BlogHer - mothers rights - Comments

public nursing

MiriamAnton — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:05:49 -0500

I wonder if they have these discussions so much in other parts of the world (forgive me for lumping Canada in with the US here) but this issue seems so goofy to me. It's perfectly legal to lie topless on the beaches (and streets!) of New York, yet people get squeamish over the barely exposed nipple of a nursing mother??

I loved nursing so much that it's practically incentive for me to have another child. I nursed whenever and wherever I wanted. How people confuse this with exhibitionism or obscenity is beyond me. A hold over from our Puritan past perhaps? Moms who nurse in public are usually quite discreet. They typically cover up as much as possible without smothering the poor baby and tend not to overtly flash their nipples at the world. I don't remember any nasty looks or comments from my public nursing. But if rude on-lookers take issue I would just tell them not to look. Or how about "Sorry - I only have enough for one!"

In most states as far as I know, the law is on your side. My advice to those more timid with public nursing - find a quieter place when possible but do what makes you feel comfortable.

When baby is hungry and breast is full, nothing else matters.

TCMom — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:58:34 -0500

It never ever even DAWNED on me when breastfeeding my children that I could be offending someone. Consider that very self-involved of me but I guess it just didn't make sense. My baby was hungry and needed to be fed. We were all babies, we all got fed (breast or bottle, whatever) so doesn't logic follow that it wouldn't be a big deal if another being - one like YOU used to be - is being fed? Luckily, I was never hassled. Maybe b/c I had that look on my face like "What? Is my zipper down?" never thinking the issue was my boob being out. Or more often it was probably the look of "I am running on 2 hours total sleep, I am hugely engorged, this baby is starving and stressed and not quite latched on - DON'T CROSS ME." And they didn't, for their own safety. I really could care less about offending anyone, I was trying to nourish a life, you know?

A great point about actually having to state permission seems like it was something that wasn't ever there in the first place. Go Toronto with the best intentions but I can't believe we need a sign. I sure as hell didn't.

Caroline

http://morningsidemom.wordpress.com/

Breasts have many roles

Suzanne Reisman — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:36:25 -0500

I'm not disagreeing with you at all that breasts are meant to feed babies, but sometimes I think we should honor all the great things breasts do. They are there for sexual pleasure, when a woman decides that she wants them touched. They also are aesthetically pleasing. And, of course, when a woman has a baby, they are there for feeding. I just like to honor the whole thing, especially because calling out one of their functions as more valuable than the rest sort of indicates that those of us who aren't breastfeeding (for whatever reason, including that we don't have babies) don't have boobs that count. And I think boobs are too useful for that. :)

But definitely, feed away when the baby is hungry! That is one of the great things that boobs are there for.

Suzanne Reisman, Contributing Editor - Feminism & Gender
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS) & Other Rants

They started out FUNCTIONAL!

AnissaMayhew — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:33:44 -0500

I nervously nursed my first child, casually nursed my second and by my third I was like a drunken girls gone wild video. But I do remember being terribly self conscious, feeling like everyone was looking at the lady with her boob hanging out in the food court of the mall. But, in all seriousness, when my baby cried, when he was hungry, everyone else could just BITE ME!

When did we forget, in the grand scheme of media, that breasts are not merely ornamental objects, they are not funbags of joy, as my husband calls them. They are meant to nurse our young, to provide the God given milk that is best for them and their bodies.

If I am nice enough to use a blanket to keep my nipples from poking your eye out, be kind enough to not bother me with your judgement that I am doing something "dirty" in public.

Anissa Mayhew

www.hope4peyton.org

How did it happen?

Vered — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:05:41 -0500

"Citizens have a right to not be exposed to breastfeeding in public."

It makes me sad that so many people consider breastfeeding as gross or obscene. Not sure how exactly our society got to this place, but it needs to be pulled out of it.

So I agree: a public education campaign is much needed at this point.

It’s been several years since I finished nursing my children, but the memories of nursing in public, of making a HUGE effort to cover myself, and still getting the occasional dirty look, are with me and are highly unpleasant memories.

Vered DeLeeuw

http://momgrind.com/