Name: Tess Thompson
Home: St. Louis
World Breastfeeding Week
In honor of World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7), I'm including links to my posts on the topic from the past year. When I looked back over my blog, I was surprised at how many times I've written about it. I discuss Dickens and breastfeeding here; I threw in a picture here; I wrote about those militants over at La Leche League here; I included an essay about nursing in public here; and I wrote about weaning here.
(If you're curious to know about breastfeeding twins, Hannah of Milliner's Dream includes some pictures here. )
When I was pregnant, I never intended to become such a lactivist. But once I had a baby, I realized what an enormous part of parenthood feeding is, especially in the early months. People who haven't had children might not realize (as I didn't) the sheer amount of time nursing takes in the beginning; to refuse to nurse in public means being confined to the house for the first several months of parenthood.
The contradictions in our culture frustrate me; doctors recommend nursing--and many mothers I know who choose to formula-feed feel criticized or guilty--and yet our society is puritanical about the slightest glimpse of breast, and women who choose to nurse in public face glares and hostile comments. I could go on about lack of nursing facilities, weak or nonexistent laws to protect women who nurse from being charged with indecent exposure, the normalization of bottle-feeding in the media... but suffice to say, we do not yet have a culture that fully supports the choice to breastfeed. I believe that as a society we have a responsibility to nurture children and provide them with the best possible start in life, and that means supporting nursing mothers.
posted by Tess | 7:05 PM
2 Comments:
I agree with your frustration about ordinances and people complaining about women breastfeeding in public. I mean, I see more of women's breats in normal clothing as per today's style than I do when a woman breastfeeds.
And...don't take this badly, ok?...but a woman breastfeeding just isn't "hott" if you know what I mean. I've never "stumbled" or lusted after a woman breastfeeding.
I was at a local mall during a mid-day week-day last week -- eg mom & stroller time. I saw several women breastfeeding at various locations and I applaud them all. I think back to my "nursing in public days". I would try to find a fitting room in a store or cover myself and baby with a huge blanket. What a crock - a huge blanket called way more attention to myself and what I was doing than a discreet burp cloth.
I especially applaud the women that found a quiet spot at the back of the food court to nurse, I think that is the perfect place for all to eat.
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