To Feed or not to Feed?
I was out having coffee with some other mothers after toddlers music class yesterday when one of the mothers told me something I could hardly believe.She said that the day before she had been at the National Gallery. Her 6month old started screaming demanding to be fed. The parent's room was at the other end of the gallery- so instead of prolonging the screaming, she found a seat and proceeded to breastfeed. She was approached by a staff member who told her to "cover-up" - i.e. put a blanket or such over her to hide the fact she was breastfeeding because "some people are offended by that".
She was not really exposing herself at all- having discreetly arranged her clothing for feeding- so who could possibly be offended by that? When a mother feeds in this was- you don’t really see any more than you would if someone was wearing a skimpy singlet top.
Obviously these people who are offended by the thought of someone possibly feeding a child in their vicinity are the type of people who would advocate modesty boards. I really thought this kind of situation was a thing of the past, but I was mistaken.
It is thins kind of attitude that, I believe has caused so many modern mothers to have problems breastfeeding. Our ancestors learnt about breastfeeding by watching other women in their tribes/family feeding. Prudish attitudes have resulted in many women never getting this kind of learning and support so they have problems feeding their infants.
I can attest to how difficult it is. I thought feeding would be simple and natural- You have baby, it knows what to do- latches on and that's it. It could not have been further from the truth. It took me and bub 5 weeks to get it right. 5 weeks of excruciating pain and many tears. But finally that 'click' happened and it worked. She is now 14months and just weaned. I can totally understand why some women just can't do it.
Feeding is something that is natural. Women's bodies naturally produce what an infant needs. It should not be considered something dirty or wrong. And women should not feel - or made to feel - bad for doing it in public. By all means if there is a conveniently located parents room use that. But if there is not one close enough feed where you have to. After all, adults eat where they will- why should infants be denied this?
posted by Capital Mum @ 10:17 AM
3 Comments:
Anyone who is offended by it has something wrong with them, as does anyone who thinks that mothers have a responsibility to avoid offending such twisted people. They can go get bent. I hope your friend wasn't put off by the idiot.
I wonder if that staff member would have approached a mother who was smoking near her baby and asked her to stop it? Funny how doing something that's actively detrimental to a child's health doesn't draw the same ire as doing something as natural and healthy as breast feeding.
Apparently she had thought about what she would say if someone challenged her feeding- but when it actually happened it all went out of her mind and all she could do was laugh at them. I don't think that was the reaction they expected.
The only time I can see a benefit to a modesty board is on a desk where the front of it faces the rest of the room. Whether you're a man or a woman (though skirts make it worse), who wants the person at the other side being able to see your crotch?
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