In a local newspaper, The Mountain Eagle, they have a page they call Speak Your Piece. Anyone can call or email and say anything on their mind and it is published within reason. Recently, a 78 year old woman spoke about public breastfeeding and how she was offended by it. In the next issue a local nurse practioner wrote a wonderful letter to the editor explaining why breastfeeding was the best and healthiest choice for a mother to make for her infant. Now, in this Wednesday’s paper, a woman complains again about public breastfeeding, but this time equates it with sex in public. Not only did she do this, but she also refers to breastfeeding women as being similar to a sow or mother hippo. She spoke of how her husband couldn’t stop staring at a breastfeeding woman in a Hardees and her huge breasts. The “gross milk” dripping down her child’s chin. Oh, and God forbid, the child had to have been over two years old.
I’m sick of hearing these kinds of remarks! If you want to equate me with a sow, that’s fine and dandy. Her teets and mine serve the same purpose. When you equate my breastfeeding my child with a sex act, then I get infruiated. Are we that influenced by an over sexed media that we can’t let go of a brought on picture of what breasts are for long enough to realize they have a higher purpose than to sexually attract a potential mate? For those who might believe in natural selection and the like, why do you think a man might be attracted to breasts? Duh, it means the female is able to feed his offspring. Then, to incinuate that breastfeeding is actually a sexual thing is beyond perverted. My breasts aren’t much more to me than a functional appendage. Yes, they are dag gone beautiful too, because they can feed my daughters. But, what about feeding a baby is sexual? Nasty people get your mind out of the gutter! I will breastfeed rightfully whereever I like, and I am able to do so modestly. If you can’t seem to stop staring at my feeding my child, because you feel it is sexual, I’d be very concerned about your perverted mind.
I have mentioned this statistic in another post on the topic of breastfeeding, but I have to say it again. There is something horribly wrong when Kentucky ranks 49th in the US for mothers initiating breastfeeding. Even more wrong is that in some eastern Kentucky counties only 1 in 5 newborns leave the hospital having been offered the breast. Why is that horrible? It tells me our healthcare system is failing to educate us on the appropriate nourishment for our babies. It tells me mothers considering nursing are not offered the support they need to succeed. That is a sad, sad thing. We as a people deserve more than that.
I hope more mothers step out to defend their right to breastfeed and do so in public. I have never seen a mother breastfeed in public here. I’m glad someone else did. It’s good to know I’m not the only one. I hope more mothers breastfeed in public so the people like this woman will begin to realize that breastfeeding is eating, not sex.
Okay, off the soapbox and on to bed.
A Mountain Mama - East Kentucky Gal 
5 comments
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April 3, 2009 at 4:37 am
Rebekah
What a wonderful article! : ) Thank you!
April 3, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Jenny @ Nourished Kitchen
This crap infuriates me! Some part of me thinks that some of this outcry against breastfeeding and breastfeeding in public, is a cry out against an innate feminine power. A lot of people cannot comprehend the many facets of female reproductive sexuality. It’s the madonna/whore complex–as though breasts can only be sexual, not both sexual and nurturing, you know? I think it’s high time for a paradigm shift. I nursed my son until he self-weaned a little after 3 and, you know what, I NIPed him until he weaned. I’ll do it with the next baby, should I be so fortunate.
April 3, 2009 at 10:09 pm
eastkentuckygal
I’ve been steaming since last night. It just makes it worse that the conversation is initiated by women. How in the world do they think we’ve fed our babies for centuries before now. It is the US turning into some commercial culture focusing on artificial beauty. My Deladis self weaned at just before age 3 when Ivy was about 2 months old. I always nursed her in public and never once felt like I was offending anyone doing it. I nurse Ivy in public in most places, and am about to start everywhere I do believe.
April 4, 2009 at 4:31 am
breedermama
This kind of ignorance and intolerance just makes me livid. You said it better than I can. I am concious of trying to nurse E in public whenever we return home for the very purpose of some people seeing what they otherwise may not get a chance to see. Also we tend to eat in resturants when he’s ready for some milk so it works out.
April 4, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Angie
Breedermama, I do that too. I see public breastfeeding as an opportunity to gently make people aware that it is ok. Most people don’t approach me and I wonder if it’s the “I don’t give a rat’s a** what you think about this so don’t even THINK about crossing me with your stupidity” look I don while nursing. But seriously, I am firstly as outraged as you all, and then I become terribly disheartened that people in this day and age are wasting their time with such intolerance and prejudice.
Breastfeeding is especially emotionally charged….and I wonder about the times mothers are given “looks” for the way they parent also….when did we become each others’ judges that way?