I will be accompanying my husband to Italy for a business trip with our eight-month-old son. Our trip will be concentrated to Milan and Lake Como areas. I am so excited to experience Italy with a baby; I hear he'll be quite popular! My question is about public breastfeeding. Do you see much of it? Do Italian women cover up in public and is covering up required? He does not take a bottle, so that is not an option. Thank you!
Posted by
OP
3 posts
@Quirite, thank you for your reply! The "Italians love babies" is a popular topic on all of the "traveling with babies in Italy" websites and several people have also mentioned it when I told them of our trip. We'll see?
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
@Quirete - "BTW, what's with the "Italians love children" thing? Every British/American I've spoken to mentioned it..."
When we took a trip to France and Italy with our six-month old daughter, she was welcomed and smiled at by the French. When we got to Italy, she was a rock-star! In cafes and on the streets she was swarmed with admirers, particularly older women. But the younger waiters, hotel clerks and most others we encountered gave her hearty "Ciao"s.
A few complimentary aperitifs to the dad was a nice touch, too!
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11322 posts
Italian women do breastfeed in public. They are discrete and may use a towel or something to cover a little. The level of modesty is low here, and the acceptance of nurturing is high. And to repeat, Italians love babies!
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
I always attribute the "Italians love babies" thing to the much lower birth rate in Italy compared to the past. I figured Italians just don't see babies as much as they used to.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thank you for the replies! I'm a fairly modest person and I am pretty discrete even here in the states where BF in public is protected by law. I typically don't BF in public if I don't have to, but I feel comfortable knowing that I can while being culturally aware.