[Merged] Public breast feeding

[Chris]

To prevent the 'Old Wives' Tales' thread veering any further off topic, here's a new thread on breast feeding. We're in to this again at the moment with Jr Towny number 2 being just three months old.

Some of the issues I'm interested in hearing people's views on:

Breastfeeding in public. Is it acceptable to you?
What do you make of the new law that has just come in in Scotland, that makes it illegal for a cafe owner (or anyone else) to prevent a baby being breastfed?
How old is too old?

[dilligaf1701]

Breastfeeding in public IS acceptable to me.

I didn't know about that law, I'm not sure what to make of it yet - i'll get back to you on that.

I've never stopped to think about how old is too old for breastfeeding. Wouldn't a woman's body stop producing the milk when it's time to stop it?

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Jules

Is 2 years not a little old to still be breast feeding, and that is not a criticism it is a genuine question

The interesting thing is that in many parts of the world, nobody would even think to ask the question. Breastfeeding has become culturally out of favour in Britain and even though it's making a bit of a comeback, toleration of it is only skin deep among some people. I think that's what's behind the old wives tales I posted. Start off breastfeeding by all means, but first chance you get, jump ship...

Two years isn't too old, to answer your genuine question, because if you manage it properly by that age they are only getting one breast feed per day, at bedtime. Mrs T fed Jr T number one until 18 months IIRC, and stopped because he was rather large for his age (still is), and he was just too big to get on her knee in the right postion. She was also a little concerned about stopping him feeding before he was fluent enough to ask for it in public, but I think that comes back to the cultural issue again.

Breast milk contains all the nutrients a growing child needs, in the right amounts, plus it contains antibodies which are very important for babies and young children, whose own immune systems are relatively weak.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Chris T

Breastfeeding in public. Is it acceptable to you?

Yes. After all, while we do consider the breast as a sexual object, it is basically there to feed the baby, so breastfeeding is as acceptable to me as anyone who eats or drinks in public.

What do you make of the new law that has just come in in Scotland, that makes it illegal for a cafe owner (or anyone else) to prevent a baby being breastfed?

A good thing IMO. Many places require that the baby be fed somewhere private. This is not a bad thing, but in many places the only "private" place available is a toilet. This is bad.

How old is too old?

Dunno, but if the child is still breastfeeding when they get into their teens, there's a problem..

[punky]

Originally Posted by Chris T

Breastfeeding in public. Is it acceptable to you?

Yup, doesn't bother me

What do you make of the new law that has just come in in Scotland, that makes it illegal for a cafe owner (or anyone else) to prevent a baby being breastfed?

I think that's wrong, and too overbearing of the government. People have a right to be offended by it, and the owner should have the right to eject anyone who is publicly breastfeeding if they are causing offence to other customers. It should be the cafe owner's descision, not the government.

How old is too old?

Haven't the foggiest. Do you mean visually offensive-wise, or when you should start weening the baby? No idea on the latter; on the former, can't see how it makes a great deal of difference.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

I've never stopped to think about how old is too old for breastfeeding. Wouldn't a woman's body stop producing the milk when it's time to stop it?

No as long as it is still being used, then it is still produced.

Can I add an aside to this thread, as those posting in it are likely to be from the same demographic who would want to comment.

"Pacifiers / binkys / dummies" how old is too old. We made our son go cold turkey on them at just over 12 months when it got to the point that he would loose them in his cot at night and wake up screaming until one of us went and found one. After about 3 nights that were even worse, he started sleeping through the night without one. When I see 3+ year olds with them I just wonder why.

[dilligaf1701]

Originally Posted by SMHarman

No as long as it is still being used, then it is still produced.

See you really do learn something every day - thanks for that

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by Chris T

<snip>

Breastfeeding in public. Is it acceptable to you?

Absolutely

What do you make of the new law that has just come in in Scotland, that makes it illegal for a cafe owner (or anyone else) to prevent a baby being breastfed?

Don't agree with it. Should be up to the owner what activities (legal of course) they allow on their own premises.

How old is too old?

Not sure. I wouldn't have though much past 18 months - 2 years old really.

I saw a programme once about breastfeeding - the newsreader Pamela Armstrong was still breastfeeding her son when he was FIVE YEARS OLD. Odd and a little bit freaky IMO.

[Angua]

As a militant breastfeeder myself, anything which helps mothers to breastfeed should be encouraged.

The main reason I have found that new mums don't breastfeed is down to embarassment and they say convenience ( I never understood that last reason).
Those that do manage for a while often give up because of the night feed but they will say they are not producing enough milk (sometimes because they are not patient enough over feeding).
My two were very different feeders. My daughter was a very efficient feeder whereas my son was lazy.
It is the best way in the world to lose weight as well.
I have a friend who can clearly remember still being breastfed at the age of 5 (ewww). Personally I would say for as long as the child and you are happy up to about 24 months to a maximum of 30 months.

I hope Salu will correct me on this one but as my grandmother had 11 children (including a couple of miscarriages) and breastfed all of them she never suffered with a prolapsed womb, a problem that seems more common these days with women who have large families, I wonder if the lack of breastfeeding contributes to this problem.

[Jon M]

In addition to what I said last time this came up... http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...7&postcount=51

Breast feeding in public is no problem, there are many ways of making it discreet even if in a busy area. I think Mum's should have the freedom to be proud of their maternal instincts.

The age thing is interesting, personally I think the parents should decide for themselves but with the childs development as the primary focus.
A child needs to have a strong bond with it's mother and the health benefits alone encourage a lengthy period of breastfeeding.
However, if it goes on too long, I think it turns from bonding to dependancy, which I think is actually harmful to the childs psychological growth and well being.

Originally Posted by Chris T

Breastfeeding in public. Is it acceptable to you?

Entirely. It's actually a very natural and atractive sight.

Originally Posted by Chris T

What do you make of the new law that has just come in in Scotland, that makes it illegal for a cafe owner (or anyone else) to prevent a baby being breastfed?

The law shouldn't be necessary, but if people are going to be ignorant then they obviously need something to guide them.

Originally Posted by Chris T

How old is too old?

Once a baby is weaned, they shouldn't need any further breast milk - that's why you wean a baby. So I guess that puts it anywhere between 6 and 9 months? (Assuming said baby has moved on from the breast for comfort feeding!)

[Jules]

Originally Posted by Chris T

Breastfeeding in public. Is it acceptable to you?
What do you make of the new law that has just come in in Scotland, that makes it illegal for a cafe owner (or anyone else) to prevent a baby being breastfed?
How old is too old?

To answer those questions

1) Yes I have no problems at all with it and most ladies become so skilled at it that most of the time it just looks like they are cuddling there baby

2) Damn good law if you ask me if some one is offended let them go eat else were!

3) How long is a piece of string? I do not think there is a right and wrong answer to this. I think it is just the way that society is at the moment that a lot of people that find breast feeding a baby acceptable would feel uncomfortable seeing a women breast feed a toddler. My own opinion on it? I think that it is lovely that Mrs T could feed Junior T just before he went to bed as it made it a special time at the end of the day just before he settled down for the night.
I do not see the need for woman to breast feed there toddlers during the day as by that stage they do not need to be breast feed all the time as they should be on a varied and healthy diet and get all they need that way.

Can I just add that I do admire Mrs T for being a dedicated and long term breast feeder

[zovat]

I think that breastfeeding in public is perfectly acceptable, my wife wanted to breastfeed our son (now 31/2 months old), but he didn't take to it however we had discussed the whole "public feeding" issue.

A friend of ours was breastfeeding quite happily in public, and to be honest, I fail to see how someone would be offended, it is not a case of whipping out your breasts and flashing them to the world, most breastfeeding mothers (and I know a number of them, including one who wa at our table for a wedding, who was quite happily breastfeeding during the reception withour a single eyebrow being raised) will tell you that they are discreet - it is unlikely you would know without really looking that a mother was feeding her child.

as to how old is too old - it is a case of when the child does not want it any more.

In some countries (especially in the poorer countries where formula and food in general is not so easy to come by) children are routinely breastfed until they are 5 or 6 years old.

Unicef report that around 50% of 18-24 month old children are still being breastfed (as a world average).

My only issue with the current focus on breastfeeding is that there are some people who cannot breastfeed for various reasons - some children do not take to it, some mothers do nor produce suffecient milk, and so on- and these mothers can sometimes feel that they are failing as mothers, as some midwives imply (rather than say outright) that they are bad mothers because they are not giving their child the best food available.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Chris T

How old is too old?

Interesting point. We found with our son (who was bottle fed) that he lost interest in bottles at around 15 months (IIR) and started just playing with them the last one we gave him he pushed the teat out of (and into the bottle) covering himself with the contents, so we stopped after that and put it into sippy cups.

[Angua]

Further point, my morning born daugter still had a feed 1st thing at 20 months but my evening born son had his just before bed.

Daughter tripled her birthweight in 8 weeks (she was 5 weeks early).

I couldn't get on with a pump though (did manage for the one or two occasions we went out).