[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Cherie

I disagree Joey this is about a woman doing her job would MPs accept a Dad bottle feeding an infant while responding to a question posed by the PM, the answer is no, this has nothing to do with being liberal, breastfeed all you like ladies when you are on your own time but during consultation with a constituent or posing a question on their behalf in the house, no!

Sorry to say I have to disagree.
Actually I would have no problem if the baby had to be brought to work for a Dad to bottle feed the baby.
In fact these MPs griping at the breastfeeding wouldn't have an issue were the Mother bottle feeding the baby anyway likely rather than breastfeeding.

As for engaging or getting an answer or asking a relevant question from and to this PM, well I think Baby and his/her feed are more important than listening to him waffle on anyway.
I think in fairness too as to the constituent consultation, that could take a relatively short time to do and the need to feed a Baby unlikely to arise, in the Commons many hours of time can be needed in debates for those in attendance.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Well no obv, I would say that having a baby in tow may be unworkable in some professions however I do think that provision should be made where convenient to facilitate breastfeeding.

Isn't it unworkable in most situations as you are there to work though, a crèche is one thing, bringing a baby into the commons or to a meeting or anywhere is just ludicrous IMO, and what would the cut off point be 6 months, 9 months, 12 ..

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Sorry to say I have to disagree.
Actually I would have no problem if the baby had to be brought to work for a Dad to bottle feed the baby.
In fact these MPs griping at the breastfeeding wouldn't have an issue were the Mother bottle feeding the baby anyway likely rather than breastfeeding.

As for engaging or getting an answer or asking a relevant question from and to this PM, well I think Baby and his/her feed are more important than listening to him waffle on anyway.
I think in fairness too as to the constituent consultation, that could take a relatively short time to do and the need to feed a Baby unlikely to arise, in the Commons many hours of time can be needed in debates for those in attendance.

That is the point though Joey, if you are concentrating on your baby as you should be while feeding, then you can't actually be doing your job properly.

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Isn't it unworkable in most situations as you are there to work though, a crèche is one thing, bringing a baby into the commons or to a meeting or anywhere is just ludicrous IMO, and what would the cut off point be 6 months, 9 months, 12 ..




That is the point though Joey, if you are concentrating on your baby as you should be while feeding, then you can't actually be doing your job properly.

Well you really only need to talk in the Commons most of the time and only when you are called to do so, which feeding a baby would not prevent you doing.
It is not as if you have to be moving boxes around or running backwards and forwards in the Commons.

If we want more representative MPs, and Mothers are a big part of that,then provision and tolerance needs to be executed to accommodate same.
Mothers doing right for their Babies should not have bigoted MPs dictating what they can and cannot do.
The Mother of a child knows it best, they do not.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Rather backward looking from the MPs as to this issue.
This is the 21st century for goodness sake, for ages women were denied the vote,that's gone.
No need now to treat then like second class citizens and second class MPs,just because they are Mothers too, if a baby needs feeding,it needs feeding, and the stuffed shirts who it would make feel uncomfortable, should just get on with it and look away.

Maybe even ask themselves as to having such views what they are doing in Parliament themselves anyway.

[Jamie89]

Alex, why are you against it though? Is it just because you think women are doing it to seek attention? I'm genuinely curious because noone can ever seem to articulate what their problem with breastfeeding is. It's always something like 'it's inappropriate' or 'it makes people feel uncomfortable', but again, why?
And yes there are of course alternatives to breastfeeding, but that STILL doesn't exlain what the actual problem with breastfeeding is
I wonder if it's just because people aren't used to it. So maybe if it starts happening more frequently in public places and on TV then people will become used to it and it won't be an issue?
I find it hard to believe that the issue is sexual. Since there is no sex involved

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Jamie89

Alex, why are you against it though? Is it just because you think women are doing it to seek attention? I'm genuinely curious because noone can ever seem to articulate what their problem with breastfeeding is. It's always something like 'it's inappropriate' or 'it makes people feel uncomfortable', but again, why?
And yes there are of course alternatives to breastfeeding, but that STILL doesn't exlain what the actual problem with breastfeeding is
I wonder if it's just because people aren't used to it. So maybe if it starts happening more frequently in public places and on TV then people will become used to it and it won't be an issue?
I find it hard to believe that the issue is sexual. Since there is no sex involved

Maybe men don't like to see Boobs de-sexualised

[Kizzy]

Well no obv, I would say that having a baby in tow may be unworkable in some professions however I do think that provision should be made where convenient to facilitate breastfeeding.

[Kizzy]

It's not a scenario that is ever likely to occur, but seeing as this hypothetical is being mulled over I think my issue is regardless of whether the mother should be doing MP stuff or whatever just the fact that it is not allowed that rankles...

[Livia]

The Chamber of the House of Commons is not a suitable place for breastfeeding. Neither would a board room with a meeting going on. Anywhere else in the Commons, I don't have a problem. But the Chamber? Seriously?

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Livia

The Chamber of the House of Commons is not a suitable place for breastfeeding. Neither would a board room with a meeting going on. Anywhere else in the Commons, I don't have a problem. But the Chamber? Seriously?

Times change however and to the MPs who are moaning at this I doubt anywhere would be acceptable.
Many MPs have been thrust into being an MP likely never believing they were going to win the seat they stood in, particularly in Scotland.
I asked my Mum about this and how she felt, she said no one would get away with, in this day and age, if she was still able to have children, how, where or when to feed her babies.

That is the best authority on it for me and so I stand by what I say, tell the toffee nosed grumpy so and so's who are moaning, to get a life and get back to sleep then wake up again this time in the 21st century not the 19th.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Times change however and to the MPs who are moaning at this I doubt anywhere would be acceptable.
Many MPs have been thrust into being an MP likely never believing they were going to win the seat they stood in, particularly in Scotland.
I asked my Mum about this and how she felt, she said no one would get away with, in this day and age, if she was still able to have children, how, where or when to feed her babies.

That is the best authority on it for me and so I stand by what I say, tell the toffee nosed grumpy so and so's who are moaning, to get a life and get back to sleep then wake up again this time in the 21st century not the 19th.

So we're assuming that these hypothetical women are taking their babies to work. I can't think of any other business where a woman would a) take a small baby to work b) expect to breast feed during a meeting. And realistically, why would anyone want to take a baby into the Chamber?

[Kizzy]

It's just a hall with lots of benches... what's the prob?

[bots]

i take a rather simplistic view on this, I couldn't care less where a woman breast feeds as long as she is comfortable in the place she is doing it. However, if someone is working and deciding on the fate of the nation, I would expect that to get their full attention, and I don't believe that would be the case if she was breast feeding.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

i take a rather simplistic view on this, I couldn't care less where a woman breast feeds as long as she is comfortable in the place she is doing it. However, if someone is working and deciding on the fate of the nation, I would expect that to get their full attention, and I don't believe that would be the case if she was breast feeding.

Best wake up some of the old duffers I see snoring on PMQs then and remind them of this fate of the nation stuff...

[bots]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Best wake up some of the old duffers I see snoring on PMQs then and remind them of this fate of the nation stuff...

don't get me started

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

i take a rather simplistic view on this, I couldn't care less where a woman breast feeds as long as she is comfortable in the place she is doing it. However, if someone is working and deciding on the fate of the nation, I would expect that to get their full attention, and I don't believe that would be the case if she was breast feeding.

It may be well said but it is a near slight on womens abilities as to multi tasking.
Women who breastfed their babies before ran homes and ran them to perfection, multi tasking every day and making sure all in the home was in order.

To feed a baby does not stop any woman 'thinking','talking' or 'hearing', that is all that is needed in the commons.
If you also seriously believe too that the vast majority of men and women in the Commons actually take much notice of what is said, and that they don't already know which way they will be voting anyway even before they go into the Commons,then you would get a massive shock to witness same.

[kirklancaster]

William hague, tony blair, norman tebbit, jack straw -- there have always been plenty of tits on open display in the commons.

What is all the fuss about?

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by kirklancaster

William hague, tony blair, norman tebbit, jack straw -- there have always been plenty of tits on open display in the commons.

What is all the fuss about?

you have made me laugh twice today Kirk.
Exactly though,I find the fuss ridiculous.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

you have made me laugh twice today Kirk.
Exactly though,I find the fuss ridiculous.

I think the fuss is far from ridiculous, a lot of women work unsocial hours, are they being offered the opportunity of bringing their baby to work, nope, have some free child provision, pay through the nose for the rest, express your milk and shut up and get on with your job or stay at home, while the female MPs and their baby's get the kid glove treatment and get to bond in chambers, that is what I consider ridiculous.

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

you have made me laugh twice today Kirk.
Exactly though,I find the fuss ridiculous.

Thanks Joey. Kirk still loves ya.

[bots]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

It may be well said but it is a near slight on womens abilities as to multi tasking.
Women who breastfed their babies before ran homes and ran them to perfection, multi tasking every day and making sure all in the home was in order.

To feed a baby does not stop any woman 'thinking','talking' or 'hearing', that is all that is needed in the commons.
If you also seriously believe too that the vast majority of men and women in the Commons actually take much notice of what is said, and that they don't already know which way they will be voting anyway even before they go into the Commons,then you would get a massive shock to witness same.

in that case it would be fine for women to breast feed while doing open heart surgery or perhaps while driving a bus or a train? Concentration is required to do a job properly

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

in that case it would be fine for women to breast feed while doing open heart surgery or perhaps while driving a bus or a train? Concentration is required to do a job properly

In what universe are those comparable?...

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

in that case it would be fine for women to breast feed while doing open heart surgery or perhaps while driving a bus or a train? Concentration is required to do a job properly

Well obviously not, since in all those things, they would 'need' their hands free to do all of them.
As to concentration,I can concentrate on what is going on around me and still watch the TV for instance.
I can decorate a room wile listening to music,ably concentrating on both things.
A Mother does not need her hands free to concentrate and listen and talk.

I work in Law, you are concentrating on any one case at a time but also still working through your mind the next ones coming up and even what happened in the one before.
The human brain is well able to concentrate on juggling 2 things at once and even much more than 2 as well.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Well obviously not, since in all those things, they would 'need' their hands free to do all of them.
As to concentration,I can concentrate on what is going on around me and still watch the TV for instance.
I can decorate a room wile listening to music,ably concentrating on both things.
A Mother does not need her hands free to concentrate and listen and talk.

I work in Law, you are concentrating on any one case at a time but also still working through your mind the next ones coming up and even what happened in the one before.
The human brain is well able to concentrate on juggling 2 things at once and even much more than 2 as well.

With respect, Joey, that's nonsense. None of your examples equates at all to looking after a baby. I don't know anyone who could do their job at 100% capacity while looking after a baby. I can't see anyone else in their working environment putting up with it either. As cute as babies are I don't want them in my place of work.

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Well obviously not, since in all those things, they would 'need' their hands free to do all of them.
As to concentration,I can concentrate on what is going on around me and still watch the TV for instance.
I can decorate a room wile listening to music,ably concentrating on both things.
A Mother does not need her hands free to concentrate and listen and talk.

I work in Law, you are concentrating on any one case at a time but also still working through your mind the next ones coming up and even what happened in the one before.
The human brain is well able to concentrate on juggling 2 things at once and even much more than 2 as well.

I agree with what you've said Joey....as a working mother myself, I work in a fairly stressful environment on multiple tasks whilst thinking about bills, football training, parents evening etc etc BUT I would not have had the ability to stimulate my child as he needed as a baby in a noisy work environment. Children need attention and stimulating in a calm environment, not in the hustle and bustle of a Commons session.