Originally posted by: CKent
The personal attacks and assumptions in them rubbed me the wrong way. But it's not surprising to see this lack of tact and defense of a practice which shows others disrespect from someone living in a rural area, especially a woman.
I think it's kind of funny hearing an "it's too much work" argument against breast pumps when the premise is that you have a kid already. It's like a long haul truck driver complaining about his 10 minute commute. If it truly is too much work though, it's not difficult to find a restroom or other private area to do it.
Your original assumptions rubbed me the wrong way. I'll explain a few things to you in a different way. I welcome your insight into any of the following that you disagree with.
1) "There are high quality, affordable breast pumps out there, I used to work in a store which sold them in fact."
----NO, there are NOT high quality, affordable breastpumps out there. There are high quality expensive ones, and there are low quality cheap ones out there. Never the twain shall meet. And even the best, most expensive ones are a major PITA to use. So your first statement is not true and is based on your limited experience with the subject. You used to work in a store that sold inexpensive breastpumps. How does that make you an authority on the subject? And WHY would a breastfeeding mother feel obliged to buy a breastpump?
2) "And I'm sure you've heard of bottles."
----So? What is there about bottles that makes it inherently a good choice for a breastfeeding baby? Your statement that something exists is not related to the usefulness of a product for the situation at hand. Bottles are discouraged with breastfeeding infants for good reasons that you apparently know nothing about.
3) "Now combine the two and what do you have? That's right, the same thing, but faster, cleaner and in accordance with societal norms."
----Ok, as I've said, you're wrong on several points. Let's go over them one by one, shall we?
Point 1: "the same thing"----no, it is NOT the same thing
Point 2: "faster"----nope, it's infinitely more time-consuming
Point 3: "cleaner"----nope, it is NOT cleaner
Point 4: "in accordance with societal norms"----I don't think so. People rarely object to a woman breastfeeding discreetly in public, they very rarely even know that she is breastfeeding, and most people recognize that breastmilk is the best thing for an infant and that it's no big deal for an infant to eat when he/she is hungry. And very few people will damn all women who breastfeed away from home for the actions of a VERY VERY few idiots who might whip off their tops and flop the breast around for everyone at the mall to see (which I've never witnessed and I bet you haven't either.) You are assuming societal norms line up with your own opinions. Your explanation for why 2/3 of the people polled in this thread find public breastfeeding to be fine is laughable. "Probably 80% of votes are from virginal teenage boys who want to see breasts in public so they have something to fap to when they get home."
4) "I think it's kind of funny hearing an "it's too much work" argument against breast pumps when the premise is that
you have a kid already. It's like a long haul truck driver complaining about his 10 minute commute. If it truly is too much work though, it's not difficult to find a restroom or other private area to do it."
----What the fvck are you talking about? That analogy defies logic. You are again making your ignorance about the subject obvious. A better comparison would be a long haul truck driver that is told he can't make a ten minute commute to work in a car anymore because it offends someone so he should instead spend two hours walking on his hands backwards to make the 5 or 10 mile commute. Or he could do it at 3 in the morning when nobody's out to see him if that's too much work.
5) In another post you opine: "You needn't carry around the equipment unless you're on an extended vacation. Transport is what bottles are for. "
----Bottles have to be transported in a safe manner. They must be kept cold until they're ready to be used (because breastmilk can spoil like regular milk), then it should be warmed up for baby to drink. This involves carrying the bottles in a cooler and then finding some method of warming them (and a microwave is not an option in this instance. It damages breastmilk.) The other container for storing and transporting breastmilk is also conveniently the same one that's used for feeding the baby and requires no work whatsoever: the breast.
6) In the same post you claim: "Would you feel uncomfortable if I came across you in the mall, squatted down and dropped a steaming load in front of you? Just look away, right? Hey, it's natural!"
----Um, if someone is defecating in public, you will see their feces, smell their feces, and most likely see their butt and possibly their genitals. If a person is nursing a baby, you will not see any breastmilk, you will not smell any breastmilk, and there is almost no chance you will see a nipple. As far as the rest of the breast is concerned, you will most likely see none of that either, but "societal norms" are that a woman's cleavage is not a horrifying thing to view.
It was rude to call you an idiot. That was an opinion that I should have kept to myself. I apologize for that. I should have stated that based on your posts, it's clear that you are ignorant and misinformed with regard to breastpumps and "societal norms". But that's ok, because we live in a free country. Everyone is entitled to an opinion including people that you disagree with. You're free to feel smug imagining me to be a 500 pound, moustached, ignorant hillbilly. Your imagination really doesn't affect me. I find it sweet that you remember that I live rurally. Evidently I must've made some kind of impression on you in another thread.
To address what really seems to be the crux of your argument (after you got off the pumping issue), that women aren't "finding some privacy" to nurse, this is what really puzzles me. Explain to me where you see women nurse in a way that isn't discreet and how often you see it. If someone is nursing and you see no breast, how is that a violation of your rights or somehow bad manners or disrespectful? Sitting in a park or mall or restaurant with your baby in your arms and a blanket over your shoulder covering the baby for ten minutes is doing what to harm society? I just really don't get it.