Thursday
May132010
50 Reasons for Breastfeeding Anytime, Anywhere
Thursday, May 13, 2010 
Once again, there has been an incident where someone went up to a breastfeeding mother and told her she had to cover up or leave. Once again, the media feels to need to create a breeding ground for ignorance by asking questions like "should there be any restrictions on breastfeeding in public?" The answer to that stupid question (and yes...there are stupid questions), is simply NO. There should not be any restrictions. There is a myriad of reasons why women should and are able to breastfeed anytime, anywhere.
Human Rights
1. It is illegal to discriminate against or harass a woman because of her sex, including pregnancy and breastfeeding. (or if it isn't where you live, it should be!)
2. Telling a woman to cover up or to strip down is a tactic used to control women.
3. Telling women not to breastfeed in public is a mechanism for marginalizing women.
4. Child's right to eat. Period.
5. Child's right to eat without a blanket over their head.
6. Child's right to eat under sanitary conditions (i.e. not in a washroom).
7. Child, especially baby's, right to eat when they are hungry and in need of nourishment (not according to a schedule arbitrarily imposed to convenience others).
8. Person with disability's right to use the handicapped stall in a washroom when needed, rather than having to wait for a shunned nursing mother to finish nursing or pumping in there.
9. Because a baby's right to nurse is more important than your non-existent right to not have to look at things you do not like to look at.
Logistical reasons
10. To avoid nipple confusion (giving a bottle or pacifier before breastfeeding has been fully established can cause the baby to reject the breast).
11. Because it is a lot easier to just nurse anytime, anywhere than to try to plan the nightmarish logistics of having enough pumped milk with you for the time you will be out, as well as finding a private place to pump before your breasts explode.
12. Because babies often will not allow you to put a blanket or nursing cover over them and will push it off.
13. Because it is hard enough as it is for new moms to get their baby latched on properly, without having to worry about whether they are covering every inch of skin all of the time while doing so.
14. So that mothers can toss a diaper and some wipes in their bag and then go out, rather than being weighted down by having to prepare and lug around a huge diaper bag full of bottles, formula and/or pumped milk on ice, nursing covers, etc.
15. So that moms do not always have to be on the lookout for somewhere to warm a bottle while in public.
16. So that moms do not always have to be on the lookout for somewhere private to express their milk while in public.
17. So that when a mom ends up stuck somewhere longer than she planned, she doesn't ever have to worry about running out of food for the baby (or getting a breast infection because her breasts haven't been emptied in a long time).
18. So that a mother's older children are not prisoners of their younger sibling's need to nurse - a nursing mom can go with her older child to the park, to swimming lessons, to school pick up/drop off, etc.
19. So that breastfeeding moms do not lose their place in line by stepping out to nurse a baby in a private place.
20. So that other women do not have to wait even longer in line at public restrooms because all the stalls are full of breastfeeding moms.
21. So that breastfeeding moms do not end up with a soaking wet shirt when their milk lets down in public because their baby is crying.
22. So that breastfeeding moms do not need to leave their companions hanging in the middle of an interesting conversation by saying "excuse me while I go into the other room to nurse for 30 minutes."
23. Because frequent nursing helps mothers to maintain a good milk supply (inadequate milk supply is the most frequently cited reason for giving up on breastfeeding).
24. New moms have enough to worry about in their sleep deprived state without having to make special arrangements in order to accommodate your opinion about how they choose to feed their baby.
Financial reasons
25. So that mothers do not need to purchase unnecessary bottles, breast pumps, infant formula, nursing covers or other apparatus just to make a few squirmy people feel comfortable.
26. So that mothers do not waste gas going back home between errands in order to nurse at home, rather than in public.
27. So that mothers continue to be good consumers, spending their money in stores, cafes, restaurants, movie theaters, airlines, resorts, sporting events, and more all while nursing their child (instead of staying at home).
Societal reasons
28. To allow women to continue to be full participants in society even when they have an infant.
29. To cut down on unnecessary noise from babies and toddlers who are crying, when it could easily be fixed through the nourishment and comfort of their mother's breast.
30. So that you don't have to listen to a screaming baby while waiting for the bottle to be warmed up.
31. So that you don't have to wait longer for your meal or drink because the waiter or flight attendant is busy heating up a bottle.
32. Because nursing in public is a better (easier, quieter, more attractive) alternative to pumping in public and then feeding a bottle.
33. Because it is actually a lot more discreet to nurse without a cover than to have one of the "HELLO LOOK AT ME I'M BREASTFEEDING" covers over your baby.
34. Because if you are staring with your jaw open at a mom who is breastfeeding in public, you might miss some of the truly atrocious things that you would otherwise have been exposed to in public.
Normalizing Breastfeeding
35. Because breastfeeding should be seen as normal, and not something that needs to be hidden in the washroom or under a cover.
36. Bottles, rather than breastfeeding are often seen as the universal symbol for baby feeding, despite breastfeeding being the preferred method of feeding and more imagery of breastfeeding is required to combat this.
37. The infant formula and baby bottle industry flashes images of bottle feeding all over the place and since there is no money in the advertising of breastfeeding, breastfeeding moms are needed to combat that imagery with the "real thing".
38. Most women haven't had the advantage of seeing their mothers, aunts, and sisters breastfeed, so it is important for them to see others doing it so that they can learn how it is done. The 2 minute whirlwind breastfeeding positioning education given in the hospital just doesn't cut it compared with years of observation.
39. Women in certain socio-demographic groups have never seen another woman breastfeed and that is a huge barrier to them considering breastfeeding their own babies.
40. Women who do not nurse in public or who use nursing covers are likely to wean their baby earlier than those who nurse without a cover in public, which could mean that they do not meet their own breastfeeding goals and and that fewer women meet the goals prescribed by health authorities, such as 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding until at least age 2.
41. Children need to see breasts being used to feed babies before they are introduced to them as sex objects. This means that they should see their own mother (if possible) and other mothers breastfeeding, so that they understand the natural function of the breast.
42. Images of sexualized breasts are everywhere - from advertising to women walking down the street. If there is no breastfeeding in public, but sexualized images of breasts continue to be flaunted in public, our youth will grow up thinking that breasts are only sexual. This will make more women think it is "icky" to breastfeed and make more men have the attitude of "no baby is going to suck on those tits, they are all mine."
Just because
43. Because babies like it.
44. Because breastfeeding is beautiful and I'm sure there are more people who appreciate seeing babies being breastfed than there are people who oppose it.
45. Because mothers do not deserve to be belittled or humiliated when giving the best thing there is to their baby.
46. Because an awful lot of women show more breast when they are not breastfeeding than breastfeeding mothers show when they are breastfeeding.
47. Because I don't like the way you look, but you don't see me debating your right to be in public or suggesting you should undergo surgery or change your wardrobe before leaving the house.
48. Because companies like facebook continue to have screwed up policies that do not allow breastfeeding photos, but yet serve up ads with topless women in them.
49. Because you can turn your head or avert your eyes.
50. Because even one of these reasons is a good enough reason for continuing to ensure the rights of breastfeeding mothers and breastfed children and because every one of these reasons is more important than the "ick, I don't want to see that" excuses of those who oppose it.
Those are my 50 reasons. Which is your favourite? What did I miss?
Image credit:jakekrohn on flickr
Reader Comments (229)
Hey great list of rights!! Breastfeeding is undeniably a human right, anywhere anytime!!! I was one of the mamas involved in a nurse-in to support this mom in a celebratory way, that we CAN breastfeed everywhere! Here's the story as it ran on the 6pm news the night before the nurse-in. They got the names a bit mixed up, but otherwise this is GREAT positive coverage for breastfeeding and I am really proud of this piece! You'll see here that my infant son fusses right on cue latches himself on right in the middle of the interview!! And I get the opportunity to point out that it is his right to breastfeed, just as it is our right to breastfeed in public! Enjoy this clip! The pool manager is awesome. (But you are so right about the media spin... when this clip was aired on the 'net, they cut out all the parts with me talking positively about our right, and changed th headline to read 'Should Breastfeeding in Public be Limited'... um, talk about missing the point!! Editors, jeesh!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgaxjluDhIs
[...] the example, either with a purpose in mind or merely by meeting their children’s needs by nursing anytime and anywhere. While educating others, meeting our children’s needs, and protecting ourselves are all [...]
Maybe these people are just jealous? Look how happy the mothers in the pictures are. I sure was when I had my kids in my arms as babies. They should be pitied, I suppose, for needing to put someone else down to deal with their own misery.
I find it terribly sad and frustrating that we even have to discuss this issue in this country! What is wrong with people! Breastfeeding is as normal as it gets. Why do people make such a fuss?
Why should I teach my daughter to be ashamed to eat in public? Because if she needs to be covered or in another room, then that IS what she will learn. Don't we have enough societal pressure to not eat as it is?
Thank God I live in Canada...6 years.
[...] 50 Reasons for Breastfeeding Anytime, Anywhere [...]
Because women who breastfeed bond with their babies in an amazing way.
Skin to skin contact, which is so good for baby's emotional well-being.
Baby doesn't reach up and lovingly pat the bottle; baby reaches up and lovingly pats mommy.
[...] the other day, I came across this article on Facebook : 50 Reasons for Breastfeeding Anytime, Anywhere. I have to say, it ruffled my feathers a little bit. Why does this even have to be explained to [...]
This is awesome. Love every 50 reasons (and many more posted). I wish I had read this last week! There was a case in Kitchener, Ontario (Canada) where a woman was asked to "cover-up" for NIP. I posted a link to the article (http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/725896) and wrote how disgusted I was that this woman's rights were violated - protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedom AND R. v. Jacobs, 1996 (where women in Ontario are legally able to be topless in public, though she wasn't).
If I didn't get a "Sorry, Michelle, but just because we CAN do it anywhere doesn't mean we SHOULD do it anywhere. It is not always appropriate." My response was that her rights supersede anyone's comfort level or anyone's believe on what's *appropriate*. I also wrote that breastfeeding needs to be normalized: It does not belong "in the closet" or "in the bathroom" or "under a cover" (unless freely chosen). So her response was, "Sorry, there is a time and place when it is appropriate." A friend intervened with the best answer: "Like in a jail cell with a bunch of rapist? I agree. ...That would not be appropriate." - it was too funny.
Boy babies get breastfed, too... so men aren't being left out! And I will always stand by doing the right thing for a baby over doing "the right thing" for an adult stranger who can take care of himself (or herself). The only man who deserves a say in how a mother takes care of her child is the father (excepting cases of abuse or neglect, of course, when authorities should step in for the child's safety).
I also agree with Marcy's post about men who ogle being disrespectful to NIPing moms, rather than the other way around.
Wow! I've been researching breastfeeding for weeks and this single comment has added so much to my perspective. I have never thought of it this way before, but you are exactly right!
I was one of the first babys in the first LLL group in my home town, and now 33 years later I am the proud mother of 2 boys ages 5 and 7 who breastfed until they choose not to anymore. My eldest weaned himself within a week of me getting pregnant with my second son (I guess the taste changed then, and he was more then 16 mths) and my second held onto it until he was almost 4 years old, Im glad I let them make that choice, and I didnt try to force it on (or off) them. Now that I am pregnant my 3rd child, my sons already know the baby will not have a bottle or any food until she is older and they know that she will be getting mommas milk just like they did. I am very proud to be able to have shown that its ok to my boys and I know they will know the real reason we have breasts and what they are for. I also am sure they would support there wives when they have children themselves in Breast feeding as it really is all they know, to think about it Im not sure if they have ever seen a newborn or small infant be fed with a bottle ever in there life so I guess when they do they might think that as being odd:P I find it the norm to breastfeed here and most people do it where I am from. Thank goodness to the mothers who started the LLL here and for what they have helped do for all of us mothers and babys, without women like them I am not sure what I would have done myself, if I was bottlefed I probably would have went that route also. So keep speaking up for the right of the mother and child and dont ever let anyone tell you any different...
I loved the line that Deborah on Everybody loves Raymond when she said that "they were Working Breasts;)"
[...] Glean: (verb) to collect or gather anything little by little or slowly. I glean the web, gathering bits of information, links, photos and quotes. Here are some bits that I gleaned in the past couple of weeks about breastfeeding, photography, Facebook and some other fun stuff. Enjoy! » 50 Reasons for Breastfeeding Anytime, Anywhere from PhD in Parenting [...]
Great, so the next time I'm in public I'm going to whip it out and pee on the spot bacause I have the right to releave myself on the spot. Discrete! That's the point here...
Roger:
No, actually you don't have that right. That is against the law.
Nice Blog - I see you screen and don't post opposing view points....
Well turn about is fair play, maybe we should blog everyone to death and have that law changed because it's so unfair to have to be discrete. Of course I'm just trying to make a point here. You lose the arguement when your best answer is laws and rights....
Well turn about is fair play, maybe we should blog everyone to death and have that law changed because it’s so unfair to have to be discrete. Of course I’m just trying to make a point here. You lose the arguement when your best answer is laws and rights….
Roger, urinating "on the spot" in public is unsanitary. Urine would get all over the floor, would it not? Breastmilk doesn't go all over the place when a mother nurses a baby in public. Breastmilk is not considered hazardous in any way - in fact, a woman is allowed to store expressed milk in a workplace refrigerator alongside food. I doubt you'd find that allowance for putting a bottle of your urine in a communal fridge.
Adults can wait to pee... they don't have to do it in public. Babies don't wait very easily to eat... they have tiny stomachs and were designed for frequent feedings. All other people are allowed to eat foods which are suited to their bodies in public, even adults who could wait to eat until in private. Why should a baby have to wait to eat but nobody else has to?
And would you really rather hear the baby wail because it is not being fed and doesn't understand why not?
Great article. I would like to see breastfeeding in public become as common place as seeing people walk around with take-out coffee. When NIP becomes as common (and as fondly regarded) in Canada as people with cups from Tim Hortons (hugely popular Canadian coffee chain), I'll know we're on the right track.
Wow. Yes. Yes. And yes again. I always laugh when I hear about someone taking issue with a woman breastfeeding! Whaaaa? Are you kidding me?
As a breastfeeding mom to my first for 18 mo, second for 3 years and now nursing twin 8 mo olds... I was shy for about 2 minutes. Then it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Favorite place to nurse? CHURCH! 'cause I think it meets with so many varied response. Okay, actually favorite was when we did a nurse-in with like 20 nursing moms here in St. Louis City Hall downtown after a woman was harassed for nursing in the cafeteria. HA. We all got together and nursed on the front steps, inside... all over. THAT was my favorite...
Thanks for this list. I'll spread it far and wide as well. Props to you mama!
I didn't even finish this list. Pulling your breast out in public is disturbing! I'm sick of bossy moms claiming the rest of us need to get over it and I'm a breast feeding mom. Also, I'm sick of being engaged in conversation at a MEAL where women pull out a breast to nurse. Take a 30 minute break in private already, you will survive missing part of the conversation. Obviously this is an argument for the ages, like stay-at-home versus working parents that will never be concluded, I just had to stand up for the other side of the argument.
That is SUCH a good point! I bottle fed my now 37-year old son, but breastfed his now 35-year old brother til the age of 27 months and my daughter, now 32, was breastfed for 4 1/2 years. I was a La Leche League leader for about 9 or 10 years, so they all saw breastfeeding by me and others. Still, my two sons act uncomfortable when their sister or sister-in-law breastfeeds in our family gatherings! We have a long way to go.
My maternal grandfather was Canadian, and I swear, if I weren't such a cold-natured woman, I'd trade my citizenship to become Canadian in a heartbeat! Canadians do so much right!
[...] In case breastfeeding is holding you back: 50 Reasons for Breastfeeding Anytime, Anywhere [...]
I found breastfeeding in public very difficult at first due to H cup boobs but I'm glad I insisted on nursing in public from day one. One of the turning points for me was sitting in a restaurant nursing my daughter wondering who was watching. When I glanced down at my daughter she had her beautiful little eyes closed, her tiny hand resting on my breast and this perfect look of serenity on her face. I suddenly realized she did not care. She was loved, warm, fed and content. Her favorite place in the world is at mama's breast. The only time I 'leave' to nurse is for my own comfort or convenience like when at a restaurant recently that had a very comfy waiting area. Heck yeah I was leaving that rock hard booth to nurse :)
I LOVE THIS!!!! YES!!! thank you so much for posting. xo
If you breastfeed without covering up, then don't get mad when I stare at your boobs.
If #2 is right (Telling a woman to cover up or to strip down is a tactic used to control women.), then showing your breast in public is a tactic used to control men.
Please show more breasts in public. I promise my jaw will be closed (#34) when I stare.
"Breast Loving Man",
You're entirely missing the point; mothers breastfeed for their BABIES and couldn't care less about what you think, except for the women who are concerned for their own modesty's sake. It is not about you. Let me repeat that, because it's important: IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU. It is about their babies.
Perhaps the women who walk around in cleavage baring tops want to "control" men, but it's a lot easier for a man to look away than it is for a woman to ignore someone who's getting in her face about breastfeeding in public. That makes bearing breast a lot less effective as a control tactic, even if someone had that intent, which breastfeeding mothers don't.
And one final rule of etiquette: it's not polite to stare.
Your post has me in tears thinking of how my breastfeeding my daughter and soon to be son will hopefully one day encourage my nephews to be strong husbands who support their spouses/girlfriends when they have children. Thanks for your response, and three cheers to breastfeeding and this amazing list!!
Wow, breast are disturbing...I guess you had yours removed? Oh wait, you say you breastfeed your child/ren....how disturbing for you to have to see a breast. And yes, people DO need to get over it. It's just a boob. There are way worse things than a mom feeding her baby in public. I actually think it's beautiful! If you think it's an easy thing to "take a 30 minute break in private" I can't imagine you have more than one child. I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and forcing them to sit with me somewhere "private" while I nurse their little sister is torture for all involved. I don't see a need to torture my other children just so you can be comfortable while I feed my baby. Because that's all I'm doing...feeding my baby. And if seeing a baby eat disturbs you, well then, maybe you should stay at home. By the way, we're on the way to the park, and I'm pretty sure my baby is going to want a meal at some point while her brother and sister are playing....guess I'll be nursing in public today so you might want to stay away!!! Or even better, recognize it for the natural part of life it is and walk up and say hi! ;)
Here! Here! Thank you Jenny, your comments have been most helpful. Its just nice to hear a little sanity within this thread.
Seriously! Peeing is a human right! Do it and don't worry about covering up...it just a penis people.
Carol - Interestingly, for thousands of years of human history, people peed, pooped, bathed, or had sex in private, and women were more "covered up" in their attire then than they are now, yet women still breastfed publicly -- that is, until the last 100 or so years when baby bottles were invented.
Mr. Breast-loving man - Most women breastfeeding in public not "covered up" are still not showing as much as you think you're going to be seeing, with the breast all hanging out, so too bad for you. And if you see a woman nursing another man's child, then clearly she has not chosen YOU as her mate, so your eyes are looking where they don't belong anyway. Look at your own mate or get a magazine or a blow-up doll if you must, but if you're trying to look for breast exposure thrills among women feeding their babies, you sound pretty desperate.
We were at the zoo this summer and my middle child who is 6 ( I also have a 7 yr old and am currently nursing my 10 month old) yelled look mummy the baby elephant is eating just like our baby! The not so little baby elephant was on his knees nursing from his mother. Got a few laughs from the crowed but all I said was yep!
Because MY baby deserves the BEST I can give him, MY milk made especially for him!!!!
I also agree with you. There should be no restrictions feeding your baby. It can be done anytime and anywhere. Thanks.
All excellent reasons. I would add a category: Health reasons. 51. Because a woman who feels inhibited to nurse in public is likely to stop breastfeeding sooner, both her child and she herself will run greater risk of health problems from not breastfeeding as long as is recommended for optimal health. 52. Because a woman who feels inhibited to nurse in public might be more likely to use a bottle of formula in public (if she is unable to pump or finds it too difficult to cover up while nursing) the baby is likely to be unnecessarily exposed to the health risks of not being exclusively breastfed, especially if the baby is at risk of allergic reactions from exposure to formula, or genetically at risk for diabetes from exposure to cow milk proteins. 53. Because a woman may delay feedings or substitute bottles of formula when going in public, she will not be able to use the Lactational Amenorrhea Method for family planning, which requires exclusive breastfeeding as one of its 3 criteria. 54. Because a woman may stop breastfeeding sooner due to being inhibited about public breastfeeding, she misses out on important health benefits of breastfeeding such as protection from breast cancer.
I agree. Thank you for writing. My younger sister could not breast feed, though she tried and tried. Found out after her second child that my sister has a blood circulation problem, but before that, she felt hugely guilty for not being able to breast feed despite tubes and pumping and pills.
Still, this is a beautifully written list. Thank you for not shaming bottlefeeding, but simply showing the joys and benefits of breastfeeding.
I loved the last one the most, because it's so true. ALL those reasons are better than "I shouldn't breastfeed because it's icky/offensive/whatever." Sorry, I'm gonna feed my kid when he's hungry!
Oh, and my two year old daughter nurses her baby dolls. Yay! It's SO cute! (I have a four month old boy, too)
I 100% agree with breastfeeding and totally understand that a mom's gonna do what she's gotta do. I got some weird looks at the shopping mall or the passport office but when my baby is hungry, I have to feed him.
I also see it from the other perspective. I have seen some mom's who are ultra proud to be breastfeeding and it's like they have to prove a point and not even try to be discrete about it. It is not attractive to the average person, it is just part of life. You shouldn't have to hide, nor should you have to impose on everyone nearby. There is a tactful way to breastfeed without making everyone around you feel awkward.
Cheers to all the moms who have chosen what's best for their baby!!
Janet:
Have you seen the video that I prepared? I think it illustrates my perspective on that issue quite clearly:
http://www.phdinparenting.com/2011/02/20/coveringup/
Love it!!! Excellent reasons! :)
[...] that there is nothing wrong with breastfeeding in public, covered or not, and will empower women to breastfeed anytime, anywhere, in any [...]
[...] our society would be to see MORE breastfeeding. Seeing breastfeeding in public normalizes it (see PhdinParenting’s 50 reasons for breastfeeding anytime, anywhere). Not only that, but it is extremely instructive for women, because we all learn by watching; [...]
[...] [10] Negative attitudes towards nursing in public can be a major Booby Trap and an unfair burden on moms. See BFB’s Help for Expecting Moms. BFB’s goal is to create a cultural zone of comfort for all new moms. A must-read is Phdinparenting.com’s 50 Reasons for Breastfeeding Anytime, Anywhere. [...]
Diapers are conveniences too, and not just disposables. Perhaps we should really strip parenting of all it's conveniences? I wonder how many people who say that used or have no problem with using pacifiers, swaddling blankets, burp cloths, cribs, bassinets, swings, strollers, diaper bags, wipes, etc. If I DECIDE those things are offensive, do I get to go around telling people not to use them in public b/c parenting isn't supposed to be convenient?
Exactly. Breasts are SECONDARY sex characteristics whose PRIMARY purpose is to feed children. NIP helps correct society's misconception that it's the other way around.
[...] Others are setting the example, either with a purpose in mind or merely by meeting the needs of their children by nursing anytime and anywhere. [...]