When and Where is Breastfeeding OK in the Public's Opinion?

I wrote about Professor Adrienne Pine's breastfeeding in class for the Huffington Post: Breastfeeding Professor's Non-Incident Makes Headlines: When Will Moms Be Allowed to do it all in Order to Have it All?

Yahoo's headline made me think this professor was using the classroom as political statement: "Feminist Anthropology Professor Blasted for Breastfeeding During Class," but nothing could be farther from the truth.

Professor Adrienne Pine had a dilemma on the first day of her Sex, Gender and Culture class at American University in Washington, D.C when her baby had a fever and couldn't go to daycare. She didn't want her students to miss the introductory class, so she brought along her child to it. Her child did fine for awhile, but when she got cranky, she breastfed for a few minutes until the baby fell asleep.

Professor Pine never meant to make a statement. She was just trying to teach her class. Unfortunately, some students went to the college's newspaper, where they were all too eager to make it a story. Despite Pine's attempts to explain the situation and show what a non-issue this was, it has turned into headline news...

Read the rest at The Huffington Post...

Time Magazine Provokes Conversation with Breastfeeding Mom Cover

Here’s mom, 26-year-old Jamie Lynne Grumet, breastfeeding her son on Time magazine’s cover.

It certainly got the attention of moms everywhere. The article accompanying the somewhat controversial photo is all about attachment parenting and has a profile of Dr. William Sears.

While I think the cover was designed precisely to stir up strong emotions from both camps, I don’t have a problem with the cover photo.

I think the headline: Are You Mom Enough? is more controversial, but once again, controversy is where it’s at if you want to get noticed today.

The big question becomes what kind of conversation this photo will open.

Hopefully, there won’t just be lots of attacks and silly comments from people, but maybe there will be some setting aside of preconceived notions and judgments from moms on both sides of the issue so we can examine how our ideas of attachment parenting versus “modern” parenting are just that—ideas.

Can we finally set aside what “method” of parenting is right or wrong and simply find a way to support all parents in raising their children in the best way each family sees right for them?

Should Breastfeeding Photos Be Kept Private?

Cafe Mom’s April Peveteaux asks: Why Are You Posting Breastfeeding Photos on Facebook, Anyway?

Her feelings are that while breastfeeding is wonderful and all, it should be all about baby and not about mom and her needs.

“Breastfeeding is an intimate act, so why are you sharing it online? I get it if you're a website dedicated to showing women the positive aspects of breastfeeding, and promoting the normalcy so we can all get over our hang-ups. But as an everyday mom just trying to feed your baby, why would you want to take your picture and post it? Breastfeeding is very personal, between you and your baby. Not you and your 3,000 Facebook friends. You don't post pictures of you and your partner in an intimate embrace, do you? And if you do, why in the world would you do that?

That's called over-sharing, people, and it's no wonder your friends get annoyed. Just like you don't want to see a picture of your FB friend in her bikini, maybe she feels weird about seeing your naked breast. (Note, if either of these scenarios is popping up because you're somewhere in public and a group photo is being taken -- all bets are off. I'm talking about posed, on purpose, intimate photos. There's a huge difference.)”

Hmm...I get what the writer is saying, but I think I kind of disagree.

Yes, breastfeeding is about providing the best for one’s baby, but there are obviously a lot of other emotions and issues attached to it for the mother.

And while nursing is an “intimate” act in one sense, it’s also just about eating. Why wouldn’t I post a photo of my child eating?

A lot of mothers may feel the need to also make a stand for the mothers who feel shamed about nursing and posting pics in a public forum can be a show of support, a way of saying—Hey! Look! I’m nursing and there’s nothing wrong about it!

And the thing I just don’t get is that people seem to think that when moms nurse that they’re sitting there with their shirt off giving a show. I’ve never seen a mother just letting it all hang out in public. When a baby is nursing, most of the breast is hidden.

All this controversy over nursing though, with moms being accused of being like strippers for nursing in public though...it’s making me want to show the difference to the world!

Do a little striptease in public and then nurse my baby. The world would see the difference!

Breastfeeding Mother Compared to a Stripper

Cole Nursing

WSAV reports on the latest breastfeeding kerfuffle.

A Georgia mother was compared to a stripper for breastfeeding her baby during church service.

Nirvana Jennette said, “I was told to go nurse in the bathroom and was told to cover up and go away. I knew the bond and importance of breastfeeding and that’s what I decided to do for my baby.”

And then she was asked not to return to the church.

I find it amazing that people will get so riled up by a woman nursing her baby, but will be okay with Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue that displays a woman almost nude on magazine racks where children of all pages pass by.

A nursing mother is nourishing her child; a sports magazine is basically calling looking at pretty naked women a “sport.”

I would much rather explain to a small child what a nursing mother is doing than what a swimsuit model is doing.

But the funny thing is that children never seem upset or confused at all if they see me nursing in public; it’s always only been adults.

A statewide nurse-in will be held in protest to raise awareness of breastfeeding Monday, March 5 from 10 AM to 2 PM.

For more information, visit the State Nurse-in Page on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/YOURSTATENURSEIN/ or sign the petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/establish-better-protection-for-breastfeeding-mothers.

Oh, the Drama of Breasts!

The Orange County Register’s Jo Ashline reports on yet another breastfeeding debacle—Nascar driver bashes public breastfeeding, apologizes.

Nascar driver Kasey Kahne expressed himself through a tweet when he saw a mother breastfeeding in public:

"Just walking through supermarket. See a mom breast feeding little kid. Took second look because I was obviously seeing things. I wasn't! I don't feel like shopping anymore or eating."

His tweet did the obvious—offended many and also found supporters of breastfeeding being gross.

Ashline pointed out my beliefs in beautiful words:

“Many responded by pointing out that NASCAR has a reputation of exploiting breasts in campaign ads, and that female fans of the popular racing circuit often dress in a way that leaves little to the imagination, concluding that it's okay for a woman to flaunt her breasts in front of a man as long as they aren't being used for what they were intended: to feed and nurture a child.”

Kahne took to Twitter once again and tried to clean up his ignorance:

"I understand that my comments regarding breastfeeding posted on Twitter were offensive to some people. For that, I apologize. It was in no way my intention to offend any mother who chooses to breastfeed her child, or, for that matter, anyone who supports breast feeding children. I want to make that clear.

In all honestly, I was surprised by what I saw in a grocery store. I shared that reaction with my fans on Twitter. It obviously wasn't the correct approach, and, after reading your feedback, I now have a better understanding of why my posts upset some of you.

My comments were not directed at the mother's right to breastfeed. They were just a reaction to the location of that choice, and the fashion in which it was executed on that occasion.

I respect the mother's right to feed her child whenever and wherever she pleases."

Hmm…sounds mysteriously like some PR person jumped up and typed up a nice response for Kahne. Smoothed out the wrinkles. Tried to tone down any offense.

This all really makes me want to go out in public somewhere and nurse!

Nursing Mothers Unite!

Perezitos applauds the national nurse-in at Target today thanks to a Texas mother who was asked to move to a fitting room when she was discreetly nursing at a local store.

Michelle Hickman vented on Facebook and a mission was begun. The nursing moms who visited over 100 stores across the country found the Target employees ready (and obviously prepped) for them.

All Target employees were friendly and welcoming, but that comes as no surprise. DO you really think they would risk offending a large market share? Not to mention it’s absolutely legal to nurse in public in 45 states!

What’s the most disturbing thing I’ve seen from the reports is that there were a bunch of people (seems like mostly men) who think nursing in public is gross.

Umm…hello?

These are probably the same men who think hooters on display in every other situation should be applauded. It seems some men want boobs to only be their sexual play things and displayed in ways that appeal to their sensibilities—what a shocker.