Thanks everyone! Went out yesterday and ended up in a pub with the football on so obviously lots of men. My dad was showing off to some old ladies by bouncing her around to make her giggle and feeding her chips! I did stop him when the biscuits came with his coffee. We were with my aunt who I don't see a lot of and said I'm going to have to feed her. He said 'oh, wheres the bottle?' and I said 'I don't have one!' So he said 'If you are getting those things out I don't want to see!' The look on my aunts face was a picture! Normally my dad would go into another room but obviously in a busy pub he would have lost his seat so he stayed put. They were both a bit embarassed but I used a cloth to cover us. There were 2 other women there with their partners and tiny babies who were shuffling around, obviously wanting to feed but at that awkward early days stage where they didn't dare! I got mine out and smiled at one who tried to do the same but got really embarassed (she was watching me so thought I could encourage her)and the other took her lo into the toilets to feed. My dad said I did a good job of not flashing, then I told him the man on the chair behind me had his elbow resting on my shoulder so I couldn't have moved anyway! That sounds awful but it was 2 settees back to back and he didn't even realise he had trapped my shoulder and cloth under his arm! Any way, no problems and lo was on best behaviour too! x

Hi.  I breastfed dd until she was 17 monts and she was large for her gae and I;m also feeding my youngest one who is now almost 7 months.

The law does state that if you show your breasts it could be classed as indecent exposure - but if they inforced this they would have arrest a lot of people as I see a lot of clevage, low cut lines etc and men reading the sun with page 3 on show, it's one of thos eold outdated lawas that is not enforced and woudl do more harm to the goavermnet to enforce than not.  (Did you know it is still illegal to eat mince pies on boxing days as they have never re-wriiten this particulatr law).  The media would have a field day if someone asked you to stop - teh Mirror proabbly saying how filthy you are for feeding your child and the Guardian declaring how silly the public have been to stop someone breastfeeding in public and the govermnet woudl look silly with all it's breasfeeding promotions. 

So go ahead, and feed your child anywhere it is acceptable to bottle feed is also OK to breasfteed. The more we are seen feeding the more normal it becomes to feed in public and the easier it becomes for all breastfeeding mums.

Donna

Hi Mammyanddaddy.  My dd is nearly 8 months now and I regularly feed her when we're out and about.  I've never had any negative comments (prob will now I've said that!) but don't think I'd let it get to me if anyone did say anything.  I don't think many people would have the guts to ask you to stop, unless of course you're planning on flashing your boobs all over the place!    As for feeding in front of your dad, I used to think the same about feeding in front of FIL first time around with ds, but when the time came and I needed to feed ds, I just got on with it, I wasn't embarassed and he didn't appear to be either.  You'll be fine, remember your baby is the most important person to worry about, and so long as they're happy, then forget everyone else.  Enjoy your day out. x

Hi, My dd is 7 months and I still breastfeed.  I live in Scotland so would quite happily feed her when out and about, however, she is far too nosey and will keep pulling away if anything is going on around her.  I still have to search for nearest facilities to feed her in private so she is not distracted.  I was so annoyed yesterday when I was in Adsa and needed to feed her.  Last time I fed her (The Asda has just been refurbished with new facilities) the baby room was great with changing table and an armchair to feed.  Yesterday there was no chair!  I asked at customer services to be told it has 'been done away with'??!!  I made it quite clear how annoyed I was and needed to feed my baby.  She then got me a checkout chair and told me I could adjust the height by sitting on it and using handle at side.  She then left me.  I couldn't get it down small enough with a baby to hold as well!!  I ended up sitting on the floor to feed dd.  I was thinking of putting a complaint in to Asda about removing the feeding chair. Sorry to go on, but the lack of facilities for breastfeeding really annoys me!

Hi. My baby boy is 10 months and if I need to I still feed hiom in public. Nobody can tell you not to- well they can try. Only thing is that once the baby is past 6 months it becomes a little more difficult to be discreet. My baby boy plays all sorts of games like peek a boo and gurgling when breastfeeding! xxx

hey luv, I bf Sophie wherever whenever lol! i never got any comments and if they had thed have got 1 back lol! like you say too shannon is titchy so you could claim she only 4mths anyway! if anybody says anything there just sad lol!

Im shocked at the law down south!  Is that for real about the cops?  I'm glad I live in Scotland.  I'd be astonished if anyone says anything to you.  Silence is the stongest form of communication in my book - along with a deathly stare!  Don't worry, most people are quite liberal in the UK now, aren't they?.  Your dad sound v. sweet!  Enjoy your day out. x

I'm having a day out with my dad who asked if I needed some where I could get my boobs out which made me think I don't know anywhere there! I would normally take a little bottle of formula to tide us over till we found somewhere but won't be able to go all day without feeding her! Its going to be awkward feeding in front of him anyway without him getting embarassed but other people won't bother me. Knowing him if we went to a cafe or something he would stand outside till we had finished! I've never had anyone say anything negative to me yet and I'm dying to use that toilet line! x

as the law in England currently stands (my understanding) if someone asks you to stop you can no longer threaten to sue them for sex discrimination once baby is 6months. However, if you are feeling bold you can demand they call the police (by time police came if they bothered feed would prob be finished lol) or make various comeback comments (e.g. if they suggest feeding in toilet you can suggest they go eat in toilet instead).

Generally though it doesn't happen as much as we fear!! If you can find a place that's generally child-friendly then management is usually more likely to back you up. Starbucks & macDonalds (and prob others but those are ones I know about) have official pro-BF policies, and you may find local cafes etc that advertise they are BF-friendly. Go for it & deal with any issue as it arises - if you have your dp with you then you're less likely to get comments lol, I often don't see looks etc cos I'm concentrating on baby (though friend has told me I've got looks in a cafe that has in window that bf welcomed & child-friendly lol so dunno why they go there if don't want to see it)

I heard that once a baby gets past 6 months if you are in public you can be asked to stop. Is that true?! My lo is small for her age but I'm going for a day trip to somewhere I've not been since having lo and have no ideas where breastfeeding facilities are! Could someone tell me to stop if I'm sat feeding her discreetly in a cafe or something?! x