While shopping at the local mall with her infant a young mother decides she is hungry. Where does she go? She heads to the food court, orders her food and proceeds to sit down and enjoy her meal. Midway through her meal, the young mother's baby begins to cry. Looking at her watch she realizes her baby is hungry too. The mom does the next logical thing. She feeds her baby, not with a bottle, but her breast. She unsnaps her nursing shirt and bra. The baby begins to hungrily nurse, gulping down mom's sweet milk. Within minutes, the young mother notices a security guard walking towards her. Leaning over, he quietly asks “The other shoppers are uncomfortable, could you please go into the bathroom?”
As women begin to learn the benefits of breastfeeding for their babies we are beginning to see more and more breastfed babies. Unfortunately with the increase in breastfeeding mothers we are seeing an increase in confrontations as the above mentioned.
Why are Americans so afraid of the breasts' true and natural function?
Despite the countless health officials educating Americans to the health benefits of breastfeeding, it is still considered taboo when a woman is nursing her child in public. The woman's body has been sexualized to the point where getting a glimpse of a breast in public makes others uncomfortable. From the time we are children we are taught that our breast are something that should be constantly covered up. Exposing yourself is considered indecent. While, we're taught that showing and seeing breast in public is inappropriate, we allow ourselves and our children to see a women's breast (but never the nipple) on our billboards, magazines, and on television. Yes, breast are a beautiful part of a woman's body, but simply seeing a breast in public shouldn't make one immediately think of sex. It is simply a part of our anatomy like our arms legs and hips.
The Right to Breastfeed
With all of the confrontations women are having surrounding breastfeeding; mothers are arming themselves with the knowledge of their state laws. The bottom line, in all 50 states a woman has the right to breastfeed anywhere she has the legal right to be. Thirty-nine states have laws that give women the right to breastfeed in anyplace, public or private. Twenty-one states indicate that breastfeeding in public is not indecent.
Breastfeeding in Public
As women and mothers we should do our best to encourage each other. Women who breastfeed, are making a decision that is proven to be best for them and their baby. If seeing a breastfeeding woman makes you uncomfortable ask yourself if you were uncomfortable looking at the scantly clad woman in the advertisement you just passed.
