Breast is Best

World Breastfeeding Week is coming up ( Aug 1-Aug 7) and it's an important reminder of the benefits of breast milk, aka, liquid gold.  There's no question that breast milk is best for your baby, and if you can do it, that's wonderful. It's full of all the nutrients, fats and proteins a baby needs.

World Breastfeeding Week is also a good opportunity to reflect on where we are as a society in our views on breastfeeding.  In this country, many states have passed legislation mandating a woman's right to breastfeed in public.  While that's a start, changing societal mindsets is a much more difficult task.  All too often we still hear about a woman being asked to leave or go somewhere private when she's breastfeeding.  Are we really not over this yet?  Our airwaves and magazines are choc full of images of women barely clothed, nipples showing, and other promiscous poses.  If we're okay with that, what the hec is a big deal about a woman feeding her child in public?  You can't have it both ways.

There's nothing "gross" about a woman baring her breast to feed her baby.  If people are uncomfortable seeing it, let them get up and move away. It's not like breastfeeding women go out of their way to expose their breasts.  Everytime i've seen someone breastfeeding in public, the mother is mindful of trying to cover up as much as possible.  I did the same thing. 

But to change societal mindset it takes work and a lot of it.  There needs to be much more awareness of why breastmilk is important so that those who are uncomfortable seeing a woman breastfeed in puublic, understand why she's doing it.  There also needs to be much more latitude in understanding that a woman should not be judged no matter how she chooses to feed her baby.  No one has the right to impose their own morals on others.   There are many reasons a woman chooses to feed her baby formula.  That's ok too.   If everyone was a little more understanding, both ways, the discourse on this topic would be a lot more civil.  Isn't it time?