[Swizec]

If she was doing it in an open office for everyone to see? Probably, yeah.

I wouldn't say anything, obviously, but I definitely wouldn't be as comfortable with it as I would, say, a sneeze.

I'm sure my female coworkers wouldn't mind vigorous nutsack scratching out in the open for all to see would they? It also is a perfectly natural activity and often necessary.

But hey, I also get annoyed at people who chew loudly.

The dilemma boils down to: people often find people's bodily functions discomforting. Where is the line for propriety? We somewhat allow nose picking. We don't like butt scratching. Occasional burps are fine, loud farts are wrong. Pooping anywhere but the toilet is gross, peeing on the side of the road is sometimes okay. Eating in publi is fine, chewing with your mouth open is not. Somewhere on this spectrum is breast feeding and breast pumps.

[jacquesm]

Swizec, you're disappointing me with these comments. It's maybe related to how your culture views these things but women breastfeeding in public is (and should be) perfectly normal anywhere and if it makes you feel uncomfortable then I suggest the problem is on your end.

As for you scratching yourself: that is not something for which there are no alternative options, however, breastfeeding a newborn happens frequently and has to happen when it does and no amount of discomfort on your end will change the fact that it is as normal as you eating a sandwich or drinking a glass of milk.

If a woman is doing it 'in an open office for everyone to see' it may mean that your society is more accepting than you think, or that no more suitable alternative was available. If the lady is comfortable with it and you're not you could simply ignore them?

[balls187]

Swizec was talking about using a Breast pump, not breastfeeding.

I'm not sure if any woman would ever want to pump openly in the office.

[nsxwolf]

I've only ever known women that wanted a private place in the office to pump, not pump at their desks. I could be wrong but I don't think most women want their coworkers to see them pumping in their professional environment.

It's the law in Illinois that employers must provide such a place, and it cannot be a bathroom stall.

[typetypetype]

> I'm not sure if any woman would ever want to pump openly in the office.

If it was more widely accepted and there was less fear for making coworkers uncomfortable, I believe most women would surely prefer to pump at their desk while they work instead of having to sit in a bathroom stall.

[balls187]

I kinda get the feeling like you are baiting me to mansplain...

Speaking from my own limited experience, my wife finds the whole process of pumping at work uncomfortable, regardless of what her coworkers might feel.

Having to carry dirty breast shields to the sink to clean, having to hold the bottles up to her (exposed) breasts (pump bras don't work for her), the fact that she may leak, the sound the pump makes etc.

> I believe most women would surely prefer to pump at their desk while they work instead of having to sit in a bathroom stall.

Forcing mothers to use a bathroom stall just seems cruel. In Seattle, it's now building code that office buildings provide a "wellness" room for mothers returning to work.

My wife's office turned an old supply closet into such a room, but it was pretty bad, and guys were using it to take naps (they would leave when she knocked on the door--but still what a shitty thing to deal with).

Once Corp HR found out about it, they got a different room that is a bit nicer, and installed a lock requiring a key. Even still, she will prefer to come home and pump.

[Swizec]

> If the lady is comfortable with it and you're not you could simply ignore them?

Which is what I would do. Politely ignore it.

And that means I'm uncomfortable. I don't tend to politely ignore things that I am comfortable with.

That said, I think we're missing the point. Why is the mum of a newborn in the office in the first place? She should be enjoying her many weeks (52 would be great) of paid maternity leave. And society should not penalize her for it, of course. That's the problem we should solve, not whether pumping/feeding at the office is polite or not.

[tdkl]

>And that means I'm uncomfortable.

And ? You're an adult and should gather the knowledge of personally dealing with discomfort. The world isn't a liberal arts college campus.

[Swizec]

And that's why I said it's uncomforting.

I never said anything more than looking at breastfeeding/pumping makes me uncomfortable. I did childishly compare it to other bodily functions but hey, it's a bodily function.