A woman has sparked a major online debate after asking why some nursing mums are indiscreet while feeding their babies.
The anonymous mum argued that while she didn’t agree with covering the baby’s head or beven wearing specialist clothing, it was “very easy to be discreet without having the whole breast on show.”
She posted on Mumsnet:
“I don’t really understand it. A good friend of mine liked a picture that I came across today titled ‘Not even trying to cover up in public anymore, most natural thing ever ?❤️’
“Picture is of said woman in a bit swankier than average place to eat, boob completely out without thought and baby isn’t covering it at all really.
“You do NOT NOT NOT have to cover a baby’s head to be discrete.
“You don’t even have to wear specialist clothing, it’s very easy to be discrete without having to have the whole breast completely on show.
“I wouldn’t just feed DS with a whole boob out, it isn’t necessary and although BF is natural, some people do feel uncomfortable about breasts and aren’t comfortable seeing one completely on show – It doesn’t mean they’d say anything and that’s because they’re polite.”
The mum later clarified that she wouldn’t have an issue with having her full breast on show while feeding her baby in public.
But, she added, that she wanted to respect the people who may not be comfortable seeing it.
Her fellow Mumsnet users were divided on the matter.
Some agreed with the original poster, saying that it’s possible to feed without having the full breast exposed.
One person said:
“I don’t know why people can’t be a bit discreet especially in a restaurant.
“Some people do feel awkward if a woman gets her breasts out, I know I do. It doesn’t take much to be discreet about it.
“If you weren’t feeding a baby would you get your breasts out in a restaurant and think no one should bat an eyelid because after all they are just breasts, I don’t see why it’s different just because you are feeding a baby.”
Another added:
“I have nothing against feeding in public.
“However if I was at a restaurant, I would expect someone who is breastfeeding publicly to have the same respect and considerations to my feelings and comfort as I do to their need to feed their child and their child’s need to be fed.
“There are ways in which you can feed your child without being too obvious about it, and respectful to others who may not be as comfortable with this as you are.”
A different mum wrote:
“I couldn’t care less if i see a bit of boob during feeding.
“I would find it odd given it’s perfectly possible to feed in public without sitting with your whole boob out for someone to opt to do that.
“It is a bit look at me.”
Meanwhile, other forum users argued that if the woman didn’t like the sight, she just had to look away.
One Mumsnet user said:
“Those people feel uncomfortable precisely because they aren’t accustomed to seeing it. The more they are exposed to BFing, them more accustomed they will be come and they will stop feeling uncomfortable.
“Just like wearing a bikini, it is up to the woman to decide how much boob to expose.
“Just like when someone around you is wearing a bikini, you have the right not to look if you don’t like seeing it.
“Lots of women wear bikini tops that cover far less of their boob than a newborn’s head would.
“People really do need to stop thinking they have the right to influence how a woman chooses to feed her baby.
“If you don’t like what you see, look away.”
Another person pointed out:
“It’s up to each woman if she wants to breast feed, whether she wants to do so in public, and whether she wants to cover up.
“If you don’t want to see then don’t look it’s really not that hard.”
Someone else commented:
“I will never understand this. They’re just boobs. They don’t fire laser-guided missiles.”
