veronica
26-02-2005, 16:17
I was having a browse through the forum and was interested in this thread posted by another in feeding - bottlefeeding:
I was at a private hospital today and my baby needed feeding. She is a fussy feeder when out and she even has a problem having a bottle feed as eveything distracts her. (It is her age 61/2 mths) I noticed as I was sitting in the hallway outside the very small waiting room that I got smiles and expressions that seemed to say how beautiful it was to see a breast feed baby.
I had been trying to feed her for about 20 minutes and I was not into just letting it hang out while she swung her head back to see what that was going by so I decided to make my back up, her bottle.
Well it was from then that I noticed the looks went from a oh how lovely to a stare.
I was puzzled for a second then realising I was bottle feeding and that it was less approved of than the breast. I had no smiles or sweet looks just hard stares.
These people that stared were aged from young to old and not one person gave me a disapproving look when I was breastfeeding only bottle feeding.
The point of my thread is NOT to pass judgement on bottlefeeders - I personally think that we all do the very best for our bubs and we shouldn't judge :) . I do however find her experience interesting and wanted to write about my experience of breastfeeding and see what others have observed. I actually haven't ever bottle fed, just because now that I wouldn't mind a break she won't take it, even though it is EBM.
My experience is:
:confused: I've rarely noticed disapproval at breastfeeding in public until recently. I am wondering if its just because I've moved back to my homestate QLD from where we were recently living in Victoria - maybe Qld is more conservative?
OR is it because my bub is now older and she is a very tall bub for her age(nearly grown out of size 0 yet is only 6 months old)?
Anyway I thought it was interesting - most of the rude looks were from older people. Maybe they see it as rude - yet I'm as discrete as possible.
I'm also wondering about the perspective of mums who have fed their bubs beyond 6 mths. As they get older I know they need less feeds so I won't need to be doing it in public much but have you noticed any reactions to feeding bubs as they get older? I've certainly had many comments about making sure I don't feed too long as it will "waste me away" - theres not much chance of that! and that "your milk goes off" or some such rubbish! - Thats what solids are for!
Anyway sorry to ramble :o - I really do need to learn to write concisely and clearly (as I had to edit!) - but I'd love feedback on these two issues.
I was at a private hospital today and my baby needed feeding. She is a fussy feeder when out and she even has a problem having a bottle feed as eveything distracts her. (It is her age 61/2 mths) I noticed as I was sitting in the hallway outside the very small waiting room that I got smiles and expressions that seemed to say how beautiful it was to see a breast feed baby.
I had been trying to feed her for about 20 minutes and I was not into just letting it hang out while she swung her head back to see what that was going by so I decided to make my back up, her bottle.
Well it was from then that I noticed the looks went from a oh how lovely to a stare.
I was puzzled for a second then realising I was bottle feeding and that it was less approved of than the breast. I had no smiles or sweet looks just hard stares.
These people that stared were aged from young to old and not one person gave me a disapproving look when I was breastfeeding only bottle feeding.
The point of my thread is NOT to pass judgement on bottlefeeders - I personally think that we all do the very best for our bubs and we shouldn't judge :) . I do however find her experience interesting and wanted to write about my experience of breastfeeding and see what others have observed. I actually haven't ever bottle fed, just because now that I wouldn't mind a break she won't take it, even though it is EBM.
My experience is:
:confused: I've rarely noticed disapproval at breastfeeding in public until recently. I am wondering if its just because I've moved back to my homestate QLD from where we were recently living in Victoria - maybe Qld is more conservative?
OR is it because my bub is now older and she is a very tall bub for her age(nearly grown out of size 0 yet is only 6 months old)?
Anyway I thought it was interesting - most of the rude looks were from older people. Maybe they see it as rude - yet I'm as discrete as possible.
I'm also wondering about the perspective of mums who have fed their bubs beyond 6 mths. As they get older I know they need less feeds so I won't need to be doing it in public much but have you noticed any reactions to feeding bubs as they get older? I've certainly had many comments about making sure I don't feed too long as it will "waste me away" - theres not much chance of that! and that "your milk goes off" or some such rubbish! - Thats what solids are for!
Anyway sorry to ramble :o - I really do need to learn to write concisely and clearly (as I had to edit!) - but I'd love feedback on these two issues.