Breastfeeding abroad?

Piper101

Ok, I searched for an old thread before starting a new one...I am exclusively bf my 4.5 month old and going to France next week. Anyone know of their attitudes towards breastfeeding in public?

I'm discreet and use a cover if my clothes aren't sufficient. I'm really nervous about this, I've heard (thanks to google!) that bf rates in France are among the lowest in the world.

I'm thinking of bringing a pump and expressing bottle for her to being out with me but tbh I don't know if she'd even take one when I'm there.

How Strange

I was breastfeeding my son when I was in France a couple of years ago on hols and I found everyone generally accepting of breastfeeding in public. I got lots of friendly smiles and nods from people if I was feeding him in a cafe or wherever.

I think that's the difference between Ireland; here most people rubber neck to look the other way or avoid eye contact when feeding whereas there people thought it was a lovely thing to see which of course it is

aniascor

I think that if you manage it here, where BF rates are also among the lowest in the world, you'll manage anywhere. Enjoy the holiday!

The Princess Bride

It really shouldn't be an issue anywhere in the world.
As you say yourself,you are discreet,therefore,nobody should know you're feeding except you and baby.

Enjoy your break!

liliq

It's perfectly acceptable to feed there. The rates here are worse!

071_Foamer

In France or any Mediterranean countries you will be fine as they are all very in your face in those places. Germany or northern Europe not so much.

Personally, I am not keen on breast feeding in public. Baby nursing rooms or mother and child rooms should be used where they are available. Either that or go somewhere very private or use expressed bf.

pwurple

071_Foamer wrote: »

Personally, I am not keen on breast feeding in public. Baby nursing rooms or mother and child rooms should be used where they are available. Either that or go somewhere very private or use expressed bf.

:mad:

JanaMay

I lived in mainland Europe and breastfed everywhere: cafès, restaurants, parks, on the street. I always used a shawl or baggy clothes to cover up as I felt more comfortable that way. (I didn't want my swollen, blue-veined boobs on show!) Honestly, until I returned on holidays to Ireland i never realised that some people could find it inappropriate. The thought had really never entered my head before then.

My attempts at expressing were never really successful, I could never pump enough to keep the little one satisfied. I also found it so much easier to lift my top discreetly and latch her on. Nobody ever batted an eyelid, at least to my knowledge.

Honestly OP, if you'd feel more comfortable pumping and using a bottle, by all means do. But it's up to you. I really don't think that people will mind. (Even if they do, they really shouldn't....but that's a different topic for a different thread!)

foodaholic

pwurple wrote: »

:mad:

+1 :mad:

gravid

071_Foamer wrote: »

In France or any Mediterranean countries you will be fine as they are all very in your face in those places. Germany or northern Europe not so much.

Personally, I am not keen on breast feeding in public. Baby nursing rooms or mother and child rooms should be used where they are available. Either that or go somewhere very private or use expressed bf.

first of all, most "northern" countries have bf rates of near 90% so there would be absolutely no hassle to bf in public there!

second, what is it to you if mothers are feeding their children in public? no bf mother is asking you to look at them. nursing rooms are not very common and where there are such rooms they are not always the type of place where anyone would like to eat/feed.

its a pity that there are still people with your views as it makes some mothers choose not to bf their children.

Lunni

071_Foamer wrote: »

In France or any Mediterranean countries you will be fine as they are all very in your face in those places. Germany or northern Europe not so much.

Personally, I am not keen on breast feeding in public. Baby nursing rooms or mother and child rooms should be used where they are available. Either that or go somewhere very private or use expressed bf.

You clearly haven't a clue, as breastfeeding rates in Scandinavia are close to 100% and breastfeeding in public is encouraged. I don't see why mothers should be forced to bottle feed or sit in some dirty changing room just so your delicate sensibilities aren't offended.

071_Foamer

Perhaps in Scandanavia yes, but I was referring moreso to places like Germany, Poland, Baltic states etc.
Having said that my sister did once make a pretty dreadful comment re BFing - my mother was talking about the Polish and that they BF but my sister (who had a young baby at that stage) commented that eastern Europeans only BF because they are too mean to buy formula. I was quite shocked by that. And she is a primary school teacher.

Piper101

071_Foamer wrote: »

In France or any Mediterranean countries you will be fine as they are all very in your face in those places. Germany or northern Europe not so much.

Personally, I am not keen on breast feeding in public. Baby nursing rooms or mother and child rooms should be used where they are available. Either that or go somewhere very private or use expressed bf.

God I feel awful now...have you seen most public toilets in France? Somewhere private in a foreign country? I don't know if there'll be many nursing rooms either

meeeeh

Piper101 wrote: »

God I feel awful now...have you seen most public toilets in France? Somewhere private in a foreign country? I don't know if there'll be many nursing rooms either

Go to any beach in continental Europe and half of the girls there will be topless. Only idiots will object to breast feeding in public and I really wouldn't worry about them.

How Strange

Op, don't worry in the slightest. You probably won't find any nursing rooms because they don't need them as mothers just feed their babies when they need to be fed.

December2012

071_Foamer wrote: »

In France or any Mediterranean countries you will be fine as they are all very in your face in those places. Germany or northern Europe not so much.

Personally, I am not keen on breast feeding in public. Baby nursing rooms or mother and child rooms should be used where they are available. Either that or go somewhere very private or use expressed bf.

Why?

liliq

071_Foamer wrote: »

In France or any Mediterranean countries you will be fine as they are all very in your face in those places. Germany or northern Europe not so much.

Personally, I am not keen on breast feeding in public. Baby nursing rooms or mother and child rooms should be used where they are available. Either that or go somewhere very private or use expressed bf.

Why is it different in Germany or northern Europe? Norway have 98% Breastfeeding rates.
In Bavaria, Germany initial rates are 90%, and 61% at 4 months (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/18294424/), higher than rates here, so certainly more likely to be acceptable than not.
A baby has an right to be fed whenever and wherever they are hungry.

dartup

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/01/france-breast-breastfed-baby-death

Apanachi

071_Foamer wrote: »

Personally, I am not keen on breast feeding in public. Baby nursing rooms or mother and child rooms should be used where they are available. Either that or go somewhere very private or use expressed bf.

Then don't look when others do it, simple as.

I mean it's not as if mothers are slapping out their boobs and juggling them around for all to see, they are generally discreet and there's never really any thing to see as the baby covers most of the breast anyway (no matter how big)

missis aggie

Hi, on public feeding abroad - I drove from Ireland to Poland and breastfed in Great Britain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and mainly in Poland ( I am Polish). I never had problem feeding in public ( not that I care its normal way of feeding a baby not a big deal).
So good luck on your holidays and enjoy it

Lumbarda

I breastfed my little girl for the first year, pretty much on demand and (discreetly) in public as and when required including on holidays in France, Italy and Switzerland and never experienced any problems. I always had a muslin cloth or blanket to sling over my shoulder until she was latched on, then I'd cover up as much as possible and relax. No one can see anything unless they are REALLY trying and, as far as I was concerned it's the most natural thing in the world and if anyone was offended that was their problem not mine, given that I was always very discreet about it!

From what I remember of France, they didn't really have feeding rooms so I tended to just sit with my back to the cafe/restaurant as much as possible and or find a quiet corner somewhere. Enjoy your holiday and relax!!

liliq

dartup wrote: »

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/01/france-breast-breastfed-baby-death

I read that somewhere a couple of months ago... quite a bizarre article!

IvyTheTerrible

I'm living in France and I never had any hassle breastfeeding in public. But I find (at least in the South of France) places are in general very family friendly. I have seen people breastfeeding in cafes, on the bus, on the tram etc. You'll have no trouble!

IvyTheTerrible

dartup wrote: »

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/01/france-breast-breastfed-baby-death

Maybe I'm just hanging around with the wrong people but my experience of breastfeeding attitudes in France is completely contrary to what that journalist is talking about. The people I know are more of the "breast-is-best" type.