.

  Just amazing this natural beautiful thing.
• 

  jwbot

  peacefulpete: Share it? no, but just because a couple people are uncomfortable (and its their right to be), does not mean that those things should be hidden and it is the mothers right to breastfeed when and where her baby needs it! If the person is uncomfortable, they should know that it is their problem and should just leave or avert their eyes but leave the mothers be!
• 

  SheilaM

  Lyin: Sorry your son was so ill he couldn't eat for so long...my niece was in ICU forever also

  That is such a shame that others being "uncomfortable" is what is the respected course of action. Lots of crap make me uncomfortable but I realize it is MY problem not theirs.
• 

  peacefulpete

  jwbot, I can respect that position. This is the issue at hand isn't it?

  I often don't agree with public policy that seems to cater to a minority, so I can somewhat relate to your feelings. For instance I work hard outside for a living and though the temp today was near 90 I was not permitted to take off my shirt nor wear shorts because of complaints that this offended the sensitivities of the public. Or the other day I began to rub my wife's shoulders at work and I was reprimanded as this was deemed inappropriate in the workplace. I don't really understand the opinions in either of these cases yet am compelled to honor them. My feelings are just coming from a different perspective in this issue of uncovered breast feeding.