The right to Breastfeeding in Public
Breastfeeding or Nursing refers to the act of feeding babies with a mother’s breast milk. In the United States, women have the right, and it is their choice whether or not to breastfeed in public. However, breastfeeding in public has become an issue all over the United States. Every day more and more women are looked bad upon and are discriminated against for breastfeeding in public. According to netvisit.org, “Some infants may nurse multiple times a day, every two or three hours, during the first weeks of their lives. Often they spend between ten and fifteen minutes with each breast.”
The problem: The issue I would like to discuss is about women’s rights to breastfeed their children in public.
The controversy: Should women be allowed to breastfeed in public? This has become a controversial topic in many communities in the United States. Those who oppose, claim that the act alone is obscene, offensive, and disgusting. However, those who agree, argue that women should have the right to breastfeed in public because they have to feed their babies, and it is natural. As a result of this issue, women are being discriminated against for breastfeeding in public areas by those who are against breastfeeding in public.
My current position: I believe that women should have the right to breastfeed their babies anywhere they like, whether it is in a public area or in the comfort of their own home because it is necessary for the baby’s growth and wellbeing. Also, babies do not control when or where they want to eat. It should be the mother’s choice whether or not they would like to breastfeed or give formula to their babies. Moreover, society should not dictate what a mother should and should not do when it comes to breastfeeding in public. Mothers, in general, should not have to feel helpless, misunderstood, or made to believe they are bad mothers for breastfeeding in public because it isn’t good for their self-esteem or confidence. This issue is so taboo to many that many mothers now choose to sit in germ-infested restrooms rather than to speak up about their rights. These mothers are forced to breastfeed in unsanitary areas, this could lead to the spread of diseases to mothers and infants. Over the years, this topic has spiraled out of control, separating people into two sides, and many mothers have faced bullying because of it.
Interviews: I chose this issue because I see the injustices, discrimination, and bullying that women endure in my community and in the United States for breastfeeding their children in public. This topic hits home because I witness my brother’s wife experiencing breastfeeding-discrimination when she was breastfeeding my nephew outside of a Walmart while my brother returned and item. A male pedestrian passing by commented, “That disgusting, you should do that at home!” and seemed extremely bothered by her breastfeeding. We did not know what to say, so we said nothing back. My brother’s wife and I had a conversation, and I tried to comfort her, but she was upset about it. Soon after that, I noticed that she started to give the baby formula instead.
That is why I chose to interview my brother’s wife, Jessica Hernandez, age 25. When I questioned my brother’s wife, Jessica, we talked about that incident and how it affected her because she was a first-time mother. She has grown from that and has decided that with her second baby, she will not let that bother her anymore.
The television show, “What would you do?” shines the light on the ongoing social issue affecting many innocent mothers trying to breastfeed their babies.
Mother is criticized for breastfeeding her baby in public | What Would You Do?
Description of the show: “What would you do when you think no one is watching? What Would You Do? (WWYD?) explores the varying answers with the help of hidden cameras capturing individuals who have been placed within seemingly everyday situations that quickly go. The individuals on this hidden camera show are forced to make tough calls when directly faced with situations of racism, violence, hate crimes, and other hot button cultural issues. Catch John Quinones reporting on these individuals as they make split-second decisions to intervene or mind their own business. WWYD? airs Friday nights at 9|8c on ABC.”
The second person I interviewed about breastfeeding in public was my own mother, Amalia Hernandez, age 57. My mom has seven children, including me. I am the fifth, and she breastfed all of us for about a year until she couldn’t produce any more milk. My mother also shared that she has never experienced any discrimination for breastfeeding in public. My mother and my older siblings grew up in Mexico, and my mom shared that in the Mexican culture, there isn’t discrimination for breastfeeding in public because it is a big part of our culture.
“Many women can not afford formula for their babies; that is why breastfeeding is important”, she added. My mother also shared with me that her sister/ my aunt breastfed her babies up into the age of four. She recalls being in the public transportation with my aunt and my
four-year-old cousin being breastfed and no one seemed to be bothered.
This leads me to a second topic regarding nursing. Is a toddler too old to breastfeed? A social experiment conducted by the same television show, “What would you do?” covers this social issue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNCeyfNxtzM
Possible action and Advice for nursing in public:
Breastfeeding can become a difficult task to do when a baby is hungry outside the home, and the mother does not feel comfortable nursing in public. In order to prevent these uncomfortable situations, the mother needs to plan ahead whenever they are going out with their baby.
These are some tips for comfortable breastfeeding in public:
- Wearing appropriate bra and clothes will make it easier to breastfeed comfortably. Mothers can also choose whether or not to buy nursing tops.
- Search for places to breastfeed. Some restaurants, parks, malls, and stores offer areas or lounges for mothers in case the baby needs to be nursed.
- Baby slings: Baby wraps or baby carriers can allow mothers to feed their children without the need to take the baby out, and it offers a way to stay covered and comfortable. Furthermore, blankets, ponchos, scarves, and shawls can serve the same purpose. These can also be used to cover your chest and reduce the exposure of your body, in potential criticisms.
- Avoid toilets!: It is unsanitary and uncomfortable for the mother and baby, it is not a safe place to nurse.
- Mothers’ rights. “It is legal to breastfeed your child in all states of the United States, including Canada, Australia, the UK, and most African and European countries. So no matter what people tell you or how they react, you still have the legal right to do it.”
Topics I research; Breastfeeding, breastfeeding discrimination, breastfeeding in public areas, women’s health, mothers’ rights, social issues, infant care, and health.
Keywords search terms I used: children, babies, breastfeeding, breast, discrimination, nursing, nourishment, controversy, women right, public indecency, indecent exposer, mother’s rights
Sources:
Works Cited
“Breastfeeding FAQs: Supply and Demand (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth.” Edited by Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, KidsHealth, The Nemours Foundation, Feb. 2015, kidshealth.org/en/parents/breastfeed-supply.html.
“Breastfeeding in Public Controversy and Advice.” Netivist.org, netivist.org/debate/breastfeeding-in-public-controversy.
Editors, What to Expect. “Breastfeeding in Public: Tips and Laws for Nursing Mothers.” What to Expect, 29 July 2019, www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-in-public/.
Johnson, Elizabeth Ofosuah, and Facebook. “The Disturbing History of Enslaved Mothers Forced to Breastfeed White Babies in the 1600s.” Face2Face Africa, 20 Aug. 2018, face2faceafrica.com/article/the-disturbing-history-of-enslaved-mothers-forced-to-breastfeed-white-babies-in-the-1600s.
“Making the Decision to Breastfeed.” Womenshealth.gov, 14 Mar. 2019, www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/making-decision-breastfeed.
Peringer, Annabelle. “The History of Baby Bottles.” Alimentarium, Alimentarium, 24 July 2019, www.alimentarium.org/en/magazine/history/history-baby-bottles.
Schiller, Rebecca. “Attacks on Breastfeeding Mothers Speak to a Far Bigger Online Problem | Rebecca Schiller.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 9 June 2014, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jun/09/breastfeeding-mothers-online-abuse-picture-woman-graduation-web.
Shevtsova, Maria. “Breastfeeding in Public: the Pros and Cons.” Mother How, 22 Sept. 2016, motherhow.com/breastfeeding-in-public/.
Stevens, Emily E, et al. “A History of Infant Feeding.” The Journal of Perinatal Education, Lamaze International Inc., 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684040/.
TodayShow. “Watch Strangers Stand up for Mom Bullied for Breastfeeding at Target.” TODAY.com, 16 June 2016, www.today.com/parents/see-how-strangers-awesomely-defended-mom-bullied-breastfeeding-target-t98776.
“Warning Signs of Breastfeeding Problems.” HealthyChildren.org, www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/Warning-Signs-of-Breastfeeding-Problems.aspx.
YouTube. 2020. Mother Is Criticized For Breastfeeding Her Baby In Public | What Would You
[Accessed 13 April, 2020].
YouTube. 2020. Too Old For Breast-Feeding?. [online] Available at:
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNCeyfNxtzM> [Accessed 13 April 2020].
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