I want to slap somebody
I just saw this article about the reaction of readers to a baby breastfeeding on the cover of Babytalk magazine.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060804/od_afp/afplifestyleussocialbreastfeeding
One reader actually responded, ""Gross, I am sick of seeing a baby attached to a boob," the mother of a four-month-old said."
GROSS! She described the photo as GROSS! She also stated that she is "sick" of seeing a baby attached to a boob. Perhaps it is her own baby she is sick of being attached to her own boob?
I was astonished that 57% of people polled are opposed to women breastfeeding in public. WHAT?? Sorry, but, babies get hungry in public. I nursed my son in all sorts of public places, from the Detroit Institute of Art to the midway at an amusement park. I never exposed myself in the year that Gabe nursed. Why should a baby eating the way God and nature intended, offend anybody?
I'm not suggesting that all mothers should nurse their babies. But, I am suggesting that people, all people, should be just FINE with mothers who choose to nurse, nursing their babies. The idea that someone would actually hide the picture of the nursing baby from her husband makes me just...appalled.
That's all.
LM
posted by LawMommy at 1:07 PM
7 Comments:
DH and I discussed this on the way back from lunch. Sigh...
That's weird. I'm not a *fan* of BF in public places...but sometimes it has to happen. Related story:
When I was pregnant with Diesel, I was at the store one time and saw a woman breastfeeding. And it's not that she was BF that I was grossed out, it was the fact that the baby was over 12mo, had the breast in it's hand (like it was a bottle), and the mom had enough slack to be turned the other way, still shopping! Can you picture that?? She was turned, not facing her child, picking things off the shelf, and her kid had the boob...I still don't really understand how it was humanly possible but that's one case where I was grossed out!
I've nursed in a restaurant before but I had a blanket over Diesel...I'm ok with that kind of thing.
Those woman seem to be more afraid that their husbands will see the cover then they are that the boob is offensive. It's offensive because their either uptight, or the hyper-jealous type. I think it's a beautiful photograph.
I just showed the pic to my husband... he said on a magazine it's fine, it would probably be inappropriate on a billboard. But then, it's no more flesh than they show on Cosmo every month either.
I *loved* nursing and often had to nurse in public, but usually tried to use a blanket or have my shirt covering everything. It's not like I wanted the world to see my stuff, but when a baby's hungry, you gotta feed 'em!
DH and I discussed this on the way back from lunch. Sigh...
What about the cake?
And really who cares where anyone does anything. Seriously, people beat and yell at their kids in public and people do nothing, yet they are offended if someone breastfeeds?
Seriously, there are things more important to get huffy about.
That is just crazy. What is this world coming too. AND, what husband is truly going to be uncomfortable with the cover of the mag? I don't know. This is just craziness I tell you.
I do agree with Nicole, I have only been embarrased for all motherhood when I saw a three-year-old say, "I want the left one mom." Yeah, that was a little icky in public.
It's just crazy, I'm totally baffled by it myself. Of all the stupid backassward things to get worked up about. The whole idea of pictures like that is to normalize breastfeeding and to recondition society to equate breasts with breastfeeding. I don't think most women nurse like that in public. I have nursed all kinds of kids in all kinds of places at all kinds of ages and never once had anyone even oogle much less comment negatively. It's all about being discrete and considerate (and I never even used a blanket - I often think that draws more attention than necessary). But even that would be less necessary if society equated breasts with feeding and not with sex. :::annoyed:::
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