I have seen several tidbits in the news recently about breastfeeding in public, so I felt compelled to step up on my virtual soapbox for a bit. Here are some examples of recent public breastfeeding mentions in the news:

1. First, we have Kasey Kahne, a Nascar racer of whom I had never heard, tweeting that he saw a woman nursing her baby in the grocery store and “Just walking through supermarket…one boob put away one boob hanging!!! #nasty…I don’t feel like shopping anymore or eating.”

2. Then this past December a woman was asked to stop breastfeeding her baby in a Target store in Texas, which prompted a nationwide nurse-in at Target stores across the U.S.

You can do a simple Google search and find that women have been asked to leave the Smithsonian, restaurants, stores, parks, and even courtrooms. I shudder to think it, but I am sure it has happened at some churches too. This angers me immensely!! It is a woman feeding a baby with her breasts. That is the functional purpose that breasts serve. They are not merely sexual in nature. Yes, I do believe that breasts do serve a sexual purpose (Proverbs 5: 18-19 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.), but they also have a very utilitarian function of making milk and delivering it to a baby (Job 3:11-12 Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed?)

Those like Kasey Kahne who think public nursing is “#nasty” or perverted or indecent are the ones with a problem. Breastfeeding is natural, best for baby and mom, saves money (yes, even for taxpayers), improves the health of children, and is a win/win situation. Anti-public breastfeeding people will suggest that a mom should just go nurse her baby in the bathroom. Would you want to eat your lunch in a bathroom? And where’s mom supposed to sit while she nurses–on the toilet? Hardly comfortable or sanitary. Did you know that 45/50 states in the U.S. have laws that say that public breastfeeding is legal and not indecent? What boggles my mind is that there even needs to be a law. It should be common sense. I have never in my life seen a woman just pull out her breast in full view, then get the baby ready to start nursing in public. Most use a blanket to cover themselves and even if they don’t, it is still a very discreet act.

I breastfed both of my sons, each for a full year. I am a very discreet and modest person. I don’t think my own mother and sister saw me naked or even in my underwear past the age of 7 or 8. I was always fully clothed. In college, with roommates and all that I certainly changed clothes, got dressed, etc. with other females around, but I was never totally in the buff. No way, no how. I remember my parents being shocked when they met up with me at a professional conference in Chicago when my oldest son was 6 months old. I flew in from Dallas/Ft. Worth and they drove over from St. Louis. They were going to babysit while I went to the conference. My son had to come along for the ride since I was nursing. My parents were incredulous to find out that I nursed on the airplane. Not because they thought it was wrong, but because of my lifelong modesty. However, I was feeding my baby who needed to eat. He had never had formula in his life and I wasn’t going to pump and give him a bottle just because some stranger might feel awkward by my breastfeeding. I nursed him well concealed under a nursing bib while I sat, even touching elbows on the armrest, by a businessman. He didn’t see anything and probably wouldn’t have known I was nursing at all except for the sounds a nursing baby makes.

Because I learned to nurse discreetly, I nursed anywhere and everywhere–restaurants, church, the mall, etc. There were a few awkward times, like when Robert was on an introductory interview for his first youth ministry position and they wanted me and Adam to come along. It was a breakfast meeting at a restaurant and as it went on Adam started getting hungry and I was getting full. I needed to nurse, but I couldn’t quite figure out the etiquette of nursing during my husband’s job interview. Another time, Robert was playing in a church softball league. It was the summer, so Adam must have been around 4 months old. He got hungry, so I threw a blanket over my chest and shoulder and proceeded to nurse him. At this point the game was over and one of the guys on the team realized I was nursing (even though he could see nothing but a blanket and two little feet sticking out) and asked, “Is this where we all line up for a drink?” What a ridiculous statement! When I pumped at work, some of my co-workers would “moo” as I carried my pump (in a bag) down the hall to the room where I could pump in private. At different different places of employment, a nursing home in Texas and an elementary school in Missouri, a male custodian accidentally walked in on me pumping milk. They both turned 40 shades of red and never, ever made eye contact with me again.

So what can we do to make breastfeeding in public more acceptable in the United States? England has done a national campaign encouraging women to breastfeed called “Be a Star.” The campaign shows real women breastfeeding their real babies in photos such as this.
I think it’s great because it is a young, hip mom showing that “it’s cool” to breastfeed and…look how discreet it is!

However, I think there is a danger when the media enters in, such as this example:

I think the problem here is that breastfeeding IS being sexualized, with the high slit in the skirt, black hose, lace, etc. Breastfeeding doesn’t need to be so glamorized that it is then sexualized. There’s a fine line.

What would be the most awesome is this

I got these photos from this blog. This woman is talking with Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela (thanks peeps for identifying him for me!). When I have been in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Brazil, breastfeeding is a very common cultural thing. Obviously this woman hasn’t thrown a blanket over her child’s head (which I did and it was miserably hot and terrible in the summer in Texas), but she not flaunting anything either. She has made her breast accessible to her nursing baby. No big deal. I love how the man she is talking to her president and he is comfortable being near her, looking her in the eye, and even putting a hand on her shoulder. There is nothing sexual about it. He’s talking to a woman feeding her baby, the same as if she was feeding the babe with a bottle. (I will admit, the guy behind him is a bit suspicious). However, in other countries even teenage guys don’t bat an eye at a women very openly nursing her baby. It’s an accepted and normal part of the culture. Can you imagine our elected officials having the same type of interaction with a constituent? Maybe one day the U.S. will catch up.