Breastfeeding In Public3: Nigerian women share their awkward experiences with men

Do women have to hide to breastfeed their children in public just because some men feel uncomfortable seeing their exposed breasts?

New moms are assaulted daily for breastfeeding their kids in public. Sometimes things get so violent that some of these mothers never try it again careless how hungry their children get. Unfortunately, no one seem to care. No one helps these women. Do they have to hide to breast feed their children just because some men feel uncomfortable seeing their exposed breasts?

3 Nigerian women share their public breastfeeding stories and how it has affected their relationships with men generally:

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1.) Is it normal to breastfeed in public?

Amarachi: "Why not? Women are responsible for their kids in and out of their homes and that includes, them being fed too."

Bose: "I do not see how this is a problem to anyone. All of us have been kids before and have definitely been breast fed in public places. That doesn't change who we turned out to be or puts any child in danger."

Mary: "Absolutely normal. Doctors haven't said otherwise"

2.) Why do you think some people are against breastfeeding in public?

Amarachi: "I really have no idea. Do people complain about me breast feeding my own child in public? I have never had such an experience but my sister did and I found it bizarre."

Bose: "Some men just believe it's not normal. Some think it's an insult to the society and others, like a guys who approached me few weeks ago, think I was embarrassing my husband by showing my breasts to the world. These kinds of men will confront you, ask you to leave or ask others to make you stop. It's pathetic."

Mary: "It's not any people, men are the ones who have a problem with public breastfeeding. I just wonder why they get so arrogant and aggressive over it. They believe its shameful and my breasts should be kept sacred for my husband."

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3.) Any awkward experiences so far?

Amarachi: "Like I said not to me but my sister was asked to cover her breasts or drop from the public bus she was breastfeeding her child in. It was a disgraceful experience. Her baby was crying loud and she believed she was hungry. So she immediately pulled out her breasts to feed her daughter. One man seated beside her began to make silly comments like, 'women have no respect for men these days or for their husbands.' She was forced to stop feeding her child just because she didn’t want to drop off the bus.

Bose: "I was at the market when my baby began to cry. I had to stop everything to feed him. But when I begged a cloth seller to sit under his shop to feed my child, he bluntly told me "no, we don’t allow that here.' I was confused and insisted  but the guy almost threw water on me for trying to make my point. I felt so angry, disappointed and ashamed of that Nigerian man. I told my husband about it and he felt so bad and sorry for me."

Mary: "I was asked to leave a popular eatery in Lagos for trying to breastfeed my crying baby. I was shocked. I was told that it was embarrassing other customers and that its either I don't or I leave the place. It was absolutely embarrassing but I chose to leave than spend any more money in that place. They lost one customer!"

4.) How does such experiences affect your relationship with Nigerian men in general?

Amarachi: "It doesn't. Some of these men are just ignorant. So I just treat them as such."

Bose: "I get so angry and disappointed with such men. I normally ask if they would do same if I were to be their wife. Most never have an answer but will still tell me to get out and go show my breasts somewhere else."

Mary: "Men should be aware that women should feel free to feed their hungry babies in public and that it's not a means to flaunt their breasts to other men in public.

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5.) Do you think some people will ever stop embarrassing breastfeeding moms?

Amarachi: "Hopefully"

Bose: "I doubt it. They are just ignorant and conservative."

Mary: "I pray they should be reminded that they were also once children who needed food… in public!"