Why Breastfeeding In Public Is Not A Problem
By: Alexis Barrett
Breastfeeding has picked up a lot of support over the years. Amazing right? I know. We are normalizing in it the US. Women are even meeting in public to breastfeed together to support the movement. Even more amazing.
I am currently breastfeeding my youngest and when he is hungry I feed him. I don’t pack a cover because he doesn’t like one, I don’t pump milk and bring it because he won’t take a bottle. I certainly don’t sit in public and let my child cry in hunger. I feed him. Yes with my boob.
There have been more and more polls on Facebook on local news channels asking the public if it’s okay for a mother to breastfeed in public. I started reading some answers and let me just tell you I was fuming. Here are just a few.
“Covered up yes”
“These people are so desperate for any kind of attention that they don't care how moronic they seem to everyone else. I understand feeding your baby, but be a decent human being and try to cover up a little. Otherwise head outside and do like the rest of the animals.“
“She just wants attention and drama. Big deal, cover up for teen kids.”
My thought on these replies:
My son hates, absolutely hates being covered up. H e pushes it off, and kicks it and eventually screams at me if i continue to make unwanted efforts. Also I will not move from where I am sitting, go in a dirty public bathroom and feed my child, nor will I go outside in the cold and rainy weather.
Another thing, there is a law protecting mother who breastfeed in public. You can not ask a mother to leave a store, or restaurant, or school for feeding her hungry baby. So why is this still a question.
Me not covering up is not hurting anyone and it defiantly isn’t showing disrespect to those around me.
If you think that breastfeeding in public is immoral, taboo, wrong, disrespectful, or anything related. Check yourself. A mother has the option to cover up. Covers were not made for mothers to cover up, they were made for a mother who wants to cover or has a baby who gets easily distracted in public place and has trouble latching on when there is so much going on around them.
Don’t force them onto mothers.
