What to Do When You Feel Uncomfortable When You See Someone Breastfeeding in Public
It is unfortunate when you become uncomfortable because you see someone breastfeeding in public. It is important thing that they are doing for their children and it is their right to do so, but you want to make yourself feel better about it. If you feel this way, there are things that you can do in order to make yourself feel less uncomfortable. The following are some techniques you might want to consider.
Look away
Realistically, this makes the most sense. If you see someone breastfeeding and it bothers you, then you can just look away. Make an effort to look at something else. Try to focus on something else and pretend that it is not happening. Hopefully you will just be able to forget about it.
Leave the situation
If it is just bothering you very much, then you might just want to walk somewhere else. If you are in a store at the mall, and it is really bothering you, for instance, then go to another store and walk out. Hopefully you will be able to ignore it, but if you really can’t, then just leave.
Try to understand it
You might feel better about seeing women breastfeeding in public if you think about what is happening and the reasons why. The mother is doing what is best for her baby. They recently came out with a study that talked about how almost 1000 baby’s lives would be saved if breastfeeding were increased. This is serious stuff that can literally save the lives of babies. And of course mothers deserve to go out as well. A lot of people somehow relate it to indecent exposure or it being a sexual act. It is clearly not a sexual act and is very different from someone who is just walking around exposing themselves for no reason. If you want, you can even read up on it. It might make you more comfortable with it.
The one thing that you should not do is confront the woman or tell her to leave. First of all, in almost every state a woman’s right to breastfeed is protected by law. Secondly you are only likely to garner an angry response from her. It is unlikely that any good would come from it.
Although you may be uncomfortable with some breastfeeding in front of you, it is an important thing that many women do. Try the above techniques to help you feel better when you become uncomfortable when in this situation.
Updated On: 04/15/2010 Published On: 04/15/2010 What to do with children’s clothes when they are outgrown