BREASTFEEDING SEEMS GROSS TO ME... AM I WEIRD?

Breastfeeding is NOT gross, expecting another human being to eat in the restroom is gross. 

I like this!  I fed my baby in a restroom while on vacation a while back because someone I was on vacation with was uncomfortable with it.  And I felt horrible for my baby!  It felt so wrong to be hiding in a bathroom stall feeding him!

I don't think you are weird.  I do think that you maybe don't understand fully until you have a baby how hard it may be to take that extra time out of your day to pump milk ahead of time, keep it stored properly until you are ready to use it and then warm it to the correct temperature.

There is nothing wrong with formula feeding in my opinion, babies turn out healthy that way too.  I just wish that everyone could have the right to choose freely what option they want without influence from the rest of the world. 

I do believe that breastfeeding mothers should have respect for other poeple who are uncomfortable by it and use a nursing cover/blanket.  I really wish we lived in a world where normal, natural things like feeding your child wasn't so contriversal!  Its just boobs, everyone's got them!

Why is it so accepted for everyone to sexualize breasts but not ok for them to be used for their sole intended purpose?  Blows my mind!

I don't think your wierd.   I also believe it is gross.  I enjoy my breasts in a sexual way/sensation and to think of them as udders or associating them with babies is disturbing to me.  I know that biologically they were created to keep young alive, but that isn't all they are used for in todays world.  Unless you belong to a tribal community, there is no denying that, otherwise breast implants wouldn't be the most common plastic surgery performed today.

I have no problems with those who want to breastfeed (though I am not interested in witnessing it), but I do have a problem with people trying to push thier desires onto other individuals,and in this arena it is very popular right now.

My mom had 5 kids, 3 formula fed, 2 breastfed.  the most ill infant was one of the breastfed babies, suffered from pnuemonia at a few weeks old having to be hospitalized.  He is also the only one of us with allergies.  No complications with any of the other infants.  Nobody is any more or less bonded to our mother.  None of us are obese, on any medications, or suffering from ADD or ADHD or any other issue. 

It is a personal choice, and if it grosses you out, your baby isn't going to be unhealthy, morbidly obese, or suffering from learning disabilties based on whether you breastfeed or not.  Despite what breastfeeding extremists would like to convince you of.  Other factors play a role much more significantly in these outcomes, like age at conception, nature vs nurture, and the psychological health of the parents.  

  Your not wierd

I am one of those moms who thinks breastfeeding is a beautiful thing and shouldn't offend people.  However, my husband isn't.  So because I want to breastfeed, he also wants me to pump, because We are social butterflies, and he would feel 'weird' if I just whipped my boob out for all the world to possibly see just to feed the baby... Especially if we can just feed from a bottle.  So that is what I'm doing.  I guess  It's all up to you, to each their own.  But Breast milk really is the best for your baby's immune system.

I breastfed my daughter for a week and had to quit due to PPD. I felt overwhelmed by her feeding all the time. Now that she's almost 2 months old I regret not pshing through it. I loved the bonding that I felt with her and we have had such a hard time on formula because her tummy is sensitive. She'd be good on one formula for 3 weeks then all of a sudden she won't take it and we have to switch. Breastmilk is always the right thing (unless baby is allergic to something you ate or a medicine you took). I don't think you need to 'grow up' because breastfeeding isn't for everyone and there are PLENTY of perfectly fine formula fed babies. I was formula fed and I am perfectly fine, not overweight, no major health issues, etc. As for the comment you made about going to the bathroom to feed.. How would you feel if you were at a restaurant and someone asked you to take your meal to the bathroom and eat? You probably wouldn't do it.. Bathrooms are full of germs and just not a place you would normally eat. So if you ever see a woman breastfeeding in public again, I ask that you not ask her to do that and remember the question about taking your meal to the bathroom. If you had your baby at the airport and whipped out a bottle to feed him or her, you wouldn't wanna take your baby to the bathroom, would you? Probably not. So please just keep that in mind. All she was doing was feeding her baby because he/she was hungry just like you would if you had your baby there. If you want to formula feed your baby, then do it. But if you want to pump and feed through a bottle, you will quickly find out that pumping only is going to be a big hassle. But since you don't work full time, you may have the time to sit there and pump every couple hours to feed your baby. I wish you the best of luck.

I do not think you are wierd at all for feeling wierd about it I get uneasy about thinking about breastfeeding and whatnot but I know it is the best for my baby and sometimes you need to grow up and realize that breasts are just lumps of fatty tissue on your chest meant to feed your baby. I think it's rediculous that you think breastfeeding in public is innapropriate especially when the woman did well to cover herself up. I think showing your breats off in a low cut shirt is worse and more innapropriate. At least that women was doing what her breasts are meant for. Not just showing them off for no bloody reason at all or to try and look "hot"  Also about the pumping.. you cant just pump and leave breastmilk in a a bottle it kills the enzymes after a while you have to pump and feed right away or no more than a few hours after or freeze it and thaw it out and warm it up and put it in a bottle make sure it is the right temp etc instead of just sticking the kid on your boob and letting htem so what they do naturally. Formula is ok and everything but it is definately not as good as breastmilk. Not even close. Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing it helps to bond with the baby. And yeah pumping is okay but I think you should consider breastfeeding or at least trying it. It's not just the milk that has benefits for the baby its the skin to skin contact and bonding experience. My friend has 3 kids and she breastfed two. The one whom she did not breastfeed is not very close with her at all the other two are much closer to her and have a different kind of bond with her. I am guessing that maybe breastfeeding had something to do with it and that is exactly what she thinks too.  No offense your not wierd but probably need to grow up a bit, I say if you love your baby do what is completely best for it or at least give it a try and do your best to make it work. It is not for everyone and not everyone can do it but I would say at least put in the effort.

I think breastfeeding is a beautiful bonding experience and I wish I would have been able to do it. In fact I felt like I was an "insufficient mommy" because I couldn't! I think you will change your mind once the baby is born.

I used to be insecure and very modest and then after my first born I was whipping them boobs out and having nurses/ lactation consultants come in every 20 minutes to try and help me! So I am hoping with this next child I will be bale to bf because of the nutrition they get from you, it's free and convienient!

So I think just try to keep an open-mind, maybe do some research and then let your instincts decide once the baby is here! Good luck! btw-I wouldn't feed my baby in the bathroom either...that's crazy gross!

Your not weird, I never thought it was gross but before I had my daughter I was dead set on only pumping. I too saw my breasts as fun not food. But my mother said well at least give it a try when she is born. "Can't say you don't like it till you try" I figured it was worth a shot. So when she was born I did try and it was 100% not werid, freaky, painful or anything I had assumed it would be. Now  my daughter is 9 months old and I work full time but we are still breastfeeding. Obviously when I'm at work I pump but I honestly hate pumping. Its a hassel to clean the bottles ect... Its so much easier on my days off to just put my daughter on the breast let her eat and contiune on with me day. Most woman are not lucky enough to even have pumps work for them as the sitmulation isn't the same as a baby/child suckeling. So my advice is the same as my mothers. Don't knock it till you try it. And its beautiful when its your child.

(also I wont eat my lunch in a bathroom why would you feed a baby in one?)

EXACTLY. Well said.  Although this is a 2yr old post (the OP I mean), so I am just confused why it was brought back....

What she said.  ^^

Being a person who is going to attempt to breastfeed, I find it offensive when people insinuate that it is "gross."  People have different opinions and they need to be handled in an adult manner and respected. 

Well, the initial message was provocative and narrow-minded, and people are just responding in kind. She could have posted, "It seems weird to me to have a baby sucking on my boob. I don't like saliva, and I am not comfortable with the idea," without writing about how people shouldn't be able to breast feed in public. If you want to talk about narrow-minded, calling those of us who DO breastfeed in public (completely covered up so you can't see any bare breast at all) "inappropriate" and "like a stripper" and "EWWWWWW" is way out of line. Many of these messages are attacking and inappropriate (on both sides), but many (such as my initial one) are respectful and are just explaining the decision to breastfeed in public or otherwise without name-calling. If the initial message had been more respectful and open-minded of other people's decisions, I'm sure many of the messages to follow would have been so as well.

Seems like there is a pattern here...pro breastfeeding moms going psycho and attacking us just from hearing our difference in opinion.  It appears that you view anyone who is not in favor of breastfeeding as a direct affront to your being.  People are different, get over it!  Or go live in a bubble somewhere where you can all run around naked with babies sucking on your boobs all day.  Your narrow-mindedness would never be tolerated in this country in any other context (race, religion, sexual preference, etc.).  I will never understand how  pro breastfeeding fanaticism has become mainstream!

Hey everyone, just thought I'd mention this was originally posted over 2 years ago, I just spent ages reading all the previous replies lol - how on earth did it get started again?! Is the poster still out there? I'd be interested to know if you stuck to your guns or changed your mind once the baby was born...

bump

Wow, this thread has totally gotten out of control!!!  Obviously everyone has their own opinion to this, but there is some serious mud-slinging going on here!!!  To the actual poster, it is entirely your choice if you don't want to breastfeed.  But, if you really want to pump then feed your baby, I guarantee that is all you will be doing all day.  My daughter lost almost 15% of her birth weight by the 3rd day of her life because my milk took so long to come in.  I had to supplement with formula to literally keep her alive.  After it finally came it, I started pumping after I nursed her so I could up my production.  Think of it as you giving your baby a bottle, then pumping for the next bottle.  A newborn eats approximatly every 2 hours and sometimes takes up to 45 minutes to eat.  Add that to the 45 minutes it may take you to pump, and that leaves you with a whopping 30 minutes left to do anything before baby is hungry again.  I'm not trying to sway you in any way, just giving you information.  My best advice is to meet with a lactation consultant and get as much information as you can.  They are your best bet to get actual facts and information and usually are funded by grants or covered by insurance.

I read some of these replies and yes breastfeeding is a "hot" topic but its not for everyone. I breastfed my son and will do the same for my next child but I think it is rude to think you are better than someone else because you breastfed and they didn't.  Maybe the mom takes medicine that can be passed through breast milk and harm her child? My friend just had a baby who is lactose intolerant and is allergic to breast milk. 

As a reply to the poster I have a few friends who wouldn't breastfeed if they have children. If you only feel comfortable pumping thats fine just get a really good(hospital grade) pump. The mom you saw at the airport probably took the easy way. I packed formula for a flight with my son and security was horrible. They went through every can I had and tested it and then left me with a mess and a flight to catch.They dont do that to your breasts lol. 

Some babies who are underweight are too small to suck strongly enough to get enough milk from a breast so they are given formula until they develop more. Bottles flow easier than breasts although some babies, like mine still prefer the breast. Babies who take formula rather than breastmilk are more likely to be overweight as toddlers though. You can't overfeed a breastfed baby, but you can give a baby too much formula. This is partly because all formula is the higher fat kind, while breastmilk comes out watery at first, and only gets high fat toward the end. So a formula fed baby will be getting a meal, even if he just wants a little something to drink.

at first i thought it was gross. everything in pregnancy, baby comin out, the pain, the stretchmarks including breastfeeding. half of my friends were pregnant, im not even a baby loving person (im better with animals!) but as soon as i found out that i was preggo, it seemed like everything changed...  the pain i can handle, the stretchmarks (the creams do help a little) now i dont care about how it comes out, i dont care what ppl think about BF because yes its what boobs are attended for, not sexually use, not  just because OMG THIS TOP LOOKS BEAUTIFUL MAKES MY BOOBS LOOK BIG! theyre there for baby, pregnancy really did change  everything how i feel about pregnancy and the baby, i already love her like i havent loved anyother relative baby i know and i cant wait! i want the best for her, and would hate to see her get sick like most formulas can do.