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I don't get it (ABC's Breastfeeding segment)

lauraandleelauraandlee
in Eco-Friendly Family

How SO many people (57% of Americans according to the ABC comments) can think it's wrong to BF in public.

I don't get it, what are people so afraid of? 

Thankfully, I never encountered any negative reactions while BFing my kids in public...did any of you?

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Re: I don't get it (ABC's Breastfeeding segment)

  • mommy2b08mommy2b08 member
    Nope, never...
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  • mooetamooeta member
    It's because we live in an oversexed society.  We sexualize little girls starting infancy and now that's what breasts are seen as  sexual objects.  It's a shame that we've come to this where something so natural is seen as obscene.
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  • helovesducatishelovesducatis
    I had a lady at the mall ask me if I "could just use the restroom."  And my IL's always got uncomfortable when I whipped out the hooter hider.  MIL said multiple times "that's something to be done in private."  
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  • mooetamooeta member
    I think people are so weirded out by it because we're just finally reclaiming it after it kinda being taken away in the 50's and 60's.  Breastfeeding was demonized for a long time and now we're getting it back but it's hard to fight against 50+ years of negative thinking.
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  • Sassy_CassieSassy_Cassie member
    I don't usually use a cover (Sam used to scream when I did and now he just thinks it's for peek-a-boo) but I'm very discreet.  Nobody has ever said anything to me about it.  My dad watched that segment and called to tell me that he would pay to see my reaction if someone treated me that way. haha!
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  • humynonehumynone
    i dare someone to give me a hard time...I'd give it right back to them! Wink
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  • HippinskiHippinski

    imagemooeta:
    It's because we live in an oversexed society.  We sexualize little girls starting infancy and now that's what breasts are seen as  sexual objects.  It's a shame that we've come to this where something so natural is seen as obscene.

    This.  

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  • triumphantreturnofplanningbugtriumphantreturnofplanningbug

    It's sad and makes me angry at the same time. I think that mooeta is right on when she said that it's about over-sexualization. I'd add that US culture at large is pretty much unable to even think of breasts as anything other than for male pleasure and consumption, and that adds to the weirdness and stigma of breastfeeding.

     It doesn't surprise me, though. The single most intense and passionate conversation I had teaching college freshmen last term was about breastfeeding in public (a student raised the issue). They were, after 10 weeks of being drilled in critical thinking skills, totally unable to separate "that's gross" from "why I think that." They just couldn't get past the "ick" factor to think about why they were so icked out. Their arguments were things like "sure you could cover it up, but I don't get to have sex in public if I'm under a blanket!" or "it's like the flasher who was running through the girls' dorms, it's indecent exposure and not fair to make me see it."  Horrible analogies that don't hold water at all, but even when they could see the logical flaws they still couldn't get past "ick."

    I still can't decide whether to be sad or angry that this isn't just about age and people who lived through the 50s-70s, or even the 80s :(

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  • Tonya_GTonya_G member

    imagemommy2b08:
    Nope, never...

    Me either. And thanks for reminding me to watch this on DVR.

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  • aspadeaspade member

    Because I live in CA--and a liberal part of it--I haven't had anyone say squat, but I'm a little jealous of other moms getting to raise hell and hold nurse-ins.  I want to go to one, bad, lol!

    DH said the other day that there's no way I would put up with someone telling me not to--and he's right.  Hell, he's in the doghouse right now, so he's pretty familiar with my not holding back.

    And how is using a hooter hider not private?!  Holy crap.

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  • Dobie_MamaDobie_Mama
    imageHippinski:

    imagemooeta:
    It's because we live in an oversexed society.  We sexualize little girls starting infancy and now that's what breasts are seen as  sexual objects.  It's a shame that we've come to this where something so natural is seen as obscene.

    This.  

    Yup, totally agree.

    I was fortunate enough that I only received one comment that was anything other than positive.  I was nursing DD on a plane when she was about 10mos old.  The flight attendant said to me, "Oh, honey.  Didn't anyone tell you that you don't have to do that past 6mos?"

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  • CaitlinJ22CaitlinJ22 member
    imageDobie_Mama:
    imageHippinski:

    imagemooeta:
    It's because we live in an oversexed society.  We sexualize little girls starting infancy and now that's what breasts are seen as  sexual objects.  It's a shame that we've come to this where something so natural is seen as obscene.

    This.  

     "Oh, honey.  Didn't anyone tell you that you don't have to do that past 6mos?" 

    for real?? that makes me angry.  

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  • Dobie_MamaDobie_Mama
    imageCaitlinJ22:
    imageDobie_Mama:
    imageHippinski:

    imagemooeta:
    It's because we live in an oversexed society.  We sexualize little girls starting infancy and now that's what breasts are seen as  sexual objects.  It's a shame that we've come to this where something so natural is seen as obscene.

    This.  

     "Oh, honey.  Didn't anyone tell you that you don't have to do that past 6mos?" 

    for real?? that makes me angry.  

    For real.  It was pretty bizarre.  

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  • purplepugglespurplepuggles
    imageDobie_Mama:
    imageHippinski:

    imagemooeta:
    It's because we live in an oversexed society.  We sexualize little girls starting infancy and now that's what breasts are seen as  sexual objects.  It's a shame that we've come to this where something so natural is seen as obscene.

    This.  

    Yup, totally agree.

    I was fortunate enough that I only received one comment that was anything other than positive.  I was nursing DD on a plane when she was about 10mos old.  The flight attendant said to me, "Oh, honey.  Didn't anyone tell you that you don't have to do that past 6mos?"

    i would have laughed and told her that of course i didn't HAVE to, i was just doing it because i knew it was much BETTER for her. what a ridiculous comment!

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