Breast Feeding In Public.

[kannon99]

Bina, you're right, some mothers are giving regular milk because they can't afford it. Formula is under lock and key or security bands and Tesco and similar stores. Most Thai moms start out breastfeeding but also start supplementing from the beginning. Yes breastfeeding at night but that doesn't keep the mother's milk supply up.

Not so sure it's a losing battle. On monthly visits, my wife's doctor is always asking her if she is breastfeeding only to which she replies 99.85 percent.

As you get at, education is key and I think local practitioners are really pushing this (breast feeding) even at early stages of pregnancy.

bkkjames, that's good news to hear. Not common but lucky for you and your wife! There is a push now for breastfeeding in the media, such as mentioning that the princess has breastfeed and the queen too. Honestly the biggest hindrance to such low breastfeeding rates is the illegal marketing of formula in this country.

[bkkjames]

Bina, you're right, some mothers are giving regular milk because they can't afford it. Formula is under lock and key or security bands and Tesco and similar stores. Most Thai moms start out breastfeeding but also start supplementing from the beginning. Yes breastfeeding at night but that doesn't keep the mother's milk supply up.

Not so sure it's a losing battle. On monthly visits, my wife's doctor is always asking her if she is breastfeeding only to which she replies 99.85 percent.

As you get at, education is key and I think local practitioners are really pushing this (breast feeding) even at early stages of pregnancy.

bkkjames, that's good news to hear. Not common but lucky for you and your wife! There is a push now for breastfeeding in the media, such as mentioning that the princess has breastfeed and the queen too. Honestly the biggest hindrance to such low breastfeeding rates is the illegal marketing of formula in this country.

Not sure about your last point. Formula is expensive for most locals. I blame it on 'it's too easy' to just give the kid a bottle mentality.

[artygraph]

It is the most natural thing to do, Why should it be done discreetly?

Except to hide from leacherous eyes.

Exactly.

My wife is expecting in two weeks and 100% plans to breast-feed. She will do so when and where the need arises and will think only of the babies needs not the needs of those around her.

I am sure she will do so as discreetly as possible however I would certainly have an issue with anyone who has an issue with it.

Anyone who objects or think it's misplaced to feed another human being whether in public or not needs to reset their priorities.

No doubt the same people who think it's OK to go into a gogo bar and see the breasts and pussies on permanent display?

[britmaveric]

^discreetly is the key. The problem arises when mums are not so discrete.. however these days that is mostly a thing of the past with the advent of breast pumps ect.

[Boo]

Hardy any breastfeeding mums use a pump except to express for night feeds or when they have to go to work & quite honestly, anyone, man or women who thinks that breastfeeding should be done in secret should have a bit more empathy. How would you like it if you had to eat your meals hidden away under a cloth or in a toilet.

Sorry Brit but all this mention of discreet is your own issue. I doubt any bf mother would give a crap what you think about it, she has more pressing issues to deal with, like feeding her child. If you don't want to see it then dont look. It really is that simple.

[britmaveric]

Boo.. quite correct just a preference. Am I going to go off and lose it if I see a baby feeding from her mum? Not at all, I am just expressing some people prefer not to see that.

I don't know many mums who will lob a boob out and feed in front of you. Ones I know vacate to another room.

[cdnvic]

I think we men as a species can set an example in modesty and decorum by not peeing on sidewalks and storefronts as we walk home from the pub.

[britmaveric]

^dark corner where no one can see you is def preferable for those who can't wait after a legless session.

[Patsycat]

I am with Boo here, who gives a shit if you like it or not - it is the child that needs to be fed, wether breast or bottle. Turn your head if it upsets you so much. Come to Europe and sit in a park - you will have boobies galore all summer - cos it's natural, and lots of bouncing, happy babies too!!

[cyb]

Hardy any breastfeeding mums use a pump except to express for night feeds or when they have to go to work & quite honestly, anyone, man or women who thinks that breastfeeding should be done in secret should have a bit more empathy. How would you like it if you had to eat your meals hidden away under a cloth or in a toilet.

Sorry Brit but all this mention of discreet is your own issue. I doubt any bf mother would give a crap what you think about it, she has more pressing issues to deal with, like feeding her child. If you don't want to see it then dont look. It really is that simple.

To show things to the extreme.

I was in a restaurant in twyford uk, A woman on the table next to me started breast feeding her baby. A guy sat at the opposite table got up and walked out complaining it had put him off his meal.

Now if that isn't bordering on the rediculous i don't know what is.

[eek]

^dark corner where no one can see you is def preferable for those who can't wait after a legless session.

You do realise that mens pee smells absolutely rank and seems to permeate the air within the vicinity right?

[ScubaBuddha]

I think we men as a species can set an example in modesty and decorum by not peeing on sidewalks and storefronts as we walk home from the pub.

How funny you mention this. Today, twice, I saw Thai men who had stopped along a busy road and, standing next to their motorbikes, were uninating in broad daylight. Not that rare an occurrence really. Seems to be the norm for Thai's.

Edited October 9, 2009 by Scubabuddha

[britmaveric]

^dark corner where no one can see you is def preferable for those who can't wait after a legless session.

You do realise that mens pee smells absolutely rank and seems to permeate the air within the vicinity right?

Dunno far worse when you see some ladies squatting after a good session on the streets. (no dark corners either)

Edited October 9, 2009 by britmaveric

[Moonrakers]

Milk substitutes simple do not cut it in terms of nourishment and children not fed with natural breast milk are prone to weaker than normal immune systems.

Besides which, anybody who gets excited over the sight of a bit of titty really needs to grow up a bit.

[britmaveric]

Milk substitutes simple do not cut it in terms of nourishment and children not fed with natural breast milk are prone to weaker than normal immune systems.

Dunno my nieces are smart as whips, never sick and uh oh formula raised. I've also seen studies advocating the direct opposite of what you stated above.

However At the end of the day bottle/breast - makes little difference, just personal choice.

Edited October 9, 2009 by britmaveric

[OxfordWill]

Kinda funny how men react to women breastfeeding. So many try to catch a gawk at womens chests under normaI circumstances, onIy to recoiI if the breast that is more easiIy viewabIe is feeding a baby.

Well, not so funny when you think about it. Breasts = sexy for adult males. Babies = not sexy. Breasts (sexy) plus baby(not sexy) = embarassment, confusion and "oh shit, does that mean im a paedophile?!"

[Tilokarat]

I think we men as a species can set an example in modesty and decorum by not peeing on sidewalks and storefronts as we walk home from the pub.

No, no, no. We need to prove we are the superior species by writing our name in the fresh snow something that the ladies cannot do.

[VitalGirl]

Kinda funny how men react to women breastfeeding. So many try to catch a gawk at womens chests under normaI circumstances, onIy to recoiI if the breast that is more easiIy viewabIe is feeding a baby.

PersonaIIy i do think its better to try be discreet when feeding, but im not fazed either if per chance the mum Ioses her concentration or shes too tired to be bothered. Im sure for many mums their first thought is "make sure my baby is happy and weII fed", not "Oh my goodness, i must make sure not to offend the sensibiIities of those who may gIance upon my exposed breast"....

---

edit: PIus a good deaI of u seem to pop down waIking street or Nana or wherever to ogIe various parts of a womans anatomy and/or pay cash to view it in more detaiI..yet gag at the thought of her doing something naturaI. Gawd, yir a right funny Iot...

If your referring to the reactions of those in this thread, I didn't see anywhere where people were "recoiling". I certainly wasn't. I was simply stating that I thought it wasn't a Thai thing to do vs. the west.

We had this discussion very often while I breastfed my little girl (discreetly) for 2+ years here... the interesting answer about why a lot of women really don't breastfeed is hard to get to, but a lot of woemn will own up if you push them hard enough: they think low class farming women breastfeed because they can't afford formula and also that it makes your nipples brown and large and disgusting. Actually in lots of Thai villages, large numbers of women breastfeed publicly.. it's just in the cities where us silly farang congregate that a lot of Thais feel a class stigma about it.

[bina]

i love watching babies breastfeed; actually, when i was with that thai cousin after she gave birth, i couldnt help saying uumm umm along with the baby... everyone thought it was cute. i watched my husband and he did the same thing. we also did the same thing when our little goat kids got up to nurse for the first time from their moms.

i love it. if men have problems with it, or hi/so women, then they shouldnt look. i also eat with my fingers, chew off the meat off the bone, bite in to juicy fruit.

i never unbottoned the entire blouse to undress to feed baby. u just undo a button or two, and, ifu have practiced, then, hup, slurp, baby has latched on.

its a bit disconcerting to have a larger child nurse in public for many people because a boy baby is already a boy and not a baby and still going at the tittie so for some people perhaps the association is 'wierd'.

also, i suspect that many thai women are afraid that their breasts will fall, flatten out, and they will be seen as mature mothers as apposed to the 'cute little girly' tpe that many city women like to appear to be...

bina

israel

[IMA_FARANG]

I replied in this topic before.

Just by coincidence on Friday I was in the club/cafeteria here on the U.S. Navy base I work at.

A woman there, married to a navy officer, had just returned from the U.S. after having her baby daughter in the U.S.

The baby was aout 2 months old. The woman was talking with friends. She was very discretely breatfeeding the baby at the time.

No one seemed to care, if they even noticed.

It has become much more common in the U.S. now, as women are reading reports about the advantages of breast feeding versus formula.

One of the advantages seems to be that mother's milk is known to aid the infant's developing immune system as the mother passes on her own immunity via the milk to the young baby. (whose immune system is not yet developed).

As it was put before...cow milk is made for cow babies, human milk is made for human babies.