It's a bit controvercial. What do you think? Should a woman excuse herself and go somewhere private to feed the baby, or is it just a natural thing that she should feel free to do at any time any place? I guess I have mixed opinions on this. On one hand, privacy might be better... but it's just not always that easy. Sometimes the only place to go would be a bathroom, would you want to eat in a bathroom? So, as long as the woman covers herself, feeding in public shouldn't be an issue. I know some people are thinking she shouldn't have to cover herself, but if not for the baby that much exposure would be illegal, so why not cover up.

Well I stridently support a woman's right to nurse in public. Or actually, not a woman's rights, I support the infant's right to nurse anywhere no-one would have a tantrum if that infant was taking a bottle. Which is ANYWHERE.

If someone sees more of mom's boobs than they are comfortable with they can look away or just not stare. I see more of men's boobs than I often want to, I don't complain or ask them to put on shirts.

And I take huge issue with people complaining about it being forced on them when someone nurses in public. Because who's forcing what on who? Did mom shove her breast under your nose? Did she push it in your mouth? I've still never seen anything like that.

I HAVE seen women told to leave though. So who's forcing what on who?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

I do not think it is right that people should ask a woman to leave when nursing. Usually the people I see getting upset that a woman is nursing in public are people who shouldn't be out in public anyway.

In most states you can not ask a woman to leave because she is nursing. Well you can ask, but she can tell you to bugger off too, as it IS within her rights to nurse where she wants.

I think MOST women are fairly discreet when nursing and aren't just *hanging it out there*.

I think if you want to nurse then nurse. I dont understand why so many people have an issue with it.

I am so shy! I have only had to nurse in public a couple times. So far the biggest problem is old women wanting to come up and watch! haha It wouldn't be so bad, but I'm SO shy! They come up and want to stroke his head and talk to me about when they had babies and why they did or didn't nurse. haha.

So far noone has seemed upset, just over interested!

If someone sees more of mom's boobs than they are comfortable with they can look away or just not stare.

If more thought that way, less would whine and complain. :)

Since my husband was such a prude, it was probably a good thing it never did come up. He expected me to go into another room if anyone but him was at our house. He had problems with women nursing in public. He kept it to himself though. Guess he got tired of me disagreeing with him. My opinion was always, if you don't want to see it, don't look.

My husband is that way with his sister, but I doubt he would with a random woman or myself. Its just the naked sister instinct kicking in. She actually just posted last week a grocery store asked her to leave the property when she was breast feeding in her car in the far end of the parking lot. Although I don't know all the details (and she is quite the argumentative, rude person and so could have caused other problems there before) I do wonder how long the cart collector watched before going inside and telling the manager. her daughter is less than a month and she always has a blanket with her for decency since being topless isn't allowed.

I personally don't think it should be outlawed. many of the people arguing against it need to ask their moms if they were breastfed in public. I'd imagine many of them were. I know I was. My parents were both hippies. By time they decided to conform more I was eating solid food. Restricting a child's right to food is simply childish. Not everyone has the time or money to pump and bottle breastmilk for later.

I see lots of women breastfeeding in public. It's not much of a big deal around where I live. At least not that I've noticed. I don't think it should be. After all, that's what breasts are for, isn't it? I know some guys think of them as their play toys, but that's not the real reason women have them.

I really found it hard to do this to begin with-took some getting used to. I found though that once I got a sling that there was no problem-no one could see anything unless they were peering in or looking down at my daughter from over my shoulder.

Baby's should get to eat where ever they need to eat. And it really is a need-they have tiny tummies that empty quickly and need to be refilled.

It's kind of funny with breasts. Yes men get turned on by them. But if you think of it - they're just what men have with something-that-I-don't-know pushing what we have out. So it's like, what's the big deal?

I think the woman should be free to breastfeed where ever she is. Some people don't want their infant bottle fed. If she is on a plane or on the subway where is she going to get privacy? People should just look away if they don't like it. In my town women breastfeeding in public is natural.

Its just the thinking of today's society on breastfeeding in public. There are many primitive societies in the world where women don't have any coverings on top and their men are used to looking at it and the ladies have no problems with that. It's all in the mind.

Heck, in Islamic cultures where the woman has to be completely covered from head to foot, not an inch of skin allowed to be bared-they are EXPECTED to feed a hungry child where ever it is. And accidental exposure is ok-its the only time that skin can be seen, though they are expected to try.

So if they can, why can't we?

You are right LoveMaGirl. It is the way those body parts are made so there should be no embarrassment for a mother when she feeds her baby in the public.