The above illustration (from my probably favorite pregnancy book, From The Hips) depicts exactly how I feel about public breastfeeding. (Illustration description, since it is kind of fuzzy: Inside a restaurant called “Boober’s”, a scantily-clad, busty waitress is saying to a discreetly breastfeeding mom, “Sorry, you’ll have to stop doing that. Some of our customers are offended by looking at you.”)
I find it very sad how comfortable society is with sexual breasts & uncomfortable society is with functional breasts.
I am very determined to breastfeed. I am borderline obsessed with it; I’m constantly researching it. Although I do realize that some mommies are just not able to, even if they were determined to do so, so I’m trying not to set my own personal parenting standards TOO high…
I am concerned about my baby needing to feed (& my “jugs” being full) in a public place. And while I totally agree that women should be able to breastfeed openly wherever they want, whenever they want, I am SHY. As it is, I often feel very awkward in public. I’m sure having my boob out, even for a split millisecond before baby’s face covers it, will not help matters. And more than any split second of nudity, I am concerned about being judged. Public breastfeeding, although it IS a legally protected right, is not common around here. And apparently it’s not very welcomed. I’ve seen some of my more progressive friends tweet things like, “ew, there’s a woman breastfeeding in here.” Sad. Even in my family, at get-togethers, a woman will go into a bedroom to breastfeed her baby. Although that doesn’t seem terribly inconvenient. But I DON’T want to have to breastfeed in a public restroom, that just seems gross. Nobody else has to eat their meal in the restroom at McDonald’s. Why should my child? But I don’t want to be stared at &/or scrutinized either! And I also don’t want to be trapped in my house, like a cow locked in a dairy barn.
And by the way, maybe it’s just me, but I think these things look ridiculous (and also makes it WAY more obvious that you are breastfeeding):
Here’s a fun bonus video promoting Breastfeeding Awareness Month, which was last month.
Not So Sacred Vessel 