Breastfeeding Matters

Breastfeeding your child in public is your right and privilege. A child should be fed whenever hungry or in need of comfort no matter where you are. This page will have supportive info on this topic including points of view, articles and thoughts.

Here is a GREAT site devoted to our rights as nursing moms to breastfeed EVERYWHERE!

by April Almeida

I am a breastfeeding mother. My daughter is a toddler now, and we both are quite content in our nursing relationship. I am not sure how long she will want to nurse, nor am I curious to know what weaning feels like. I have made the educated choice to breastfeed my baby from birth indefinitely. I know the benefits, nutritionally and emotionally. It is the best I can offer my child. It is a happy, loving experience. I know many women who do as I do. Friends, family, and the like. However, it isn't often that I see many women actually do it. Come to think of it, not many mothers seem to breastfeed their babies in front of others.

In many societies it is the norm to do so. It is, after all, the way to feed a baby. Unfortunately our society seems to still believe and teach that breasts are sexual objects, when in fact they are primarily for feeding a child. So it is no wonder that women are often intimidated at the idea of nursing their children in a public forum. And, as if that is not enough, those that do often face negative attitudes for their mothering actions, especially mothers such as myself who continue to nurse our children beyond the first year of their life. It is a shame in this day and age that mothers feel as though they should hide behind closed doors when feeding their babies. No one thinks twice to watch a mother dig out a bottle from the depths of her overloaded diaper bag to feed her baby. But a mother who decides to discreetly breastfeed her child out of doors is somewhat frowned upon, even though in its nature, breastfeeding is the biological way to feed a baby. A bottle is the artificial way.

Until society as a whole decides to start embracing instinctive natural parenting practices, mothers will continue to be harassed when nursing their children anywhere else but at home. I firmly believe it is our job as mothers to educate society by standing our grounds and continuing to intuitively parent our children the way we were meant to. That includes breastfeeding a baby wherever you may be. There has been some debate about this and problems have been occurring at many places considered public domain. Mothers who have tried to be discreet in such places as malls or festivals have been scrutinized and some even forced to leave because of their gentle instinctual choice of feeding their child. While most don't report such abuses and simply do as asked (stop feeding baby and leave), many others have been very vocal by calling attention to such establishments and telling their stories to the media. It is unfortunate that it has to happen but at the same time wonderful in its essence. It brings forth awareness about breastfeeding by coming down on people or places who are ignorant in trying to forbid mothers from doing it. It educates the public about what it is to breastfeed and how it is not about the physical look of a woman's breasts or sex, but about a mother and her choice of naturally feeding her child.

I personally had to fight to breastfeed my daughter due to numerous unforeseen problems that we encountered initially upon her birth. There was a time shortly thereafter where I thought I might not be able to breastfeed. This is where I believe I fostered my passion and determination to continue breastfeeding her indefinitely and strive to educate and support other mothers in doing so. As for nursing in public, I have done that many times and even though my daughter is well on her way to her second birthday, I will continue to do so. I have nursed her in many different places; the beach, the mall, friends' homes, family gatherings, drag racing events while in the car, on the side of the road during road trips, at mother meetings and support groups, festivals, the hospital visiting sick relatives, restaurants, sitting on my porch and in front of people of both genders. I do this because it is my privilege-not just my right. I am a mother, and I will feed my child the way I choose wherever that may be. No one will tell me otherwise, and there are no laws stopping me. If there were, you'd better believe I would be the first to find a lawyer and change those laws. As mothers we owe it to our children to be assertive and stand up for the choices we make in life. The basic ones being how we parent our children. Feeding a child is the most basic necessity there is. And clearly, it should be done when the child is hungry, regardless of where mother and child are.

You Can Breastfeed Anywhere

by Laurie Coker

You may breastfeed in a store,
on the floor,
in a roar.
You may breastfeed in a jam,
eating fried green eggs and ham.
You may breastfeed on the stair.
You may breastfeed anywhere!

Your baby can latch on in a swing,
on the wing,
in a ring.
He can latch on in a car,
where you are,
at the barre.
She can latch on in a storm,
on the farm:
that's her charm.
She can latch on in a train,
on a plane,
without pain.
They can latch on to a rhyme.
They can latch on any time.

You can nurse Jane or Joe.
You can nurse Clyde or Moe.
you can nurse Betty or Sallie.
you can nurse at a political rally.
You can nurse any time, anywhere.
You can nurse clothed or bare.
You can nurse unshaved of hair.
You can nurse Tim, Tony or Tom.
Who can nurse? Any mom!

"A fan of Dr. Seuss, I wrote the poem above which was published in a past issue of TEXAS WICNEWS. "

- Author Laurie Coker