Breast is best.

Ladies get em oot.

Breast feeding is good as well.

I can't speak for anyone else but I found expressing milk to be incredibly uncomfortable and painful and took hours and hours to even get a small amount of milk. Also, if it was coming up to feed time, the smallest wail from the baby would cause gallons of milk to erupt, it was like Pavlov's dog. I'm sure my discreet feeding of my child was less offensive than forcing hundreds of people to see my milk drenched breasts as I walked around a shopping centre..

(And breast pads... what a joke)

Can't you go someplace else to eat, or simply don't watch. It's one of the most natural acts in the history of the world.

Well, actually there are a whole class of behaviours that are "the most natural acts in the history of the world" that we don't do in public - mostly those that remind us we are animals.

And your "go someplace else to" could equally well apply to breastfeeding.

The biggest problem I see with public breastfeeding is the usage of it as a militant act - the woman who chooses the most public spot to whap'um out and looks to dare anyone else to say something. The 'look, I'm special' mindset designed as a dominance behaviour - they deserve to get called on it.

Oh please. You are accusing outdoor breastfeeders of being a bunch of militant activists, their goal being to encourage enraged philistines to make a fool of themselves in public.

Where do these women get the time to go to all these group meetings I wonder?

Yes same here.

Also it's best not to keep switching between breast and bottle, as the sucking actions are different for each (breast is also beneficial for the baby's jaw development).

Way to build a strawman, rather than address the issues.

Issues?

• Just because its natural doesn't mean anything special, rather we tend to not carry out 'natural' functions in public, generally.
• Saying someone else should change/move invites the response that you can equally change/move.
• There are a group of what I would classify as 'militants', who seem hell bent on trying to push against what other people think - that also doesn't give them any special rights.

So far you haven't exactly made the case as to why being discrete is a bad idea, or unreasonable.

Why do I need to make a case? It's natural, the problem lies within the people who are too prudish to cope with witnessing a baby feeding naturally from a breast.

Most women I see breastfeeding outside ARE discreet anyway. In fact, I haven't yet seen a woman taking her t.shirt off, taking her bra off, fondling her breasts, even swinging them around like some sort of circus act (so that everyone can see she has breasts, or something ).

As I pointed out a few times, 'natural' doesn't mean anything. Lots of things are natural, but don't get done in public. It's not a reason why its ok and your views should override someone else's.

Indeed, and I think most people (men included) are OK with discreet. However, I can think of situations, one in particular comes to mind, where that 'militant' descriptor would have been appropriate.

Hell, look at this. That's a militant "do as we say or else" behaviour if I ever saw one.

So you're offended that in a place designed for people to eat, a person is eating? Or do babies not count as people? How should women cover up when feeding? I can't say I've ever seen someone feeding in public not fully clothed, but maybe I go to the wrong places. Unless you mean their child should be covered with a muslin or something when they are feeding. In which case, fine, so long as you do the same - practice what you preach and all that. Eat with a blanket over your head and report back as to how convenient and comfortable the whole experience was.

Both my children have been exclusively breastfed. With my daughter, I did try offering her bottles of EBM. She refused. Repeatedly. We tried different bottles, different times for feeding, different people feeding her. She wouldn't entertain the idea at all. I gave up with giving her a bottle and stuck with breastfeeding. After all, I could see her point - why suck on something rubbery and artificial when the good stuff is right on tap, at the right temperature and doesn't require any waiting? With my son, I didn't even bother trying him with a bottle. I didn't want a repeat of the screaming and wailing we got whenever we forced the issue with my daughter.

I don't get why some people are offended by breastfeeding. It seems a very strange thing to be offended by - particularly given the huge range of infinitely more offensive things out there.

Are you attempting to equate the breastfeeding of a child with taking a dump perchance?
Next you'll be suggesting they feed them in the toilet.
What's to complain about, does it make you feel uncomfortable?
Why?
Is it offensive to you?
If your uncomfortable with breastfeeding that is your problem not the mothers. The vast majority are so discreet you'd have to be staring to notice.

Have you not been to Logan Hyperdome

This issue never bothered me a jot, like most people its never been shoved in my face, mums I know are always discreet, as a friend said "my boobs are for my baby to feed and my hubby to fantasize over, not for perverts to get a kick!"
What I did have an issue with, was when in Coles not so long ago, A 2 year old in the trolly seat started yelling and mum just lobbed her boob out in the fruit and veg aisle and feed him while she carried on shopping and the child was still in the seat. Too me that's just rude! I am no prude but WTF