O, what a feeding frenzy over nothing

Sheesh says:

10:34am | 06/04/11

yes and what about the mother who KNEW about it but still allowed it to happen? At least state all the facts instead of omitting some

Rosie says:

12:00pm | 06/04/11

Oh how the world has changed! I stayed in the comforts of my home until I felt I wouldn’t stress out about all I had to learn with the arrival of my first baby. Me stressing out would only cause the baby to stress as well. When my baby was about 6 months old, I was then confident to take my baby out to places where people could see me coping very well and enjoying being a new Mum.

I say good- luck to Jackie O, you go girl and do it your way and if it is going to make you a better and happy Mum, “go for it” bugger those that criticise! A happy Mum is a happy baby.

PJ says:

01:14pm | 06/04/11

Jackie O knew and only the foolish believe otherwise.

Andrew K says:

01:31pm | 06/04/11

I believe that Jackie’s actions with her child are her own and I couldn’t be bothered weighing into that debate. BUT her (reasonable) reaction to the scrutiny couldn’t have been more hypocritical. This is a person who exploits the similar situations of others for a living to feather her own nest. Forgetting even the rape part of that whole sordid tale, who the hell deliberately considers it appropriate to lie detector test a minor, against her will about their sex life live on air anyway? (regardless of the skeletons in the closet that ultimately were drawn out). Yet she decries public scrutiny of her actions to a much less intimate extent? Jackie O love, you perpetuate the shock jock culture, and have now realised what it is like to be on the receiving end of inappropriate media involvement in peoples lives in the race for ratings. Karma.

Save us from the Mad says:

08:10am | 07/04/11

So what is the problem bottle feeding??? My 5 children were all on a bottle, and the igrorant Naze Boob Brigade should pull their heads in. A lot of mums just cannot make enough milk, and others could feed a small town. My missus was made to feel guilty because she could not bottle feed, and I had to tell her they can get stuffed, they probably do not have kids anyway. They are preaching crap. We don’t have wet nurses now, so the bottle is a practical alternative, vs starving a new born because mum feels guilty. I always took the bub out, even on the way home from hospital. It is good for the mum and bub, seeing and hearing different sounds and sights etc. Our society is made to feel guilty by bands of uninformed lobbyists who really do not know what the hell they are talking about. Jackie O, good on you, keep doing what you are doing now, the kid will be fine. To the Boob Brigade, take a large dose of common sense, you are doing more harm than good.

KH says:

08:07am | 06/04/11

When I see someone changing a baby on the table of a cafe, you are damn right I will judge.  And call the health department, as that is disgusting - why should other customers have baby crap on the table when they are eating?  Would you eat off a toilet floor?

There are other people in the world apart from you.  People have popped out babies for millions of years.  You are not special.  You are still subject to standards of hygiene and manners.  If you can’t cope with being in public, then stay home.  You will get no sympathy from me.

HappyCynic says:

08:42am | 06/04/11

@KH

The toilet floor would probably be a hell of a lot more hygienic than your cafe’s table anyway so chill out a bit, get laid, get knocked up and see how well you deal with all that judgemental bullsh*t

always right says:

10:06am | 06/04/11

@ Happy Cynic, just shows how much you know about hygiene, best keep to your calling, being a cynic, you bogan creature.

James1 says:

10:14am | 06/04/11

HappyCynic,

Off topic, so apologies mods.  I have a vague memory that once you recommended a restaurant that does good Jewish cuisine in Sydney.  I’m off there this weekend - if my memory is correct, could you remind me of the name and suburb?  I haven’t had good Israeli cuisine since my last trip to the US.  If not, I must have you confused with someone else who uses a name starting with H.

HappyCynic says:

10:55am | 06/04/11

@James1

Sabbaba in Bondi.  It’s in Hall Street, near where Hall Street becomes O’Brien Street.  Delicious and very affordable.

Kari says:

11:23am | 06/04/11

Many years ago we were travelling with our newborn son to Melbourne. We stopped at a roadhouse, our son distressed, he was getting a temperature and it was pouring with rain.  I quickly changed his dirty nappy in the car.  After a short coffee stop and a quick feed he settled and just before we left I lay him on the floor to check (not change) his nappy.  I thought I was discrete.  But the manager saw it differently.  I was belittled and bereted for my actions and a few days later a small (but very bitter and twisted) comment was written up about it in the Melbourne Age. 
I was shattered!  Fortunately my name wasn’t mentioned but still to this day I feel guilt and embarrasment about that day - and it’s ninteen years on! 
I really feel for Jackie O.  She doesn’t deserve this.  As mothers sometime we have to go back to work - small business, continuity of job contracts.  I commenced work within days of my children being born and my four children are loving well adjusted individuals. 
We should be proud of what good Mums we are.  Choose to work or choose to stay home - we are doing the best we can.

Dick says:

02:25pm | 06/04/11

Hey, take it easy on the 14 year olds! My daughter is 14, and she would never be as judgemental as some of these “adults”.

niko says:

07:10am | 01/12/11

I’d like to see that research paper…

Mayday says:

09:29am | 07/04/11

What a puerile comment!

Jackie of course looked her usual immaculate self and so took some time out at least to make sure hair, dress, make up etc was fine but somehow forgot to factor in the time to feed baby!!

Crossing the road while bottle feeding is dangerous but it was the position she was holding the baby’s head that was of concern.

I’ve eaten “on the run” and generally end up with indigestion or heartburn and I’d usually be standing.  The act of feeding while laying with head tilted back and on the move would encourage reflux and other feeding related problems.

Jackie needs to realise that for a while at least baby comes first and career is booted to a secondary consideration, better to do one job well then two jobs poorly.
Financially she would be better of than most so why not buy a sling or even hire a nanny for a few of months?

AW says:

11:17am | 06/04/11

Exactly what I was thinking. Even in trying to defend her, she is criticising her. I don’t understand what the big deal is? I see women walking around grocery stores breastfeeding bubs in slings all the time, how is this any different? This story is so ridiculous.

Jade says:

01:33pm | 06/04/11

Totally agree AW

Alicia says:

05:23pm | 06/04/11

I agree, that comment wasn’t needed. Crossing the road could be just as dangerous as walking down the sidewalk or sitting at the bus stop. You never know what’s coming your way and that car could ride the kerb. I say kudos for managing to feed a baby while walking! I struggle to hold my shopping without dropping something.

Critic says:

06:25pm | 06/04/11

Which is why Alicia, you shouldn’t be holding a baby.

Mrs Casey says:

12:06pm | 07/04/11

OFFS, how sensetive some of us are, I’m adopted Von and I could see the humour in it, lighten up!

As for the ridiculous coverage this has even gotten, but out people.  She’s doing a wonderful job and people’s view are honestly ridiculous.  If you want to be a cotton wool mother and stay at home for 6 months until you’re confident to go outside so be it.  It’s not a one hat fits all scenario.

greg says:

01:01pm | 06/04/11

that’s a great marketing idea. no wonder she’s famous.

fairsfair says:

08:53am | 06/04/11

I agree Chong.
Yawn. Didn’t some other news happen last week?
Pru Goward was talking as a nosy old cow, not a politician and this entire even is not even printworthy.
Isn’t there some mummy forum that this story could be posted to?

k singleton says:

09:54am | 06/04/11

Pru Goward & her ilk are exactly that…nosy old cows….who should get their opinions & flush them down the loo rather than down our throats.
They are nothing short of interfering, insufferable bores who have NO idea what they are talking about when it comes to reality.

DuffyMum says:

09:21am | 06/04/11

This is the whole problem I have with this - what on earth was she doing wrong?  She was feeding her hungry baby, right?  She was crossing the street at a pedestrian crossing, right?  So what exactly did she do wrong Pru?

Nef says:

09:32am | 06/04/11

Naw, I don’t get it either and I’m a mom of five. I’ve nursed my babies under a shawl while walking when I had to go places (granted, not the first one though cause I was still wearing nursing L-plates). Babies pretty much don’t care if you’re sitting or walking as long as the milk is getting into their stomach and they’re comfortable and safe. Sure, I prefer a cosy chair in a quiet room to nurse but, hey, doesn’t always work.

The issue here is that people have an insane need these days to just stick their noses into other people’s business and private lives and judge and criticise them for how they wipe their noses if they could. It’s about time we started sweeping in front of our own doorsteps before getting wound up about our neighbours’.

Imperfect Android says:

09:54am | 06/04/11

I don’t quite know what the fuss is either Matt, being a childless female, I have little to no knowledge of why feeding a hungry child is wrong. I know babies need support on their neck and head when you feed them and read somewhere the position the bub was in was wrong.

Imagine if it had been….SHOCK HORROR….formula milk. Then DOCS would have been called straight away.

Though on a more practical note, she could invest in one of those sash looking things if she does need to stay ‘on the run’. My mum used one with me, the bub sits in it like a little hammock, you can feed it and everything from there.

Nick says:

11:06am | 06/04/11

Yeah, I’m a dad of two and I don’t get it either.  At that age you just poke milk into them where ever you happen to be and at all hours of the day and night - whether boobs direct, expressed or formula if that’s all you’ve got -  and they’re happy.  I didn’t see what Pru Goward said but she must be a bit of a loser if she made an issue out of it

Stephy says:

12:39pm | 06/04/11

Matt, as far as I know, there is no danger. Everyone has to cross the road sometime, and she was holding the baby, not dragging it behind her on a cart.

I can’t believe how normal Jackie O looks. I’ve got a 5 week old and currently I look and feel anything but normal. Training her to take the dummy and be put down in her bassinett to sleep at the same time. And dealing with my 1yo son. Currently putting my head through a wall looks like an attractive option. How can she have the time to put her hair up or wear pretty clothes or anything? *bewildered* I want some of her magic power. She’s above and beyond. Go for it Jackie!

JessB says:

03:26pm | 06/04/11

Matt, I saw a comment on another site about this issue which suggested that it wouldn’t have been good for the baby’s digestion to be fed ‘on the move’, and that it could have resulted in excess gas being produced.

I have to admit, I had no idea it wasn’t good for babies to be fed while being walked - I’m sure I’ve seen various babies in my family being fed while rocked or walked up and down a room.

I also like your point that she crossed the road at a designated crossing. She wasn’t jay-walking, which is a massive pet hate of mine for people with kids to do. And people without kids - so just people, really.

Sheridan says:

05:16pm | 06/04/11

I think the thing to “get” is that someone who is elected to do her job like Ms Goward would rather than poke her nose in to something that’s NONE OF HER BLOODY BUSINESS than do what the taxpayers of NSW pay her to do.. Surely as long as a baby is in a loving home where there’s no abuse or neglect then the rest of it is different strokes for different folks??

Al Chunk says:

08:30pm | 06/04/11

Who’s Kyle, do you mean Kylie?

frankie says:

12:59pm | 06/04/11

nice one gladys. i agree. lots of people would like to see the back of kyle. i reckon she knows him better than we do and likes him for who he is. a real guy. who happens to have different opions

DuffyMum says:

09:38am | 06/04/11

I, too, have never seen a baby being changed on a table in a cafe, but I have seen them being discretely changed in the corner of shops because there simply wasn’t any suitable change facilities anywhere within cooee. I’ve been caught out by my babies at least once and no-one complained, in fact the only comment I ever received was in sympathy and support. KH, I understand your complaint, and if I ever saw it happen then I would be pretty annoyed about it too. But I simply never have in all my years of parenting.

Zdacey says:

07:32am | 07/04/11

I have seen a toddler having a pooey nappy changed on a table at KFC in Toowoomba. I kid you not. I didn’t have a camera with me at the time, so unfortunately that stupid excuse for a mother couldn’t be splashed all over the media.

I’ve also seen a toddler’s nappy changed on a food prep bench at a school canteen, while I was volunteering there. Again, I kid you not.

I don’t mind where you change your kid’s nappy… much like feeding, it has to be done when the baby needs it done. Just please don’t change nappies on tables where food is going to be prepared or eaten by others.

Stephy says:

12:13pm | 06/04/11

Except with all the hang-up over breastfeeding these days, it can be damned uncomfortable breastfeeding in public. I was out with my husband, 16 month old son and 5 week old daughter on the weekend in a mall where the only place to feed was a seat placed in the toilets. Now, I hate feeding in the toilets. But in public it’s even more awkward. What’s a mum to do, with nowhere decent to feed and a screaming baby? Put up with the glares and mutters and feed in the food court or cafe, or go into the toilets, which look and feel dirty, and feed her there?

Whatcrap says:

12:28pm | 07/04/11

Here’s some food for thought Misha.  I was bottle fed (adopted, mum had no choice).  My husband was breastfed until 18 months old.  We’re now in our 30s, intelligent high performing people and guess what, he is the most allergic/medically challenged one of us.  I had childhood eczema (ironically, so did my birth mother).  My husband has severe hayfever and nasal problems and has been in and out of hospital most of his life with grommets as a kid and bad ear infections, accidents and cancer.  I have been twice (tonsils when I was 4 and having a baby).  I have perfect cholesterol, blood sugar, etc.  Hubbies is elevated.

Liz says:

10:23am | 06/04/11

or has a toilet accident in the middle of a major deparment store because they didn’t tell they needed to go!

david says:

11:32am | 06/04/11

Hi Katy,
There is only one opinion that matters - your child’s. And they will tell you consistently and honestly. When a baby cries - it is communicating in the best way it knows how for that situation. In those situations don’t let the opinions of the female world distract you from the one who accepts and loves you unconditionally. Your child.

Their comments are driven by their own needs to dominate or control - or in some way to make themselves feel better. Their condescensions don’t reflect your behaviour but their distorted views and judgements.

Your child, however, is always on your side, sees you for who you really are and trusts you to do what is best. Just focus on that.

lucie says:

01:09pm | 06/04/11

spin indeed. not! are you kidding? this is the biggest issue since women in pubs. women should be able to feed and look after their babies as they see fit without criticism from menopausal dementing ministers.

rebecca says:

02:33pm | 06/04/11

my kids are grown now too. i try not to tell them too often about how i used to breastfeed them whilst cooking pasta. bad example!

Caroline says:

11:02am | 06/04/11

All these new mums take themselves too seriously. Good to see a light-hearted take. I also agree that Jackie O looks pretty good considering how busy she would be. Busy or not, my sister says it is quite a feat. Go Jackie. F off Pru.

TJ says:

12:54pm | 06/04/11

i was told that if a baby or toddler had the runs to give them some coke, it will help get rid of it.

ursula says:

02:29pm | 06/04/11

lol TJ

Lee says:

11:55am | 06/04/11

My mum always said “there is no shame in a c-section if you need it or bottle feeding if you cant breastfeed.”.

Words to live by I reckon.

Kika says:

12:10pm | 06/04/11

Exactly right Claire. The simple answer is = it’s NOT important. Bottle fed babies survive and live. My sister & cousins were for all different reasons. My mother didn’t choose to bottle feed my sister, but was told to by her doctor and nurses. As with my aunty. It’s also a myth that breast fed babies are smarter. I mean most of us still drink milk designed for baby cows, so who is ANYONE to judge what sort of milk we feed our babies given we’re all slurping down another species colustrum!!

Your name: violet says:

02:28pm | 06/04/11

Your comment:
too true claire. it’s never mentioned to me either. and yet the guilt…
so much pressure to breast feed and then no one seems to give two hoots afterwards. what the?

TR says:

12:45pm | 06/04/11

only trouble with food is Mr Comedian, it spoils & rots sooner or later. You maybe on top of the food chain (for now at least) but at least we are the smarter sex.
LOL

Stephy says:

12:52pm | 06/04/11

White - the best colour to hide milk vomit stains.

indigo says:

03:36pm | 06/04/11

if only we could leave the house in our underwear.

sometimes that’s all i have time to put on…

jackie says:

03:45pm | 06/04/11

i think you raise an interesting point. i know it’s funny, but really how hard is it to shop with a child. we should be doing more to make it easier for mums. if jackie o finds it tough with a good part time job and supportive partner, what hope do the rest of us have?

john says:

01:06pm | 06/04/11

tops idea roberto. i’ll bring my twins

Kika says:

01:39pm | 06/04/11

Probably because the obsession with breasts in Australia as sex objects overrides their function 1000%. I would assume China is not as fixated on breasts as much as this country and most of the western world is.

Squeeze says:

02:28pm | 06/04/11

Or they’re stirring people up to create division to make themselves more relevant.

Kika says:

04:56pm | 06/04/11

People stop in the street to admire someone else’s baby? What the? I’d be offended if someone did that to me! I’d be ‘get away from me weirdo!’

Stephy says:

08:24pm | 06/04/11

Kika, quite common. Happens everywhere, including waking from the shopping centre entrance to my car I get passers by cooing. Very very common to get stopped so people can have a look. Even happens while breastfeeding…

hattie says:

01:02pm | 06/04/11

it’s still no guarantee of safety. what about that poor mother from st peters who was run over while she was on the footpath!

CD says:

01:58pm | 06/04/11

That is called an accident.  Baby or no baby Hattie.  The other is utter careless behaviour. More chance of a pram “ON” the road being hit than on the footpath.  Sorry no comparison.

CD says:

02:00pm | 06/04/11

Also Hattie, there are never any guarantees.  To be careful and vigilent is the key to avoiding many of them.
Sometimes thinks just happen

Space Cadet says:

01:25pm | 06/04/11

what speed kills? 40km/h, 60? 100? 300? Nope. None of the above, they all contribute to making the incident more serious, and potentially more deadly but it would not be the only factor, lack of concentration or human error would be the cause, with speed a mitigating factor.

Jade says:

01:36pm | 06/04/11

So do you suggest we stop crossing roads now? Since it is so dangerous?!

How about we stop going outside - could get hit by lightening, stop going to the beach - could get taken by a shark, stop driving - could crash, stop eating - could choke.

Sigh says:

01:44pm | 06/04/11

Yep you have highlighted everything that a lot of people have gotten offended about with this particular ongoing saga. Just being alive is dangerous- something we all have to live with but to verbally bash someone after flogging the article to an audience that was all “meh” about it to start personally attacking her took it too far.  reducing someone to tears over their parenting skills IN PUBLIC is not cool.

She didnt just aim her poisoned keyboard at Jackie O but EVERY mum who feels the need to constantly defend themselves against the people who vocally judge them. Ms Sharp didnt just harp on about the feeding+road+walking incident she then tried to make her into a monster for going to back to work 8 weeks after giving birth to her. How is that ANYONES business?

Then you get Ms Goward jumping on the band wagon saying women should stay at home for as long as possible. Why? Jackie O’s husband is a stay at home dad- why shouldnt Jackie O go back to work? Someone has to feed the family and pay the mortgage.

It is all well and good in theory that you should follow what all the books say and listen to the experts, but you know what? The reality is life doesnt always go to plan and sometimes you just have to do what you gotta do.

Sarah says:

01:53pm | 06/04/11

So people shouldn’t cross the road with a baby at all?  The baby would be injured if hit in a pram or stroller, not just in someone’s arms.  I’m sure she checked before she crossed the road.

Squeeze says:

02:01pm | 06/04/11

Oh and there’s a longer version of that ad if you really want to mess with your head. One where the girls are getting ready to go out.

Conceit and complacency is the problem here. It blinds us to seeing dangers.

How many of you tut tutted about the parents whose child went out through the front door and was sitting in the middle of the lane of a road at night.  If that truck driver hadn’t been so diligent the toddler would have been killed. Lucky it was a truck eh! Would a car driver have been as diligent?

Think you’re better?  Do you have a lever style of door handle into your garage? Yes. Can you guarantee that you will ALWAYS keep the garage door remote out of reach of your toddler? No? Wouldn’t be very difficult for your toddler to get out the front of your house and onto the road would it now.

This issue is about conceit and complacency.  Not about breast feeding in public, oppressing women or snooty intolerance of children.

wendy says:

02:19pm | 06/04/11

‘seeking to reduce awareness of the risks’??
are you for real?
every mum i know thinks everything’s a risk. i spend my life worrying if i’m risking my child by feeding her right, waking her, putting her to bed, talking on the phone in a loud voice in front of her.
we’re all too aware of every risk already.

and i disagree with the mentality that we must always do better.

isnt’ that why so many new mum’s are losing it and in psych hospitals?

Squeeze says:

03:20pm | 06/04/11

How can I make this safer.

“I’m sure she checked before she crossed the road. ” Maybe this parent did. But why are you making that assumption to support your point? Whatever that point is. This parent should have been concentrating on the cars the whole time. The photo I have seen shows the parent looking down. How hard would it be for the parent to have asked another pedestrian to watch their back? Problem solved. Did you think of that option? Perhaps your mindset is wrong. Safety first. Conceit and complacency is the enemy of safety. Always ask yourself - what can I do to make this safer. That’s priority number 1.

How can I make this safer.

My complaint is how people like you and Alissa try to make light of, mock or dismiss the dangers of crossing roads. Why do you do it? In doing so you are all perpetutaing a falacy that crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing is a safe thing to do.  It is not. You’ve all got your priorities the wrong way around.  Safety first. Always.

How can I make this safer.

I can forgive J O.  But I’m finding more difficult to forgive Alissa. Fine, hook into the misogynists as much as you want. I’ll do my best to support you on that. But playing down the danger of crossing a road to serve your priority puts blood on our hands. Recently I saw some top NSW police official drop his guard on TV and concede that he’s at a loss to work out what they can do to make people aware of the dangers on the roads.

How can I make this safer.

And here we are just a few months later with people like you and Alissa playing down the dangers of crossing a road to push some other agenda.  There’s the answer for that official - the problem is agenda driven groups and individuals. SAFETY FIRST. Don’t let anything ever get in the way of you thinking about how to be safer on our roads. If you’re a driver - please change your midset before you kill my family.

How can I make this safer.

Og and bring back Hector the Cat.

Squeeze says:

03:39pm | 06/04/11

Exactly Wendy. But J O wasn’t aware enough of the dangers of crossing a road to make her stop, think and then simply e.g. ask someone to watch her back as she crossed the road. And here you all are dismissing or mocking the dangers of crossing the road and fighting me with hyperbole. You’re the ones creating the kind of mindset that roads are safer than they really are.  Oh it’s OK if I just do one quick text. And this is the kind of group think that likely led J O to make the decision she did. 

Roads are very dangerous places.  Why don’t you go and have a chat with people who have lost familiy members to road accidents.  Accidents that could easily have been avoided.  Accidents that traumatise the well meaning culprits as well. I think you’ll find my ‘mentality’ quite middle of the ... road.

“i disagree with the mentality that we must always do better.”  Well then you disagree with OH&S laws too then. Because I’m just echoing the safety in the workplace laws.

Squeeze says:

03:49pm | 06/04/11

@ Space Cadet.  I think I made that point.  flesh v metal = death. That list of 3 government funded programs was there to support my position.  Why are people like Alissa so determined to water down that good work.

Squeeze says:

04:31pm | 06/04/11

@ sigh.  “reducing someone to tears over their parenting skills IN PUBLIC is not cool.”  I couldn’t agree with you more.  And J O has her supporters.  Game on.  Capulets v Montagues.  Meanwhile what’s happening to the message that crossing roads is dangerous.  I will not let that message be diminished by this current debate or furore or what ever it is. I will not sit by and allow the message that crossing a road is dangerous be collateral damage in a fight between two gangs that have a problem with each other. OMG I can’t believe J O supporters are equating the dangers of walking on a footpath with crossing a road.  This is getting ridiculous and it’s getting dangerous.  This fight is undoing the good work of governments to raise awareness of the danger on our roads. Yes, Goward is a tool. But then some of you lot are stooping to her level with your reckless counter arguments. So to me, you’re as bad as each other. Here is an opportunity to get a safety message out but some of you are far more interested in hooking into each other.  J O has my sympathy.  But reckless J O defenders, propagating the ‘you don’t need to think because it’s a pedestrian crossing’ myth, don’t. It’s certainly not as stupid as dangling your baby over a balcony or tucking bub under your arm while feeding a croc. I’m on YOUR side J O sympathisers.  But some of you have stepped over a boundary. Think the likes of Goward and Sharp won’t jump on your counter arguments?

Lee says:

07:22am | 07/04/11

Sorry but all I got out of your posts squeeze was a mess of different and confusing opinions.

Sigh says:

08:02am | 07/04/11

Squeeze, I think I missed something then. Is this an article about road safety? I didnt think so, which is probably why I am still shaking my head.

Walking on a footpath IS dangerous- just ask the guy whose wife has been in a coma for the three or four weeks after being hit by a car in Petersham whilst she was out walking her baby in a pram.

How exactly are people “stooping to Prue’s level” by telling her it is none of her business to even pass comment on when someone should return to work after having a baby? How exactly have people over stepped a line? I really dont get why you are using this forum to press an unrelated point/argument.

Squeeze says:

08:47am | 07/04/11

Fair call Lee.  I went on a few unnessary tangents to cut off the predicatable responses and to provide evidence of government programs to support for my position. 

Here’s the exec summary.

Complacency and cars is a deadly combination. I sympathize with and forgive J O.  But there is no excuse for playing down the risks of crossing a road.  In private and especially in public. Ever. J O supporters publicly playing down the risks is worse than J O’s original actions. And you’re giving tools like Goward and Sharp ammo to shoot you down.

Is that simple enough for you?

Squeeze says:

09:31am | 07/04/11

Yes Sigh, you have missed my point. Crossing a road is far more dangerous than walking on a footpath. Why would you make such a comparison in order to score points for J O?  Why are you trying to play down the risks of crossing roads?

Goward used bad argument to score points. Fair enough, playing down the risks of crossing roads isn’t down at Goward’s level, but it’s heading in that direction. It’s reckless argument. Especially these days with drivers distracted by their electronic gadgets.

To help you see my position think about this. What would you think of me if I got on Punch and started playing down the risks of unfenced home swimming pools. Or played down the risks of sunburn.  Or played down the risks to workers of industrial machinery. Try stepping away from the debate about parenting so you can see what you are advocating.

Why am I doing this?  Obviously I’m struggling to make that clear. I’m not going to sit by while journalists and commenterati play down the risks of roads to score points on an unrelated topic. It’s bad bad bad. Just stop it.

Sigh says:

02:13pm | 07/04/11

Yeah Squeeze you have struggled- at some stage in life you have to cross a road with a child whether the child is in a pram, in your arms or in a baby carrier. No-body is playing down danger, in fact I think I referenced a recent event that ANYTHING can happen any time you step out the door (and in some cases you dont even need to do that). Nobody is trying to score points with Jackie O- they expressing their dissatisfaction at a) a trash journalist whose personal vendetta has clouded her judgement and b) an idiot MP who should have kept her mouth shut.

Squeeze says:

04:02pm | 07/04/11

“No-body is playing down danger” Wrong.  They are.  And I’m calling em on it.  Jeeze, you guys won’t let go will you. Go and look in the mirror and say to yourselves - I’m wrong.  There, not so hard is it.

You J O defenders ARE playing down the risk of crossing a road. And that is wrong.

Back to the comment that started me off: “You know better than anyone that the bottle across the street idea wasn’t a good one. But ....”.

Recognise that sentence structure?  “I’m not a racists but ...” “I’m not sexist but ...”  We are racist, we are sexist and we are watering down the road dangers. There’s still a lot of work Australia needs to do on all 3 of these fronts.

Sorry, but J O’s feeling bad about criticism for her parenting is not a good enough excuse to temporarily put the safety message on hold.

BTW: Good on her for going a back to work.

Lee says:

07:01am | 08/04/11

Methinks your own advice is needed here squeeze.  I totally agree with sigh- your beating up an unrelated issue and pretty much telling everyone they are wrong because they have missed your point. Well a majority of people commenting havent missed the point of the article- but I think you have.

Squeeze says:

09:49am | 08/04/11

We have a 2 year old. Hooray I’m with Alissa. I understand the point of the article. Funny and cute. Hooray. Good for Alissa. But, in achieving goals, there are standards of conduct that can be called into question.  Punch contributors do it all the time. Like calling ICB on dodgy fear mongering arguments run by politicians to score points/votes.  Like yesterday’s ICB on beheadings by Muslim countries. Tory Shephard called the pollie’s conduct (i.e. argument) into question.  And that’s what I’m doing.  I’m not particularly interested in the Goward/Sharp camp v Jackie O camp debate about motherhood.  Knock yourselves out. Punch on. But there’s standards of conduct. And talking down road dangers is not on. The really scary thing is that some of you think talking down the dangers of roads isn’t happening or isn’t such a bad thing. Maybe you need to get involved with e.g. http://journeybeyondroadtrauma.org/.  We need to be putting upward pressure on the road safety message.  At every opportunity we can. Not downward pressure. Never ever put downward pressure on the road safety message. Never ever.  For whatever reason.

And given the size of Alissa’s readership and hence the extensive influence of her words, she has a much greater responsibility to be extra careful about what she writes.

As I mentioned in a previous comment. Our authorities appear to be scratching their heads about why the road safety message isn’t getting through. “Methinks” it is getting through.  But perhaps the authorities haven’t realised that there are people out there like you and Alissa who are PROACTIVELY watering the message down. Innocent or not.

Anyone else want to take a shot at me? First go and sit in casualty and watch some road trauma victims brought in and then observe their families arrive and depart. Read/hear the stories of or meet the traumatised culprits. That’ll put the motherhood debate into perspective. The decision on going back to work will be a trivial matter compared to the challenges of being a wheel chair Mum. Watering down the road safety message is not on.  Ever.

As for ‘beating up an unrelated issue’.  This is a great example to raise awareness of HOW the Road Safety and Safety First messages get watered down. Getting absorbed in the goal at hand (Like feeding the baby. Like debating an unrelated issue like motherhood.) and pushing safety to the side is exactly the problem. How do you think people get their hands crushed in machines at work? They don’t do it deliberately do they?  They do it because they prioritise the goal of their task over the safety of their task. So I think this is a great forum to call Punch staff up on their conduct and their performance on the issue on safety. Watering down the road safety message is not on, ever, because it contributes to complacency which leads to road trauma.

Lee says:

10:07am | 08/04/11

No instead you have watered down that women are allowed to feed their children and return to work. Thanks for setting womens lib back 50 years. Peace out.

Squeeze says:

11:48am | 08/04/11

On the contrary. I have everyone’s liberation at heart. How liberated do you think Jackie O would feel being stuck in a wheel chair just because she listened to careless group think and hence assumed there’s little risk in using pedestrian crossings.

I don’t object per se with J O feeding her baby as she used that pedestrian crossing. There was someone crossing in the opposite direction wheeling a bike and hence the risk to her was already reduced.  She may have already made eye contact with the drivers in both directions.  That only takes a few seconds out of a busy day. Why not wave hello to the drivers? Hey, she may have even waited until cars in both directions had stopped at the crossing.  In which case she’s an unimpeachable mum. But I have a big problem with people playing down the risks. Such people risk inducing women to take risks they otherwise wouldn’t.

As I’ve said already about Goward and Sharp - they’re tools.

Squeeze says:

12:04pm | 08/04/11

“Why not wave hello to the drivers?”  Oops sorry shoot me.  Her hands were full.  Why not nod or mouth ‘hello’ or ‘thank you’ to the drivers? Phew.  That’s better.

Julia says:

01:39pm | 06/04/11

Not to mention being the former Sex Discrimination Comissioner

Julie says:

02:59pm | 06/04/11

No to mention she used to be the Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner

tracy says:

02:31pm | 06/04/11

she was hardly asking to be photographed OJ.  my guess is she’d love to be boring and ordinary so people will leave her alone.

brianna says:

03:43pm | 06/04/11

Your comment:

i hope it’s good for her ratings. she deserves it!

xanthe says:

03:40pm | 06/04/11

i liked reading it on my i phone whilst feeding my baby…

oops, i hope no one took a photo of me doing two things at once.

lucky i’m a nobody

olivia says:

03:24pm | 06/04/11

i’m so sick of hearing about men’s issues.

get over it rossco.

this stuff counts.

and if you want to make a non issue and not have to read about them so much, why dont you help!

Busy bee says:

03:44pm | 06/04/11

LOL, yeah, the media should just reflect half the population, otherwise Rossco is going to have a tanty.

nathan says:

03:21pm | 06/04/11

what’s the big deal with changing a nappy?!! seriously, bodily fluids people. they happen!

suggest virgin next time.

they seem to like talking about bodily fluids. lol!

Jesscar says:

06:14pm | 06/04/11

So I suppose that means you’re totally against baby slings or baby bjorns when out and about? Obviously according to you they’re not safe.

Squeeze says:

08:30am | 07/04/11

And there we go again.  Mocking the dangers of crossing roads. Playing down the dangers to serve some other purpose - to score points to win some sort of argument.  It’s because of people like you that a law codifying a ban on feeding bub while crossing the road might be necessary.  If the law makers were confident that people were taking their responsibilities and the dangers seriously they wouldn’t even contemplate having to write a law.  But here you all are, talking down the dangers.  How do you think the law makers will react to these comments. Don’t you lot get it?  Australia is like it is because of what you all say and do. Time for some of you to cop this one on the chin, say fair enough and pipe down.

Lee says:

02:19pm | 07/04/11

Sarcasm- not everyone gets it.

Squeeze says:

04:05pm | 07/04/11

Oh I recognise it. And I’ll applaud quality and wit. But at some point sarcasm just becomes a last refuge for the bitter.  At which point it’s just snide.

claire says:

11:34am | 08/04/11

that is very funny

Squeeze says:

02:18pm | 08/04/11

“We’re so risk averse these days”  Yeah, all these silly rules about pool fences right? Shall we drop the laws on bike helmets and seat belts?  Those safety zone tram stops in Melbourne are costing millions.  What a waste of money eh!

And all that antibacterial stuff in just about every household products   Lets not stress about smearing ourselves on the road but heaven help us if bub catches a bug.

Step away from the motherhood debate and hear what your advocating.

Squeeze says:

03:30pm | 08/04/11

Aaaah.  I get it.  Is this sort of like what the experts call ‘covert bullying’.  E.g. make like there’ s some sort of inside joke that the target doesn’t get.  How cute.  Does it really work on other women?

Squeeze says:

04:50pm | 08/04/11

“How cute.  Does it really work on other women? ”  Sorry that comes across as rather sexist.  Poor choice of words.  Let me re phrase it.  “I’m an adult male so such a tactic won’t work very well against me.”

I’m still trying to work out why some of you think it’s acceptable during this debate over motherhood to water down the road safety message.  After all Alissa’s article is entitled “O, what a feeding frenzy over nothing”.  Let me point point the offending expression in that particular passage: NOTHING. Could it any clearer?

And to think that some of you are out on the road when I am in oncoming traffic at a closing speed of at least a 100kph. I sure hope you’re taking the safety message seriously then.