How do your husbands feel about you breastfeeding in public?

Shaina - posted on 01/29/2010

My husband is very supportive! He loves that I breasfeed & brags about it to his friends. Liam (5mo) Has gotten to the point that he will not eat if I am covererd up...He doesn't like it. My FAVORITE nursing top/bra is the nursing tank!!! I LOVE IT!! It hides the belly while being confortable!

Beth - posted on 01/29/2010

my husband was my biggest supporter--- I was still mostly covered -- I used the long nursing tanks under another shirt - because i didnt want my baby pudge sticking out ..lol... but my son shortly didnt love the cover ups -- but i could stil use one to make sue not much of me was showing but keep him out from under the fabric. I still think about our first major outing with the baby -- we went to the zoo - and i was not about to feed him in a restroom that was rows of stalls --- that smelled like a very public bathroom... so i found a canopy area that had benches and vending machines and sat there to feed --- and you couldnt imagine the ppl that wanted a drink walked towards me and then turned and walked away when they realized what i was doing ... I was so shocked ---

Rebecca - posted on 01/28/2010

My husband agrees, you need to be fully covered up or excuse yourself and go to another room. He is all for breastfeeding but it needs to be discreet.

Nicole - posted on 01/27/2010

My husband is fine with whatever I feel comfortable with. He understands its important to me that our baby is breastfed and knows that I'll only show parts of my body is certain places as I'm comfortable with it.

Dawn - posted on 01/27/2010

My husband is Marine Corps and very supportive. Our son is 14 months and still nurses. I try to cover him but he doesn't really like it and will throw it off or cry, so most of the time he is uncovered. It's never been an issue and most of the wives I know either BF now, have in the past, want to in the future, or wished they had. I have not had anyone be immature about it. It's my child eating. It's not like I take my shirt off and jiggle them for everyone..There are ways to be discrete even uncovered.

Amber - posted on 01/27/2010

My honey is very supportive,whatever I felt was ok he would go along with. He probably wouldn't want me to whip it out in front a bunch of guys ( if i did I don't think he would say any thing but I'm too shy for that anyway) but if I was covered it would be ok.... he's just a guy and can't get past the fact boobs are for things other than a mans enjoyment...lol

Stephanie - posted on 01/27/2010

My man is very supportive and doesn't care were I whip it out, or who sees, as long as out baby is fed and happy.

Michelle - posted on 01/27/2010

My husband doesn't mind at all as long as I'm comfortable and she's happy its all good

Katie - posted on 01/27/2010

Missy,
Why on earth would someone be traumatized by the site of flesh? Perhaps the sight of a breast being used for it's true purpose ruins some peoples oversexualized views of the female anatomy? Maybe that's not such a bad thing!
I don't care if you want to cover up. Go right ahead. Though I do feel that it just perpetuates the notion that breastfeeding is taboo and something that should be hidden. Regardless, go for it. Cover up if that's what makes you comfortable. In fact, I would much rather a woman cover up if that's what she needs to do to feel comfortable feeding in public as opposed to the bathroom or the car (so sad). What I have a problem with though, is people who say that breastfeeding in public is fine, "as long as you cover up". So you're saying it's not fine if I choose not to use a cover? That's bogus!

MISSY - posted on 01/27/2010

BREASTFEEDING IS GREAT ANYWHERE AS LONG AS YIUR COVERED IN PUBLIC. AT HOME WITH GUESTS ALSO BUT I DO PREPARE THEM WITH A HEADS UP SO THEY ARENT TRAMATIZED. IT EVEN MAKES ME WEIRDED OUT WHEN I SEE A WOMAN WHIPPING OUT THE BOOB IN PUBLIC. USE A BLANKET OR SOMETHING....

Amy - posted on 01/27/2010

my husband and i have discussed this and he is completely fine with it. we obviously have come to an agreement about this and so he is fine with me doing this just as long as i am comfortable.

Rachael - posted on 01/27/2010

My husband is actually more comfortable with it than I am! When we're at certain places, I try to go somewhere private, and my husband always tells me just to go ahead and whip it out if the little one is hungry.

Bridget - posted on 01/26/2010

My husband is in the army too and he said the same thing.. so boobage showing in front of the army buddies. The army buddies are the worst because they work together and its like they can be immature about things.. and he doesn't want me to the "that wife" that they all talk about. We are really conservative..so my husband has told me that he feels more comfortable if I keep it private and not do it in public at all.. and if we have to.. feed in the backseat of the car (of course not while driving or anything). I don't feel comfortable pumping or feeding in a bathroom either. So hopefully I will be able to pump enough before we need to go out and about. But this is our first child so we are not sure how things are going to work out yet. And I am not so sure that I feel comfortable flopping the ol'tatas out to feed either. I am sure that we will "evolve" when we actually are able to experiance what this is really all about. lol I am not against feeding in public and neither is he.. he just doesn't want the world to know what I look like I guess. Do what you feel comfortable with and what your baby is comfortable with. Good luck!

Ceri - posted on 01/26/2010

He is very supportive, I've nursed in public and in front of his Navy buddies both with and without a cover. He is concerned with my comfort and if anyone says anything (and no one ever has) he's ready to defend my choice.

Victoria - posted on 01/26/2010

My husband supports BFing in public 100%. He dosn't care if we are covered up or not, but I am modest, even after 3 babies and I still cover. None of mine ever minded being covered when they nursed so it was never a big deal.

Faith - posted on 01/26/2010

He's great with it. He thinks it's ridiculous if I use a cover so I usually don't. The couple times someone has said something about it he asked the person if we should cover their heads while they were eating

Jenny - posted on 01/26/2010

One more thought about this topic, For those of you who have hubbies who are not so sure about breastfeeding in public, remember they may just be feeling protective of you. It's probably not the people who would be offended that they are worried about, but the ones who would enjoy it. There are a lot of freaks and weirdos out there. So the next time he asks you to cover up, it's probly cause he loves you! :)

Jessie - posted on 01/26/2010

the indiscreet breastfeeding manifesto is about to become my facebook status!

Faith - posted on 01/26/2010

He is very supportive and encourages me to nurse wherever I feel comfortable which is almost anywhere. He not embarresed to let people know I breastfeed our baby when they give us "advice" about feeding. Since I was preg I was always sharing with him all the cool benefits to bf and he has always agreed 100%. I am blessed to have him.

Joanna - posted on 01/26/2010

My husband is a muslim and even though all the women in his culture cover up, he still doesnt mind me breastfeeding when needed

Allie - posted on 01/26/2010

As long as I had a cover my husband was fine. I personally am a little on the conservative side, so it wasn't so much that he preferred me using a cover, but I didn't particularly want to see someone else's breast like in the middle of a restaurant or anything so I figure that other people don't want to see mine either.

Becky - posted on 01/25/2010

Amber, my husband probably feels about the same as yours. He is very uncomfortable with the thought of other men being uncomfortable...if that makes sense. I have nursed all four of my babies until between 15 & 18 months old. I used to do the 'receiving blanket struggle' until I came up with a nursing poncho design that I felt comfortable with. Most of my friends also feel more comfortable being covered in public, so I started making them for friends. So, my fully supportive hubby made me this website: www.BeckyJaneDesigns.com.

I think the most important thing is that you and your baby have a good, healthy breastfeeding relationship. It is totally OK to cover, or not cover, depending on your comfort level. Myself, I just feel more comfortable covering, and my hubby is so much more comfortable with me nursing in public now. At home, I don't worry about it. My kids are very used to the process, it is just natural. I am pretty sure that all of my kids, when they are grown and having families, will breastfeed (or encourage their spouse to).

Ranae - posted on 01/25/2010

my parnter hates it espiecally in front of his family i dont really care i cover myself up but when my baby has 2 feed u have 2 do it

Brittny - posted on 01/25/2010

I don't think my husband was comfortable with it at first. Then he realized how natural it is and when our baby wants to eat I need to feed him wherever we are. Since I'm so comfortable with it, that makes my husband feel a lot more at ease. I would suggest trying to find a place if you can and if not just use the cover. Those are wonderful for not showing any skin. I would practice using it at home just to make sure your baby doesn't mind the cover up. Good luck!!

Christine - posted on 01/25/2010

Katie and Lisa-
I totally agree with you guys about the movies! It is so frustrating to me that breasts are so oversexualized! Sad thing is that my husband is one of those men that has a WAY oversexualized view of them. So he is not okay with me nursing in public (which I do anyway) and he's still trying to tell me that I have to wean at 1 year. That's why I love this board.... the women here are the only people I "know" who share my views!

Katie - posted on 01/25/2010

You shouldn't have to worry without a cover! ;)

Christina - posted on 01/25/2010

My husband never had a problem with it as long as I didn't show any skin. I was pretty good at hiding everything while nursing, so it was no problem.

Those fancy covers they make nowadays are so nice, like the Modest Mommy Cover and the Hooter Hider. That would make it super easy to nurse in public, I bet. My kids were always pulling off their blankets or popping on and off as they got older. But, with those covers, you shouldn't have to worry about any of that.

LaLasha - posted on 01/25/2010

First of all... I do what I want. I know a lot of people see this as disrespectful but a little skin never hurt anyone and as long as the nipples isn't exposed I don't see what the big deal is. The babies head covers most of the breast and what isn't blocked by the childs head (at least for me) is covered by my shirt and my breast aren't small and my kids aren't huge I have never once gotten dirty looks or comments sometimes you forget a blanket it happens and you shouldn't have to leave the room in your own home unless you want too. but anyway back to the question ask him why? why is he so freaked out someone might see side boob or the same amount of boobage the would see in a low cut shirt or bathing suit? my husband doesn't care he is in the airforce and his co workers never stared and it's not like I'm flashing people I'm feeding our child

Katie - posted on 01/25/2010

my boy friend has always been such a supporter of my breastfeeding... if we know we're going out i just pump off a bottle of milk the day before so i dont have to feed her in public but if it's a spur of the moment thing i just make sure i wear loose fitting clothes out in public so i can feed her a little bit discreetly... im comfortable feeding her in public but i dont want to make others feel too uncomfortable... most ppl dont even realize what is going on haha

Kerrie - posted on 01/25/2010

my husband thinks breastfeeding is the best and if the baby needs to eat the baby needs to eat. he thinks as long as your not making a big scene about taking yoour boob out nobody's really going to notice.

Nicole - posted on 01/25/2010

I'm totally supported... protected, in fact! Sometimes we will be somewhere and I'll see my son starting to squirm and get his hungry look and I'll say that I would like to get out of the area because some of the people there look like they might have something to say if I tried to feed him and my partner gets very protective and lets me know that he'll have something to say to anyone that gives me a hard time. Unfortunately, the only time I had someone borderline harass me, he wasn't there :( I wished he was...

Becky - posted on 01/25/2010

My husband is totally fine with it as long as my breasts aren't showing. He prefers I use a cover, but if I dress so I can do it without everything hanging out, that's fine too.

Lise - posted on 01/24/2010

My husband has no problem with it. We were about to head out to lunch the other day and I said I just wanted to feed the baby first and he replied, "Let's go and just feed her when we get to the restaurant." :) I just cover myself with a receiving blanket (personal preference - not his).

Traci - posted on 01/24/2010

My husband thinks it's perfectly fine that I do it in public and isn't in the least bit squeamish about it.

Lindsay - posted on 01/24/2010

Mine is totally fine with it as long as I use a cover. If we are just around family I don't use a cover though.

Rebecca - posted on 01/24/2010

I couldn't have asked for a more supportive husband when it comes to breastfeeding. He was always making sure that baby and I came first, no matter where or circumstance. He still tries to educate both men and women on the importance of breastfeeding and how much easier it is if the husband is on board.

Princess - posted on 01/24/2010

My boyfriend supports me breastfeeding our son.. At first he use 2 want me 2 cover up when we was out even when we was around family... But now our son dnt like nething covering himup while he is eatin.... So he has non choice put 2 deal with it because our son has 2 eat no matter where we @

Amy - posted on 01/24/2010

Katie, I agree about the movies, my husband and i just watched the constant gardener and we were both happy to see that they showed a prego women, and nursing on film!

Amy - posted on 01/24/2010

My hubbys in the army too, He is very suportive, We dont feel the need to cover up, or be removed. My hubby was breastfeed, and grew up around it, i think this makes all the difference. We are also on baby number 4 and have BF all of them, the little guy wont nurse with a cover over his head. My hubby helps when we are out and about, usually he'll sit on the exposed side so not much shows, and no one comments maybe its the dont even think about it stare he gives the nay-sayers...heheh.

Louise - posted on 01/24/2010

My hubby was a little uneasy about it but partly because I just couldn't manage to do it subtly.

We discussed it properly and came to an understanding and I managed to find a feeding cover that allowed me to see my daughter whilst I fed her but no one else could see. I found the cover put us all at ease and made it the happy experience it's meant to be - and my daughter could still look up at me and reach for my face etc.

http://www.babybubu.co.uk/?p=13&c=breast...

Karla - posted on 01/23/2010

My husband is fine with it. I wear a little cover while feeding and yeah everyone knows what you are doing but they can't see anything. I have never had any negative feedback in public, just positive. More people need to know it is ok to bf in public so go ahead and do your thing! Hooter hiders are great covers by the way! :)

Brittany - posted on 01/23/2010

i suggest getting nursing camis. i have two! i can walk around anywhere and feed my son and no one knows.

Katie - posted on 01/23/2010

I would have no problem with that either, Lisa! :) Unfortunately, that's quite rare. I understand movies and Hollywood to some degree. A lot of humans have that strange fascination with 'beautiful people'. I just wish that the standard of beauty were different. I used to feel very self conscious about my body, and especially my breasts when I was younger and before I got pregnant. I'm (still) young and I'm not overweight or anything, but I have never had what the general public would consider nice boobies haha. Movies with female nudity always made me feel like crap. I thought to myself, "why don't I look like that? I must not be beautiful". I know that's total BS now. But I'm still not OK with the nudity. It doesn't make me bummed about my own body so much anymore though. It mainly just makes me angry. And now I have a son and I worry that when he is older he is going to see nudity in movies and porn before he really gets a look at real women. I don;t want him to have ridiculous standards for women. I want him to know what real beauty is, both inner and outer.

Sylvia - posted on 01/23/2010

Well, mine was not crazy about the idea before the fact -- his family are kind of funny about nursing, they all wean super early (my oldest SIL told me she weaned all her kids as soon as they got their first tooth!!) and go hide in the bedroom to nurse, my family all live far away from us, and we were among the first of our friends to start having kids, so he hadn't seen a ton of "public" nursing before DD was born. But he could tell that I knew a lot more about the whole thing than he did, so he didn't argue too hard ;^).

I first nursed DD in public when she was about four days old, out for dinner in a neighbourhood restaurant with my mom, my aunt and uncle and my two cousins, all visiting from out of town. Oh, and we were sitting at the table right in front of the big window LOL. Nobody who wasn't at our table really saw anything, and nobody said anything, and after that I didn't hear anything from DH about NIP.

Until, that is, we were on a plane going from Toronto to Calgary to visit my family about 3 months later, and this very nice flight attendant kept coming by to admire our cute (and very quiet, because she was tucked under my shirt chowing down the entire time) baby and letting us know that he'd be happy to warm up a bottle for us whenever. About the fourth time he said that, DH said very cheerfully, "That's okay, we don't need any bottles. We have a twenty-four-hour breastaurant!"

So, um, I think he got over his issues ;^)

Nicole - posted on 01/23/2010

one more thing- I spread this awesome thing everywhere:
Indiscreet Breastfeeding Manifesto * I will nurse my child anytime, anywhere, no matter who is present or what I am wearing. * I will bare my breast with pride and confidence. * I will not apologize for nourishing and nurturing my child. * I will not smother my child with a napkin or blanket. * I will smile at everyone around me and ignore rude stares. * I will know that I am giving my child the perfect infant food from the most efficient, ecological, and economical delivery system. * I will know that I am giving my child the healthy start that is his or her birthright. * I will set an example for women and girls, educate the public, dispel breastfeeding myths, desexualize the breast, and make the world a better place, all through the simple act of feeding my child.

Nicole - posted on 01/23/2010

My boyfriend completely supports me.Heck, when she was a newborn, he would hold my breast up and keep my shirt back so Phoebe would get the best latch possible (even in the middle of the mall and church) Anytime, any place. No cover required. Asking you to cover is implying that you are doing something wrong/lewd. Nursing is not something that you need to apologize for or ask permission to do. You are simply giving your baby their birthright and meeting their needs.

Alicia - posted on 01/23/2010

Mine always tells me to just whip it out and feed. I think he's proud for us lol He's cute, lol

But as far as I go, I'm the one that shy's away... What I do is wear a tank top with thin straps and a t shirt or whatever. Than shirt comes up, and the tank top goes down on one side with my bra, and hardly and skin shows at all. No biggie and I feel... mostly comfortable. I feel uncomfortable when I see others act uncomfortable, but that's just a problem that I am working on getting over. :)

Heather - posted on 01/23/2010

I totally hear you I grew up in Germany and never did I see women covering up to nurse and it was everywhere usually full boob! I think b/c I grew up with that, it was only natural to want to BF and to not have reservations about what others thought! It's a shame how ppl in the states view BF!

Heather - posted on 01/23/2010

Babies have to eat and you have to feed them! If more ppl nursed in public it wouldn't be so tabo...and no one would have issues. My husband doesn't care and helps in anyway I ask!

Minnie - posted on 01/23/2010

Katie, I feel the same way about nudity in movies. But I would never have a problem with a mother nursing her baby in a movie- with her breast fully exposed. It's the use of the breast that matters!