Breastfeeding Advocates Praise Beyonce for Nursing Daughter in Public
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Beyonce with her daughter, Blue Ivy. Carter Family/Ed Burke for Beyonce.com/AP Photo
Breastfeeding advocates are rejoicing and praising Beyonce after the pop star was spotted breastfeeding her 7-week-old daughter, Blue Ivy, while dining at NYC’s Sant Ambroeus restaurant Saturday with her husband, Jay-Z.
A megastar helps to take away the stigma of nursing in public, experts said. And role models are needed to help young women see the value and the beauty of breastfeeding, said Dr. Ruth Lawrence, professor of pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine.
“Beyonce appears as a beautiful, loving new mother,” said Lawrence. “She has dressed to carry and feed her baby when needed. She makes a model image.”
Beyonce’s public breastfeeding comes on the heels of a grassroots-organized “nurse-in” at Facebook offices around the world. The social network had flagged or disabled the accounts of some moms who had uploaded breastfeeding pictures, which sparked the February nurse-in where mothers went to Facebook offices around the world to protest.
“I think Beyonce has a huge impact on being able to re-normalize breastfeeding and give women confidence to do the same,” said Emma Kwasnica, a childbirth and breastfeeding educator who helped spearhead the Facebook nurse-in. “Images of pop stars and celebrities giving their babies nourishment will never harm our cause.”
While breastfeeding is natural, the act has been marginalized and stigmatized in American culture, said Dr. Alison Stuebe, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at University of North Carolina Health Care.
“[And] at the expense of the health and well-being of mothers and babies,” said Stuebe. “By bringing breastfeeding into the mainstream, Beyonce can help break down barriers so that mothers and babies can breastfeed in peace.”
Stuebe said the stigma likely goes back to America’s Puritan roots, along with marketing ploys created to sexualize women’s breasts as toys for men rather than a way to feed their children. She noted that, in 2006, a breastfeeding mother was kicked out of a Victoria’s Secret store because the staff found the act indecent, “in the middle of a commercial display with larger-than-life miracle bra models.”
“I am sure there was much more mammary tissue visible at the other tables in the restaurant [where Beyonce was], as women tend to display plenty of cleavage in public these days,” said Lawrence. “Breastfeeding is not pornography as little or no breast is visible when a woman breastfeeds in public.”
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And to add even if more than a little or more breast is show while a mother feeds her child it’s not a big deal.
Posted by: Sol | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 3:55 pm
Stigmatized in America… I nursed my son until he was 18 months. I actually stopped soon after coming home (America) on a vaction from England and people in my extended family looked at me like I was crazy. I mean really? Breast is best, it’s not that serious, and I am sure I only managed it that long because I was not living in my OWN country.
Posted by: COClaire71 | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 4:25 pm
We are all humans people need to get over themselves. We should all be able to walk around naked for god sake
Posted by: caitlyn | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 4:28 pm
We are all humans people need to get over themselves. We should all be able to walk around naked for god sake
POSTED BY: CAITLYN====Some of you gals couldn’t possibly walk around with the twins hanging out without stepping on them or tripping over them.
Posted by: edward | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 4:53 pm
Ok she gets accolades for feeding her baby in public,and the rest of us regular non celeb moms who b-feed in public descreetly get nsty looks, dirty comments and harassed. Why is this fair?
All breast feeding moms should be treated the same- celeb or non-celeb.
Posted by: Really??!! | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 4:54 pm
You are still breastfeeding if you pump before going out in public. Is the fight really about providing ‘healthy’ breast milk or is it just another way for people to draw attention to themselves.
Posted by: Tammy | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 4:57 pm
Tammy, some women can’t pump any appreciable amount. My three children as babies refused to drink from a bottle. And how do you heat up the milk in a bottle while you are in a store? It has got to stay cold in transit, no? It sounds like you think that a tired new mom should have to go through extra trouble just so other up tight people won’t be offended by seeing a mom feeding her baby the way she was meant to.
Good for Beyonce, for helping spread the word that breast feeding in okay in public.
Posted by: Librarian53 | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 5:04 pm
I see no reason to breastfeed in public! And my opinion for her doing it was just publicity…I mean use breast pumps….I feel that if a woman breastsfeeds in public she is wanting attention..more attention that she is getting from the kid…
Posted by: Linda L | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 5:05 pm
Sure, it’s natural. So was the act of conception…which may or may not have happened in a restaurant as well. However, the status quo IS OUR CULTURE. If a mother is completely covered and is attempting her best at discretion, it’s off-putting but forgiveable. There are also nursing stations and women’s rooms if that is just absolutely necessary. I agree with most, for a celebrity to do it is to simply be crying out for attention. And this particular star is establishing a major pattern with her vanity.
Posted by: Eric | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 5:19 pm
I am the mother of 5 kids. Everyone was breastfed. I always practiced discretion because this was something between myself and my child. I dont want my sons seeing a woman with her breastfeeding.. heck I dont want to see it. It is natural but why dont women use a cover or stay in the car ( I did that) or find a quiet out of the way place to breastfeed. Stop sharing because having a period is natural too but I dont want to see that either.
Posted by: Sonya | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 5:30 pm
Some of these comments are hilarious and people are so dramatic. I’m sure it’s accepted by everyone that breastfeeding is the best and most healthy way to feed an infant. Once they have teeth, well, you’re just a freak after that. The ENTIRE issue here is, is it acceptable to perform in public. Discreetly, sure. If I see a mother witha blanket over her, I know what’s going on and I can respect that she’s not trying to turn it into an exhibitionist’s event. In this country, NIPPLES are considered a woman’s “privates”. And in this country, there are no exceptions. Respectfully stay covered and people will respectfully look the other way.
Posted by: Eric | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 5:32 pm
Breast feeding like many other things is and should be a “personal” choice. No one mom should be made to feel bad because they choose to either breast feed or to “not” breast feed. I see both sides, however, let be a tad discreet I honor your desire to breast feed but can you honor my feelings of not wanting to see you flip out your bare breast and start feeding your baby while I’m eating, cover up a little and we both win.
Posted by: JoAnn | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 5:36 pm
Anyone who has a problem with breastfeeding in public is an absolute fools, who’s parents are also absolute fools for letting them develop these strange opinions on breastfeeding, and I feel very sorry for you and any subsequent children, as baby’s nurse for nature and nurture, yes they are hungry, but they also want to feel secure and safe and content, and nursing does that! Not some fake plastic teat! Plus, what do you think happens to the milk in peoples breasts that would of normally been used to feed a baby while you are feeding them expressed milk? Un-education is the problem. Educate yourself before you write your opinions??
Posted by: clair ashurst | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 5:39 pm
I’d imagine this caused quite a stir at said restaurant.
Posted by: lexingtonlady | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 5:47 pm
I can’t believe that people still have an issue with women breastfeeding in public. It is the most healthy, and natural way to feed a baby. Grow up, get over it.
Posted by: Jim Doemer | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 5:48 pm
Hey people, maybe her baby was hungry! Duh! It doesn’t necessarily mean she was breastfeeding for “attention”. Grow up please. I think breastfeeding is a wonderful way to nurture your baby physically and emotionally. I nursed all three of my girls, the last two for THREE years! I always tried to be discreet when I did so in public or nursed before I went into a public place not for other people but for me! I loved that special time with baby. What makes me SICK is the women who run around in offices, church, etc. with almost everything showing. How about if they be discreet!
Posted by: grandma bobbie | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 6:35 pm
Who are you people to judge the reason she breastfeeds publicly? The most likely reason is that the baby is hungry! You are not supposed to give bottles, even with breast milk, at an early age and some babies do not take bottles anyway. I breastfed my daughter in public at that age, and attention was the last thing I wanted! I know I am not a celebrity, but a celebrity baby gets hungry like any other! My daughter at that age could not even be put down long enough for me to pump. So why should I have let her fuss just so some stranger doesn’t form a ridiculous opinion!
Posted by: Charlotte | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 6:35 pm
I just don’t get all the hype. If a baby is breastfed and is hungry, a mother should be able to feed her baby wherever she is. That said, I think there is a difference between being tasteful and just whipping out a breast to prove a point. For the sake and respect of breastfeeding, savvy moms will know the difference. Good for Beyonce, she is just glowing and the new baby is adorable!
Posted by: Mary Lanser | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 6:59 pm
YAY Beyonce!!!! maybe now that a “cool” person is doing it it can encourge others to do the same that may not have thought about it.
Posted by: Leyla | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 7:32 pm
Here is the thing, breastfeeding should not even be an issue. This is how a baby was ment to feed. Unfortunately, in America a mom can easily tell me which celeb had wich baby but she knows zero about how her body works to feed her baby. A mom sits shocked in my office when I Tell her 2 ounces or 3 ounces is enough for her baby.
Posted by: rhonda | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 7:45 pm
Very interesting….I notcied that my comment regarding Beyonce bascially trying to prove to us all that she was pregnant with Blue by breast feeding in public! SHE KNOWS everyone is looking …why would she do that …because she suddenly cares about womens rights? please ..her whole personal life has been private even her marriage to Jayz …now she BREAST FEEDS! she is trying to desperatly prove she actually gave birth! Funny Jennifer Garner, Jessica Simpson and a slew of other pregnant women never tried SO HARD to show she was pregnant!. NOW CENSOR MY COMMENTS AGAIN….now I believe something is off with this woman.
Posted by: CJ | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 7:48 pm
Ladies, mothers, if you wish to breast feed in public then do it but don’t expect people to not notice. We all know the power of the breast in everything from feeding baby to selling cars so don’t pretend it won’t cause a stir around you even if you are discreet when you do it. And please don’t tell me you don’t have to be discreet because I could care less if you wanted to do it in a showcase on the Price is Right! I’m just tired of hearing about your rights to perform natural bodily functions in public.
Posted by: Tim C | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 7:56 pm
i dont even know why she breast feeding her child ,seens she is exercising and not eating enough ,she doesnt have enough nutrition in her breast milk, not healty for that child
Posted by: farah | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 8:09 pm
And who was going to tell her that she couldn’t do this at this resturant? She was allowed to do it because of who she is and who she is married to. Like to see if anyone else would have been able to breastfeed their child in this resturant if they were a nobody.
Posted by: sammy | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 8:11 pm
As long as I don’t see anything, I don’t care.
Can I say, though, people need to stop acting like there’s something wrong with you if you don’t want to see some woman’s exposed breast. It’s a matter of simple consideration and recognizing that different people have different feelings on certain things. It’s easy enough to cover up, plenty of mothers do, and this would not be the issue it is if less mothers chose to go about it in such an obnoxious manner and the others didn’t defend their right to. I have a right to my feelings and I feel uncomfortable when some woman chooses to just pop open her shirt with no effort to cover herself.
Posted by: Bookworm | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 8:41 pm
Most telling part of that article…
“Beyonce appears as a beautiful, loving new mother,” said Lawrence. “She has dressed to carry and feed her baby when needed. She makes a model image.”
Any self-respecting woman would do the same…the reason there is a “stigma” about breastfeeding in public is because the women who think they have to make a point, do so by hanging the goods out for all to see. I breastfed my babies in public all the time and you wouldn’t have known it because I was discreet…as it sounds like Beyonce is…good for her. No need to give the press any further fodder. Leave her alone, and women, nurse all you want in public, just have the good sense and self-respect to cover it up and give your baby privacy and the rest of those around you no reason to pitch a fit.
Posted by: justme123 | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 9:35 pm
Go Beyonce :) Way to be a role model and help push the idea that breastfeeding is totally, 100% normal!! And please do this again in another year to make us breastfeeding older babies/toddlers ALSO feel more accepted! I didn’t feel any of the stigmatizing or marginalizing until after my son hit the 12 month mark. Now that he’s 14 months old (I know, he may as well be in COLLEGE :p) people just don’t seem to like it anymore! (Too bad for them!)
Posted by: Sarah | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 9:48 pm
Why in God’s name did she name her daughter, “Blue Ivy?”
Posted by: Todd | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 9:57 pm
Yea, for Beyonce!! People that are offended, it is a freakin BOOB!!! Are people offended when they see a mans boob!!! A women’s breast was not designed for sexual pleasure, it was to feed a baby. If celebrities are public about it, it would bring more light to other mothers that breast feed their babies in public.
Posted by: Michelle | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 10:16 pm
Who cares? This is news?
Posted by: irishrose | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 11:06 pm
anything for attention, this article should be under entertainment …not medical!!!
FYI ..I support public breast feeding …just not women who use a child for attention, someone like mrs Carter would never breast feed in public unless it was to try and prove something.
she did not carry that child!!
Posted by: ron | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 11:08 pm
NO NO NO! We are civilized, not animals. There is no reason to whip out a breast at dinner. Gross. Get a bottle.
Posted by: cheryl | March 1, 2012 March 1, 2012, 11:46 pm
All the Nursing Moms
All the Nursing Moms
All the Nursing Moms
Now put your hands up
Blue just woke up
Wanting to sup
Some of mom’s good treat…..
Yes Its her milk, that healthy milk
Homemade in her body.
When I’m on full throttle
Don’t need no bottle
Don’t care about your attention
Cause my baby gotta eat
Don’t like what ya see
Turn your head and let us be
Breastfeeding is the best for babies
Oh yes its the best for our babies
For their tummy for their mummy and its yummy
Cause breastfeeding is the best for our babies……
Ohhh ohh oh oh oh oh
Ohhh ohh oh oh oh oh
Ohhh ohh oh oh oh oh
Love the benefits, for Blue and me
less colds and allergies
And then its free, “Yes I Love Me Some Free”
and I’m still burning calories…..
I need no permission, did I mention
I nurse anywhere my baby wants us to.
No it’s not a Sin,
Breastfeed and win,
And Reap the benefits
Like “Vic” and me……
Breastfeeding is the best for babies
Oh yes its the best for our babies
For their tummy for their mummy and its yummy
Cause breastfeeding is the best for our babies……
Ohhh ohh oh oh oh oh
Ohhh ohh oh oh oh oh
Ohhh ohh oh oh oh oh
Posted by: Miss Vicki | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 1:06 am
FYI
IT DOESN’T MATTER IF SHE Never was pregnant. You do not have to bear a child to breastfeed. Its called INDUCED LACTATION (look it up for yourself)!
This means an adoptive Mom can produce milk and breastfeed if she’s determined to do so and her body responds well to certains medications to simulate the pregnancy.
Many of us already take them meds or have taken them a time or two in our life..
Annnddd they are called birth controls……
Sooo the right combination prescribed by ur doctor+ some determination and pumping for extra stimulation= breastmilk for Blue
Posted by: Miss Vicki | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 1:28 am
Miss Vicki …dont say anything about the QUEEN BEE, I see lots of censorship going on in this forum…especially since I have been watch for awhile how negative comments get deleted and in one case a cheryl NEVER posted anything that was calling women who breastfeed an animal ..she stated breastfeeding was natural and beautiful , but FaCONyce was so private in the birth even had cameras in hospital covered up…why would she breastfeed being as famous as she is …if only just to try and convince people she gave birth. And unfortunately others are not aware of taking synthetic hormones to produce milk!! this post will be gone as well….I will check with the owner of this website and see whether the reporter is able to acess and delete and or edit others posts!!
Posted by: AIL | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 2:49 am
She wasnt really breast feeding………….ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm SHE DIDNT GIVE BIRTH ……….the surrogate did. Way to take the lie to the next level …………FAKE!!
Posted by: clowns scare me | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 6:43 am
We live in such a material world that makes us go against the most natural and nurturing action in this crazy world……….get over it, already, how long is this debate about the natural act to feed your child going to go on…….men have sexualized the breast, they are only 2 milk glands and they are for babies……yeah, men google over them,….. but them and good hips on a woman shows the human male that she is a good candidate to have his children…….and to that person that said she is seeking attention and should pump………..NO, you are so wrong, why go to the trouble of expressing and then try to find ways to keep the milk cool until baby is hungry and find a way to warm it up, steriize bottles,when mother nature has it all ready available.(and some babies will not accept a bottle).
Posted by: fre | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 7:15 am
Miss Vicki, You’re ‘Da Bomb!!!
Posted by: Christine | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 8:18 am
I see nothing wrong with breastfeeding your baby in a restaurant, but I think the ladies room would be a little more appropriate. I’m sure the restaurant they go to is top notch and the ladies room I’m sure looks like a hotel. Besides I really don’t want to be eating my food with someone’s breast poking out.
Posted by: Mariann | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 8:32 am
Mariann, I breastfed all three of my children as babies and no one saw any of me in the process. Myself, I don’t stare if someone is breastfeeding, do you? If you aren’t looking at the woman’s breast, how would you see something that you don’t want to?
Bathrooms are not hygienic enough to eat there! Would you eat your lunch in one? The fact is every time a toilet flushes, fecal bacteria is pushed up in the air. Google it. Scientists actually recommend closing the toilet lid at home before flushing and not leaving your toothbrushes out in the open for this reason.
Posted by: Librarian53 | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 8:47 am
For Christine…I’ll feed my baby in the ladies room when you pick up your lunch plate and feed yourself there. Regardless of whether or not the restaurant is, as you said, “top notch” the restroom is where one goes to urinate and deficate, not exactly the stellar location to feed an infant. I’ll feed my baby at the table, discreetly, thank you.
Posted by: IJB | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 9:11 am
I nursed my 4 children, born in the 70′s and 80′s, in church, in restaurants, at sporting events and other places in public. We did it quietly,discreetly and without the attention that a screaming hungry baby would attract in any of those places. Many people commented on our sweet contented babies . Not once in all those years did anyone (other than maybe another breasteeding mother in the know) notice that I was nursing . There’s more flesh exposed in a high school cafeteria these days than most breastfeeding moms would ever, even inadvertently , show. Our babies deserve the best we can give them and if breastfeeding is the mother’s choice-let her enjoy the right to nurse ever she may be.
Posted by: LLLLeader | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 9:49 am
Once they have teeth? Some babies are born with teeth!
Pump? Some won’t take bottles and pumping is not so simple. Plus part of breastfeeding is the actual feeding at the breast.
Nursing is eating. It is normal, social, and sanitary. It is not intercourse (a private act in almost every culture), nor is it urination or defecation (unsanitary).
Posted by: CaLi | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 10:36 am
Some of the comments here are ignorant and/or ridiculous. I’ll feed my baby whenever he wants and I’d never make him eat in the bathroom. Gross. And I’m not gonna pump beforehand. Perhaps I’m in a rush and don’t want to take 20 minutes to pump. My son never took a bottle anyway, especially if I was in the room and I’m not about to leave the table so someone else could feed him. If you don’t have a breastfeeding child, keep your comments to yourself. You people don’t know what you’re talking about and it’s painfully obvious.
Posted by: Sarah | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 12:03 pm
I don’t understand you Americans !! may be that’s why you just grow fat for nothing. Breastfeeding in public is not wrong in any way!! I repeat if the baby is hungry you have to feed your baby and the public has to accept it because it is not morally wrong in any way!!
pump milk in the bottle ?? really? it doesn’t have the same temperature as the fresh milk from the body!
the fact that you dont want to see,then close your eyes! did she ask you to look? should she stop her motherly responsibilities of taking care of her young baby just because a grown up man/woman like you can not control your eyes or your dirty mind or feeling gross? that is really sad and pathetic!!
BEYONCE YOU ARE A GREAT ROLE MODEL !! BIG UP!!
Posted by: remmy | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 2:50 pm
Yuck… bottles are nasty – the cause of most ear infections in babies. Pumps are machines… you think hooking up a pump to your breast is more “normal” than simply feeding your baby the way your body was naturally intended to is somehow better, just because of a society’s perspective? Breastfeeding is not a ‘personal’ decision, it is a health choice. Why anyone would be foolish enough to put their child’s health in danger, or waste their hard-earned money on pumps, germ-laden teats, formula, etc. just to satisfy a few strangers’ wishes and appease a pathetic societal view is beyond my understanding. Beyonce is setting an intelligent example. For that, she deserves to be a role model, as do the rest of the moms who are making the same wise decisions.
Posted by: rebecca | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 3:43 pm
Oh how sweet. She looks like Beyonces mom.
Posted by: sandy | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 3:56 pm
Human female is probably the only species that contemplates shame in breastfeeding, we have moved to 21 century and seem to understand everything except what is good for our children and this is the reason we are producing human species that has low immunity, low IQ and psychological problems. We want to advance in 2 categories: how to maximize pleasure for us and how to use our brain less. I breastfed my first and doing the same for second. My husband a normally romantic person has enough IQ in him to understand the benefits of breastfeeding and knows only the mother of his child can do it. I of course do not need a man’s approval to breastfeed and don’t reduce myself to a piece of meat, I am a woman, a mother and I am privileged to offer an opportunity to contribute to my baby’s development.
Posted by: sathya | March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012, 6:23 pm
GO Beyonce!! Every mom who chooses to breastfeed should be able to do so whenever the baby is hungry wherever she is. If America wasnt so demoralized this would never be an issue. How do you think babies were fed hundreds of years ago?? I FULLY support breastfeeding as I am a breastfeeding mom myself.
Posted by: Hannah | March 3, 2012 March 3, 2012, 12:17 am
This is the real face of America’s so called women empowerment . Women aren’t allowed to feed their children but are allowed to Roam nude.
Posted by: Saima | March 3, 2012 March 3, 2012, 3:52 am
personally,i have an awful hard time wth this breast feeding,i know its the most natural thing you can do,but to me it looks disgusting.i am a woman,but it irks me.people didnt do that when i had babies 45 years ago.take a bottle with you.we dont want to witness that..have a little class about yourselves,or go home and feed it.why should we put up with that.you gave birth we didnt.especially in a restaurant.. slurp, slurp, when your trying to eat.omg get a grip girls,your not alone on this planet
Posted by: dizzy | March 3, 2012 March 3, 2012, 9:05 am
Breast feeding is one of the purest forms of love, where a woman literally gives part of herself to her child.
Yes! We should have much more of that in public. Please don’t cover up love with a blanket.
So may people have forgotten what love is or have never received any and could therefore use some public education to learn about it.
It is the Puritans and Victorians who have the deviant behavior. Time to put them in the past.
Posted by: Dutch Angle | March 3, 2012 March 3, 2012, 10:29 am
good for her, best thing for her and the baby. and omg a boob, im pretty sure most of us have seen one before lmao.
Posted by: samburgers | March 3, 2012 March 3, 2012, 11:27 am
this has nothing to do with love.its not pretty to look at what dont you undrestand about.that.take the kid home like we did back in the day.kids had formula there very healthy 45 yr olds.alot of you do it to be cheap.dont want to pay for formula.so we have to put up with you feeding in our faces.its so rude.whats wrong with you young people.no shame.
Posted by: dizzy | March 3, 2012 March 3, 2012, 11:49 am
Samburgers- you are an idiot. There is not a single medical organization that does not agree that breastmilk is superior to formula. Breastmilk provides immunities to babies that cannot be found in formula. Also, have you read the news lately? Hundreds of babies have died due to formula contaminated with arsenic and melamine. Why would I take that risk with my own child? And I am not “being cheap.” That is ridiculous. I am being informed, because breastmilk is healthier. Why are humans the only species who make such a big deal about breasts? I’ve never seen a make dog, or a bull, ogling a female animal’s teats.
Posted by: Allison | March 3, 2012 March 3, 2012, 1:25 pm
I would like to know why everyone else is making a huge deal with her having her first child, there are many other women everyday that have their first child as well as those who nurse their first child, and you don’t take the time to write about them or comment on them nursing. A while back a mother took her two week old child on a public bus and tried to nurse her child and she was kicked off the bus. Yet you all talk about this child because she is a famous person and you would be able to tell your friends that you watched them nurse on a bus. I think that everyone should realize they are people just like you and I and realize that this is not as big a deal. Nursing your child should be allowed no matter who you are famous or not. Nursing is a natural process, and great for your health and your child’s as well. TO ALL THE MOTHERS IN THE WORLD, WHO ARE NOT NOTICED BECAUSE YOUR NOT FAMOUS, NURSING YOUR CHILD OR NOT, GREAT JOB, KEEP IT UP :)
Posted by: April | March 3, 2012 March 3, 2012, 1:54 pm
Why is everyone assuming she was not being discreet? I breast fed my daughter in public and was always discreet about it. Regardless of being discreet many people because of this culture will always make it seem that it is a bad thing. Just look at some of the comments that have been post..Not all babies that are born will take a bottle once they began with the breast. My daughter refused to take a bottle or pacifier for six month. So for the ignorant ones that claims to pump milk, should I have starve my child so that you do not feel uncomfortable watching me discreetly breastfeed my child?
Posted by: Jae' | March 4, 2012 March 4, 2012, 8:01 am
It isn’t all of America that it isn’t normalized, just the United States. In Canada, it is viewed as the norm at least for the first year since that is how long our mat. leave it. We still need to work on normalizing it past then. My son is 11 months and has never taken a bottle. When I started working 1/2 day a week my son was with his father for 4 hours and just refused to drink breastmilk from the bottle so he didn’t eat. He started daycare 2 weeks ago and now uses a sippy cup. I have tried pumping (with a good electic pump) when I worked 4 hours – I could only get 2 oz total (from both sides together), and now that I work all day I can get 2.5-3 oz total. So he is getting that mixed with whole milk. So pumping is not an option for many women as it doesn’t always get enough out. I am also planning to breastfeed as long as I can on evenings/weekends.
Not that I would consider giving my son a bottle if I’m present that just seems silly. I guess I don’t see breasts as sexual so I don’t understand what is wrong with breastfeeding in public. My stomach is pretty sexy so maybe women shouldn’t be allowed to wear bikinis in public. And my legs are sexy and muscular so maybe all women and myself should not be allowed to wear shorts since they turn men on. Wasn’t a “saint” from the 12th century “de-sainted” in the 1900′s for his beliefs that women are evil and should be made to cover up because they turned him on (his beliefs helped start The Burning Times/Women’s Holocaust)??? Or maybe all women should wear Burkas – although many men find eyes to be quite sexy/sexual so we’d need the ones with the veil over it. Sure lots of women get hit by cars in those because they have no peripheral vision, but if we stop allowing women to leave the house then they wouldn’t turn men on and they would be safe :) Yes, I think we have it all figured out now – and then they can breastfeed all they want since they are never in public :)
I am so glad I live in Canada where it is legal to walk around topless (not that anyone actually does – well not that women actually do – lots of men do and many I really wish I could take the sight back but I’m not about to make it illegal or comment that they shouldn’t) and where breastfeeding in any public place is completely legal :)
Posted by: Melissa | March 4, 2012 March 4, 2012, 10:40 am
I breastfed my babies, but not in public. Beyonce does not realize what her breasts will look like after a few months of this. They will never be the same. Nobody tells you that. In public? I just don’t get it. The woman has money enough to take care of her baby getting fed without taking baby to dinner and just knowing people scrutinize her every move. It makes other folks uncomfortable. I was never one to show cleavage either, but hey, I guess some women get attention anyway they can.
Posted by: Janelle | March 4, 2012 March 4, 2012, 11:42 am
Maybe Beyonce WANTED to help normalize breastfeeding! Maybe her goal was to stir things up for all the ignorant fools out there.
It’s not for ATTENTION. It’s for EDUCATION.
Whenever I see moms ignoring their babies’ needs and scheduling bottle feeds it literally makes me sick to my stomach. And those of you who think that you are great because you pump and give your baby a bottle in public: it’s not breastfeeding. It’s bottle-feeding. But at least you aren’t poisoning your baby with the chemicals in formula. Your baby wants to be close to you, and you deny them their needs because of self-consciousness and caring about what other people think.
And finally, who the hell cares what your breasts look like after nursing your child? Were you planning your modeling career for after motherhood? Chances are you aren’t as hot as you once believed, anyway. And being a mother is the most beautiful role you can ever have, inside out.
Posted by: Linda | March 4, 2012 March 4, 2012, 12:10 pm
I am so sick of hearing that it is “natural” to breastfeed your baby in public. I am sorry going to the bathroom is “natural” but we do that behind closed doors. Anytime you are exposing your breast in public, it is not o.k.
I was at an aquarium where a toddler was sitting next to us with his mother. He started to cry and she lifted up her shirt and let him nurse while standing on the floor. I had an 8 year old son that witnessed this and saw her breast. That is NOT ok with me.
Stop saying it is natural and we should all get over ourselves for opposing. Sex and urination are natural too, but I don’t see them being allowed at a restaurant.
Posted by: Natural not | March 5, 2012 March 5, 2012, 7:50 am
I wonder how many people that are making negative comments about Beyonce and other breastfeeding mothers claim to be children of GOD? I can’t imagine living such a hate filled negative life everyday. Reading the crazy stuff on here is really sad to see. I wonder how many people on here who has personal lives that are in shambles and can’t get things right and are just plain miserable? Maybe if you focused on raising YOUR children and not spend so much time being nasty towards other people who don’t live their life like you do yours, you will see a positive change come about. I swear when I read comments about celebrities personal lives it’s like I am reading stuff by little kids. Children act like this towards each other,you would think that adults would have just a little more sense than to act callous and mean towards other humans. People need to only look towards the parents when kids act out and bully other kids because in some cases it is a learned behavior. Grow up people please!! People are mad at Beyonce for feeding her child in public…WHY? Did she give a interview stating that she was standing up for women rights? They snapped a pic of her and put a headline on the article and now everyone is mad her her some reason. She has the right to feed her child just like the next woman does. Why does she have to hide her baby?
Posted by: Nicol | March 5, 2012 March 5, 2012, 8:04 am
It always amazes me that people (breastfeeding enthusiasts) feel like you should be able to show your breast in public if you are nursing a baby. I’m not interested in seeing anybody’s breast, don’t want them to see mine and not interested in my husband and kids seeing your breast all over the place, which is why it strikes me as ‘odd’ that breastfeeding moms get “yeahed” or “nayed” in PUBLIC. Why is it necessary to have your breast out!!! I breastfed 2 children, for 24 months total – in church, in restaurants, in the mall, in the park, – and no one ever knew I was breastfeeding, EVER. So I guess that’s why I never made the news. I just would like to know, if you are breastfeeding, in public, why is it necessary that everyone around you knows at that very moment? Just wondering. — I was very glad for Beyonce when she announced her pregnancy, but you know Amercian media – they have to handle it as if she is the first pregnant woman on earth and they don’t disappoint, so now I’m glad to see she is also the first breastfeeding mom on earth!
Posted by: karen | March 5, 2012 March 5, 2012, 11:05 am
I always love reading the comments on articles like this, because it reaffirms how uneducated people are about breastfeeding. Breasts are for feeding babies. When you say “bring a bottle” then it really lets me know how uneducated you are. If you knew a thing about breastfeeding you would know that feeding a baby breastmilk from a bottle means you need to pump at that time to maintain your supply. So while feeding the baby a bottle, you would need to be pumping the milk at the same time.
If you compare breastfeeding to eliminating waste, you are a complete moron. If I can eat in public, so can my child. Eating and eliminating waste are not the same thing.
Actually when we think about it, bottle feeding is the unnatural thing here – maybe we should start shunning that too.
I really hope that when my daughter grows up and has children, seeing a breastfed baby in public will be just as common as seeing bottlefed babies.
Posted by: Colleen | March 5, 2012 March 5, 2012, 12:46 pm
I don’t think anything is wrong with breastfeeding your child. Yes, if your child is in need for food, then you’re suppose to feed them. The problem is, why is it getting so much attention because Goddest Almighty Beyonce does it? There are many women from the poorest regions in the world to the loving and caring mothers we don’t see or read about in books. But, yet again because Beyonce has flopped her milk jug out she’s a loving role model for breastfeeding. Be real for once, stay on the message for real women and the true message of being able to feed your whenever it’s needed.
Posted by: tammy286 | March 5, 2012 March 5, 2012, 3:35 pm
I breastfed my daughter in “public” back in 1974. If she was hungry and I was out and about, I nursed her. Nobody insulted me about it, either. Beyonce isn’t doing anything newsworthy, folks.
Posted by: mareli | March 5, 2012 March 5, 2012, 8:06 pm
My son was born 29 weeks pre-mature and the doctors said that if I could do anything to help, it would be to pump so my son could have the breast milk. The nurses called it white gold and really treated every ounce as precious. I pumped for over 4 months – because he couldn’t feed due to a swollow issue. Now he is a normal two year old with no delays and actually ahead of many of his classmates. I really attribute that to the breast milk. Premature mother’s milk is special, your body adjusts to make it match your baby’s nutritional needs. BREAST IS BEST! You body instinctively knows what your baby needs. No lab can figure that out like your body does.
Posted by: Mari | March 6, 2012 March 6, 2012, 10:41 am
I completely understand that breastfeeding is natural. My issue with it is in resturants or other places where food is involved. Breast milk is a bodily fluid – one that I would rather not come in contact with. if someone was bleeding, or had a runny nose, or anything else that involved bodily fluids, I wouldn’t want them in a resturant either. Want to breastfeed at the mall – cool. Doctor’s office – cool. Park – cool. Starbucks – not so much.
Posted by: D | March 6, 2012 March 6, 2012, 12:50 pm
She’s got guts, good for her! I sometimes breastfed in public but usually found somewhere to hide because I don’t cope well with public disapproval. Imagine if it were going to be national news! I don’t think I could have faced the comments, but I’m very happy that someone is willing to stand firm. I really wish that breastfeeding were seen as normal in the US as it is in most other parts of the world. Life is difficult and complicated enough for new moms; why must we make it harder by making it difficult for them to feed their babies without either jumping through hoops to avoid disapproval or dealing with hateful attitudes?
Posted by: Deanna | March 6, 2012 March 6, 2012, 12:59 pm
I breast fed both of my daughters at times in public. They got hungry, I fed them. I was discreet as to where I sat to do this and kept myself covered for my modesty. I didn’t offend anyone and I didn’t notice any strange looks. I wasn’t looking about to see who was watching me. I certainly wasn’t going to fed my baby in a bathroom. That’s just disgusting. Would you eat your meal in a bathroom? I think not.
I applaud Beyonce for feeding her baby where ever she is when her baby needs it. Public place or not.
Posted by: Michelle | March 6, 2012 March 6, 2012, 2:50 pm
MARI: I completely understand that breastfeeding is natural. My issue with it is in resturants or other places where food is involved. Breast milk is a bodily fluid – one that I would rather not come in contact with. if someone was bleeding, or had a runny nose, or anything else that involved bodily fluids, I wouldn’t want them in a resturant either. Want to breastfeed at the mall – cool. Doctor’s office – cool. Park – cool. Starbucks – not so much.
You are an idiot for writing this! Breast milk isn’t like other body fluids, it is food.
Posted by: Sammy | March 7, 2012 March 7, 2012, 2:36 am
Yea!!! Good for you Beyonce! Nursing is about good health, not about breasts. It is wholesome and sweet and normal. Please nurse your babies anytime they are hungry, anywhere you are. :)
I nursed all 3 of my kids in this manner. It benefits the kids, benefits the mom adn benefits all of the community. Thanks Beyonce for showing us — in case we forgot– that ‘that’s what breasts are for.’ Awesome.
Posted by: Kim Moss-Allen | March 7, 2012 March 7, 2012, 5:18 pm
Breastfeeding is about feeding hungry babies. Period. Not about celebrities or making a point or exposure or whatever. Under normal circumstances you’re only going to see a nipple at the instant the baby latches on or off, if that. If such things offend you, don’t stare closely at moms holding babies. When I was nursing my little ones, people usually just thought they were asleep. Only the people who peered around my shoulder to check the baby’s face realized I was nursing.
If you’re wearing a button-up blouse, unbutton from the bottom, not the top. If you’re wearing a T-shirt, just pull it up a bit. The only bits of skin showing is on the back, which is not normally considered indecent in this culture. There’s specialty nursing wear too, if you prefer, that prevents anyone from witnessing any skin at all. I always found cover-ups both annoying and unnecessary. If anything, I found that cover-ups drew more attention to us.
Yes, there are some times when nursing should be more private. When my first one was tiny and having trouble nursing, we sought out more discreet locations, because keeping covered wasn’t really possible until we got more skilled. Some distractible nursers will pop on and off anytime anything interesting happens. They need a more private location for everyone’s sake! Moms who tend to spout dramatically when the baby stops nursing should seek some more privacy too.
Nursing toddlers can usually wait, and generally should. An exception would be an injured toddler who needs the pain relief of nursing, or who needs to clear her ears on a plane or some other such thing. Most people find screaming children more disruptive and uncomfortable than nursing children. But in general, a toddler can have a juice box or a cracker in public instead of nursing.
But getting offended when a newborn quietly and discreetly nurses? Give me a break!
Regarding breast milk as a bodily fluid, moms who spout should probably move out of the eating area. Breast milk is food, but food fights are not appropriate in restaurants! :) But as long as everything stays contained, why would anyone be alarmed? Yes, breast milk is a bodily fluid. So is your saliva. That childless person sitting on the other side of you is putting their bodily fluid on their water glass every time they take a drink. Actually, so are you. EEEEW! GROSS! Or not.
Starbucks is a great place to nurse. Comfy chairs, quiet environment, reading materials. As long as you’re not a spouter, what’s not to like?
Posted by: Dragonmama | March 8, 2012 March 8, 2012, 2:43 am
I don’t understand why people are grossed out by nursing. You say you don’t want to see a bare breast “whipped out” Why not? Who doesn’t like breasts? You people are a bunch of prudes!
Posted by: Lisa S. | March 12, 2012 March 12, 2012, 9:01 pm
I guess you’d rather listen a screaming baby because breastfeeding makes you uncomfortable…
Posted by: genhrules | April 10, 2012 April 10, 2012, 11:02 am