Fashionable words!

Is it a feeling of disgust, or just something you've never encountered, or what? Like miceelf, I'm genuinely curious and not 'having a go'. As someone who regards it completely natural isn't it also natural that I'd like to know why some people think it odd?

Ana, when Greatnan commented that her daughters fed each other's babies, you felt the need to comment. I have no idea why. If that post had been a general question open to debate you could have explained your distaste, but you didn't. You just said that that practice was odd. And it was in response to another member, who, not surprisingly, found your comment unnecessary at best.

Why do you think it odd to feed another woman's baby, ana?

'It could be argued that you simply wanted to cause dissent'? So now my opinions and views are discounted because you've decided that?

No wonder so many members leave this forum.

Oh for goodness sake - right! I used the wrong word. Whatever the correct word is, I felt criticised and got-at.

To quote Greatnan: I am very glad to see that all except one member agree that breast-feeding another's mother child is entirely natural, and, indeed, a generous act.

Surely that's a snide comment about me? Or have I got that wrong too?

Did you not expect people to disagree with you - you actually said you expected to get shouted down, so why post that comment, which I found offensive to my daughters? It could be argued that you simply wanted to cause dissent and now you have found only one supporter (so far) you are complaining.

I am totally mystified. There's no opprobrium. Just a little puzzlement at why you find it odd. Surely you can discuss the matter and explain why you find it odd without making snide comments about other members and not being agreed with.

Harsh criticism or censure? That was the general tone of some comments, certainly. But as long as most posters agreed with you, it doesn't really matter, does it?

Opprobrium - isn't that a trifle OTT?

Ooops, Earth Mother

I'm no Mother Earth; first daughter was 7 weeks prem and I was attached to a milking machine to provide bank milk for ICU. I found it repulsive. I did breast feed my son for 9 months but not second daughter. The idea of breast feeding someone else's child has zero appeal to me. A bit like changing nappies, fine for my own but others make me gag. Each to their own.

Greatnan - all those who responded to the breast-feeding issue agreed with you, yes. There may of course be others among our many members who had reservations but who didn't wish to invite the opprobium I seem to have attracted!

Same here, and when feeding twins I always had more to donate each time a feed was dropped. Years later, my daughter was very grateful to have her meagre supply for her premature twins supplemented by anonymous donors.

While feeding my 2nd baby I was supplying milk to the local neonatal unit. I had plenty to spare. I would not have had a problem feeding anyone else's baby. It would have probably been an automatic response if one had been put in my arms.

I once watched a young mother breast feeding her baby behind a wind break on a gorgeous, South Wales beach. She covered herself with a blanket, and struggled to maintain her privacy when she switched sides. Shy, little thing, I thought, with not an inch of flesh visible. When the feed was finished, though, she tucked the baby down, stood up, took off her TShirt, stretched languidly, and proceeded to cover herself in sun cream ready for her topless sunbathing, in full view of the entire beach. Sums up our confused attitude to breast feeding, I thought!

I am very glad to see that all except one member agree that breast-feeding another's mother child is entirely natural, and, indeed, a generous act.

A good friend and I had babies within a couple of months of each other. She sometimes had the opportunity to do a day or twos supply teaching when she was on maternity leave and I babysat her son and breast fed him alongside my daughter. I would have been just as happy for her to feed my baby, but the situation never arose. Many special care baby units are kept going on
donated breast milk.

angels of course bags

I also wonder what they think they are the rest of the time.

Not obvious to some people or they wouldn't say breastfeeding makes them feel animal-like. They've clearly forgotten!

I wonder if evacuating their bowels makes them feel animal-like as well? Probably.

Of course, bags - I thought that was too obvious to need pointing out!

It is animal-like. We not only are animal-like, we are animals, and we are mammal animal. So it'd be odd if what we did wasn't mammal animal-like.

As a student I babysat for someone who said she didn't breast feed because it made her feel like an animal. My immediate thought was: You are an animal.

Some people really disconnect from reality.

Oddly enough, it is sometimes the people who see nothing wrong in Page Three girls who find the use of breasts for their natural purpose obscene!

Oddly enough, it is sometimes the people who see nothing wrong in Page Three girls who find the use of breasts for their natural purpose obscene!

Or obscene maybe. You get the record for on screen "silence" on GN PP
Reminds me of the time the Archers was introduced thus:
"and now we are going over to Ambridge where Jill is enjoying a moment of peace and quiet" There then followed several minutes of total silence, due to a technical problem.