[geomum]

Just wondering how long would/ do you wait outside the breastfeeding room before knocking? I was at IFC breastfeeding room and after waiting for 15- 20 minutes I knocked. My baby was really hungry by the time and crying. There were 3 ladies behind me who needed to use the services as well. The lady inside said it would take her 5 minutes more. I waited another 15 minutes and told her she needed to hurry up since my baby was hungry as well and very upset. She came out after 10 minutes and by that time I had already fed my baby on the toilet seat (I would have done that earlier but there was a queue for using the toilet as well). Did I do something wrong in knocking and then asking her to hurry up? What would you have done? Was I more inconsiderate or her?

[aussiegal]

I would have knocked earlier and would have been fuming when she took another 15 minutes after saying she only needed another 5. Surely she could hear your baby crying. I don't think you did anything wrong.

[carang]

next time, make your way to pacific coffee and settle in one of their comfy chairs... much nicer to bf there than in a bathroom sitting on a toilet!

ps> why they would need to lock a door when presumably it is only women that are going to need the place, i don't know...

it's time that we, women, be less ashamed of bf. it is a natural thing and nothing to be ashamed of or hidden away! once a new mum is able to lose that insecurity and feeling that everyone is staring, they realise that most people don't even have a clue what you are doing anyway. it's not like you're doing a strip-tease in the middle of the shopping centre... you're feeding your baby! i understand that sometimes it is nice to have a quiet comfortable place to bf. but by no means limit yourself. (ps. i'm not a bf fanatic, i just think that it is not something that we should be self-conscious of, if we choose to do it.)

PPS> no offense was intended. i truly hope that this post doesn't cause consternation. it was not intended to!

good luck!

[joshsmum]

I usually wait about 5 minutes and then knock to ask how long they will be - this way if I think it's going to be too long I can try one of the other feeding rooms on the other levels of IFC or somewhere alternative (like a coffee shop as Carang suggested).

I don't necessarily think it's about being ashamed and hidden away at the IFC feeding rooms - I think the problem is they are so small that there is only really room for one or two people at a time (assuming you have prams as well) and there is only one chair in the rooms anyway, so if someone is already feeding then there is no point going in there if you can't sit down and feed as well.

Belinda

[rebekah]

On the rare occasion I have been out without my baby, I have used the nursing rooms to pump. While i feel perfectly comfortable nursing just about anywhere, pumping is a bit more exposing and I will say that if someone knocked and I thought 5 more minutes, I would really have no idea if that time had passed or not, as I tried to relax again to let down for the pump. I try to be as speedy as possible but being anxious about someone waiting actually makes the process longer for me, however, I absolutely need to do it or I end up with plugged ducts...

Also I can guess how long my baby will be but sometimes she decides she wants more than I thought...I am not going to stop her from getting as much hindmilk as possible, especially when there are other places available. I would feel bad that someone was waiting, but as moms sometimes we all have to realize there is nothing we can do to hurry things along. Maybe she should have mentioned that it was taking longer than expected, but maybe her baby was falling asleep and she didn't want to stir him/her. There are no right or wrong answers, just try to put yourself in their shoes and err on the side of compassion.

on a somewhat unrelated note I was recently in Macau and at the venetian there they have a "family room" the likes of which I have never seen. There is a HUGE room with at least 5 changing stations, 3 sinks and a few seat and a lot of area for kids to run around, room for prams etc. and a smaller room with probably 8 chairs with arms and a door if a mother wants to close it for feeding. I found it quite nice to not be secluded yet still have enough quiet to feed my ever curious baby.

[Frenchy]

When I was breastfeeding in a nursing room, I wouln't mind if another mum had to come in to feed her baby too... we all have the same way to feed our babies, there is no reason to be ashamed of exposing our breast to another woman.