Today on SV Moms I'm sounding off on Facebook's prudish decision to take down photos of breastfeeding moms. I'm irritated, but not surprised -- it reflects on the public's general discomfort with breasts and sexuality (it's one of Alfie's pet peeves that it seems to be ok to show bare breasts on TV as long as the nipples are fuzzed over, giving them the appearance of Barbie doll boobs). Seeing a bare breast, even on something as natural and nonsexual as a nursing mother, is enough to freak people out, in public and even online.
Breastfeeding was an easy decision for me -- nutritional and developmental benefits aside, I was lucky enough to have a generous supply of milk (enough to breastfeed twins), I like to save money and I'm too lazy to wash and sterilize all those bottles. Plus none of my kids really liked bottles. So I breastfed anywhere and everywhere my babies got hungry. At first I skulked around, suffocating my kids underneath blankets and hiding behind every potted plant I found , but towards the end I pretty much settled in a corner, yanked up whatever shirt I was wearing and hoped people would be too disinterested to oggle.
I wish people would stop classifying nursing mothers as some kind of streaking hussies. I mean, moms aren't exactly flashing the general public in an attempt to get hired for Girls Gone Wild. They're just trying to feed their babies. Trust me, they'd rather do it in the privacy of their home, but if they're out and about and there isn't a room or lounge, what choice do they have? And don't say go into a public restroom!
Click here to read my SV Moms post on Facebook and nursing.
Hi there! Specially loved this post. I absolutely agree with you!
ReplyDeleteI've had comments from other women who are: 1- not moms; 2- moms who never breastfed.
My take is don't trash it til you've had to handle a hungry, screaming, flailing infant!