Breasts

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Ellie
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Breasts

Post by Ellie »

I would just like to raise a few pointers on this 'delicate' :? subject:
'Breasts and how you preceive them'
A few weeks ago a young mother who sat breastfeeding her baby in the National Gallery in London, was ejected by a security guard for carrying out this perfectly natural act!
The exhibition where she sat? Mothers & babies!with some of the paintings actually depicting this very act!
The national have since apologised to this young woman..after having made her look/feel like a criminal :x
When I lived in Lagoa..I recall seeing mums feeding babies quite openly..with no one looking or seeing it as unatural.....
I saw one young girl breastfeeding in the back of a small trailer attached to a motorbike..and another young woman ..in our local papershop happily feeding her child between serving customers....
What I dont understand is.....womens bare breasts are plastered all over magazines(mainly for men)and newspapers in tittilating poses......
yet to perform the act of breastfeeding is seen as lewd and offensive here in UK..
I wonder if this has become the case in Portugal? Sincerely hope not.
Strange world isnt it? :?
Debs G
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Post by Debs G »

Hi Ellie

I am still breastfeeding my little girl who is now 4 and a half months old, and have done so both in the UK and in Portgual.
I have found the attitude of the Portuguese to this a lot more welcoming and they seem far more accepting of it.
I tend to keep myself out of the way and well covered up as much as I can but have found that I do not get so many glares in Portugal as in the UK! Sometimes it is not so easy - not many provisions at the airport and there's not a lot I can do mid-flight but just get on with it!

Its not a very easy thing to do but definitely easier in Portugal. From what I can gather a lot more women there tend to breastfeed than they do in the UK.

So no, I don't think it has become the lewd and offensive 'act' that the UK seem to see it as.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Hiya Debs!
Its so nice to hear that from you. I had a feeling I would get a more favourable report of this regarding Portugal :)
Its good that you're able to feed you baby daughter yourself..if possible I do believe it gives your baby the best start in life,not just nutritional-wise but bonding, immunity, and more hygenic too(not forgetting..you get your figure back quicker! :) )
Can be hard though cant it? Specially if it is made awkward in finding place to do it. If I remember rightly..breastfed babies have to be fed on demand..and you can be anywhere! You also have a toddler I think. I had less than 2 years between my first 2...hard word!
I gave my 3 this start....and I remember being on hol.one day at seaside..couldnt find anywhere private(you are made to feel this way in UK.that you have to be out of the public view)to feed my month old daughter...
then a st Johns ambulance chap came to my rescue,letting me sit inside the vehicle to feed her :)
But why should you have to hide away? Ive never understood that!
Looks like your 2 little uns are gonna be brought up Portuguese style? :)
Whats the 'nursery school' situation like in Algarve..is it similar to UK? is it a 2 yearold you have?
arent I nosey? :)............Ellie
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Post by dutchie »

I am sorry but I am against it. Only when there is no other possibility, such as with traveling, it is ok.
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Post by cowboy »

dutchie wrote:I am sorry but I am against it. Only when there is no other possibility, such as with traveling, it is ok.
Intersting.....

You wouldn't breast feed a baby in the privacy of your own home, and yet you would breast feed the baby when traveling.....

Mommy as a Fast Food Outlet on the Road?
Debs G
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Post by Debs G »

I don't understand how anyone can be against anything as natural as breastfeeding, its actually what breasts are supposed to be for. But I guess this is the way things are now in the UK (and maybe elsewhere I don't know?)

I would like my 2 to be brought up probably a little more in the Portuguese style. When we decided where we wanted to move to, we took into consideration the upbringing of our children, in fact that was the number one priority. I'm afraid I don't like the way things are going in the UK any more for kids.

My boy, Alex will be 3 in September. He's been going to nursery in the UK for about a year, only a few hours a week just to make friends and socialse really, so I will need to find somewhere for him to go when we move, even if its just once a week. I haven't looked into it in depth yet, but I gather there's quite a few good nurseries around. There are also the mum and toddler groups though which will be good, probably for all 3 of us!

But back onto the subject of breastfeeding, I also feel that it gives babies the best start. I managed to with Alex for 3 months, but he was very demanding and grew very quickly. Elise is a little smaller. I take her to our baby clinic every couple of weeks and every woman I have met there bottle feeds. Even my health visitor is surprised I breastfeed and they are supposed to be promoting it!

And don't worry Ellie, I don't mind you being nosey :)
Ellie
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Post by Ellie »

Morning Debs (Dutchie & Cowboy too)..only just got on here..so not had much time to think..
but will say this..
Good for you Debs..and youre perfectly right in all you say.Of course I know there are women who cant breastfeed for certain reasons..but I do believe..because the 'image' of women's breasts has changed in this modern world..now mostly seen in the 'sexual' light..that girls will not even consider it. that they are pressurised into to 'having a good pair' purely for man's pleasure..
look how even teenage girls (and Ive heard them speak on TV about this) think theres something wrong with them if they havent got at least a 'C' or 'D' cup!! schoolgirls talking of saving up..in order to have lumps of silicone or whatever shoved into their breasts...in order to look like Jordan or whoever!...
Im horrified when I read this :x
Dutchie..once again you & I are at loggerheads :) !
So its okay to have topless waitresses and lapdancers..& photos of large bosoms displayed everywhere.....but not....Horror of Horrors!!! Let a woman be seen 'breastfeeding her baby'.......
Well I was gonna say..thats a man for you.....but Ithink..I hope not all men have the same attitude :!:
carry on the good work Debs..your little darling can only benefit....and as you and I know ..its well-worth it.....after all..
They soon bounce back! :lol:
Modern Dad

Post by Modern Dad »

I totally support breastfeeding, anywhere, any time.

And when it's over, the men can play with the empties!
Jackie

Breasts

Post by Jackie »

I come from a long line of breast fed babies. I cant remember any baby in our family being bottle fed. I myself had two big babies, the first 11lb 1 ounce and the second 10 and a half pounds. The first I fed for 9 months and the second for 14,At the beginning a did get sore nipples,but persevered,and so glad that I did.I'ts so convenient,I have fed my babies everywhere and anywhere, you dont need to flash your boobs, it can be done descretely,people knew what I was doing,but couldn't see anything,unless they stuck their nose in my chest! I found people were full of praise for me,I cant remember ever upseting anyone.I'm so glad I fed them,I;d do it all again tomorrow, I got such a lot out of it. Well worth persevering with it :lol:
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Post by dutchie »

I am not against anything as natural as breastfeeding, but I am against doing this in public. That's all.
Debs G
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Post by Debs G »

Sadly dutchie your view seems to be the common one in the UK.
I went out today with my family and my baby got hungry and started crying. Unfortuately, as is usual, there were no provisions anywhere for breastfeeding so she just had to go hungry for a short while. So instead I was glared at by many people for letting my baby cry in the shop we were in!

We were out for no more than a total of 2 hours but you can't plan a breastfed baby's feeds. I had fed her not long before we went out. But if I decided to stay at home any more than I do already I'd never leave the house! Its not easy for us mums that breastfeed.
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Post by dutchie »

I understand this, but there are more ways of handling this. Some mothers breastfeed their baby in public in a way that I find not really necessary. But now and then I see a mother feeding her baby in public in a very natural en decent way and then it is very much ok. I find it hard to explain, but hopefully you understand what I mean. For example: at a birthday-visit in a room full of smoking people, that I find not ok. There must be another place in the house to sit quietly for a few moments?
countryboy

waste not want not

Post by countryboy »

Modern Dad wrote:I totally support breastfeeding, anywhere, any time.

And when it's over, the men can play with the empties!
I don't know about this empty thing. My wife always saved a little bit for me. :wink:
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Post by dutchie »

Ellie wrote:Dutchie..once again you & I are at loggerheads :) !
So its okay to have topless waitresses and lapdancers..& photos of large bosoms displayed everywhere.....but not....Horror of Horrors!!! Let a woman be seen 'breastfeeding her baby'.......
Well I was gonna say..thats a man for you.....but Ithink..I hope not all men have the same attitude :!
Who says I am a man??? Is it in the name?
Modern Dad

Post by Modern Dad »

I had occasion to visit my GP surgery the other day and was appalled to see in the waiting room a mother openly breastfeeding her 4 year old son.

I said to the mother, " Isn't that child too old to be breastfed?"

And the child replied, " Mind your own business"
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