Breastfeeding: Taboo In Today's World

The audience intended for this paper are mothers that have a desire to breastfeed, employers, clinicians, breastfeeding advocacy groups and federal and state legislators involved in policy change.

As I indicated earlier, women have been victimized for breastfeeding in public places. They have, therefore, been forced to resort to an alternative way of feeding their infants because the public would not have it. It has become harder for women to breastfeed although history has shown it that is something that has been practiced for a long time. On one hand, women want to be allowed to breastfeed whenever the child is hungry no matter the place; whereas, the public is not very accepting of this public display of care and affection between mother and infant. The medical community has indicated that it is important to breastfeed while the public wants the women not to do it where they can see it. They argue that exposing of the breasts is

One of the things fueling the force against breastfeeding in public is that not a lot of people know how beneficial breastfeeding over formula feeding is for the child. According to The Economic Benefits of Breastfeeding: A Review and Analysis Written by Jon p. Weimer, the majority of the American infants were breastfed up until around 1950. In the last 50 years alone, breastfeeding has changed significantly with the creation of synthetic formula, causing the number of infants being breastfed to dwindle off. Between 1946 and 1956, the number of infants being breastfed fell by half, and by 1967 only 25% of America’s infant population was being breastfed at the time of hospital discharge. The numbers proceeded to increase and decrease in the

However, the truth is that the United States of America are not included in those places. This topic has been raised very frequently in the debates that breastfeed milk is better than synthetic and bottled milk by many scientists and health professionals. Even the mothers, who understand the importance of breastfeeding also, prefer the easy and comfortable way of feeding kids with bottled milk. And many women does that because they don’t feel comfortable doing that in public. The question is, if it is worth cooperating the children health and growth by not providing the mother’s milk, and opting easy way out with bottled milk or due to fear of confrontation. Some people may also feel that even if mothers want to breastfeed their toddlers, and they aren’t bothering anyone they should do it the way they like, because for them breastfeeding is more satisfying and they get the feel of more caring towards their kids.

Breastfeeding in public has become a problem today. I’ve heard many arguments of for and against breastfeeding. I see many arguments that are against women breastfeeding in public. I am against breastfeeding in public. All the talk about breastfeeding in public has become more relevant to today’s society because people have admitted to being uncomfortable with public breastfeeding. Women say that people are “shaming” them, but really people are wanting respect from the women who make us feel uncomfortable. I agree that breastfeeding is a very natural thing in child birth, but I do not want to see another woman breastfeeding while I am eating dinner or going for a jog in the park. I believe that breastfeeding should be done behind closed

Breast-feeding was introduced in the 1800s as an alternative to avoid deadly illnesses that were travelling from Spain, Middle East and Asia. In the 1860s scientists began supplementing animals’ milk as formula; especially for mothers who were not able to breast-feed. By the twentieth century, the United States “experienced a sharp decline in breast-feeding rates for infants and toddlers” (Lerner, 2006, p. 362). The reason for decreasing rates in breast-feeding were due to breast-feeding was seen as public indecency, mothers were headed back to work, and mothers were not encourage to breast-feed their child because some people saw it embarrassing. Due to not enforcing laws that were established for breastfeeding mothers; mothers are not comfortable to breast-feed in public from indecency exposure law, allowed flexibility to feed infant during work hours and also protecting a mother’s well-being to breast-feeding in public without embarrassment.

Mother’s breastfeeding in public should be universally accepted because it would allow mothers to feed their infants without fear, allow mothers to provide the most complete form of nutrition to their babies, and desexualize the act of breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding in public has been a big thing this year for many different reasons. It's offensive to others in public because we don't live in a society today where it's okay to show our boobs or cleavage. Breast feeding should be a crime for being done in public. Its disgusting and there is so many more places to breastfeed instead of infront of everybody. Women should go in a bathroom stall for an hour and just sit there while they feed their child because that's the most sanitized place ever.

This is because people think breasts are just a sexual organ, but however, they are an erogenous area. It just makes a lot of people uncomfortable and that is why there is a need to have more people breastfeeding in public. If a mother is sitting in the middle of the park and is breasting her child, she is given a disgusting look. This needs to stop as people need to see it more and then it would not be such a big deal. Some people feel that breastfeeding in public is socially awkward. Children might ask inappropriate questions about what the mother is doing, and the baby might make loud sucking noises that can make others

Breastfeeding in public is very hot in the media right now. Mothers everywhere are being shamed for feeding their babies in public even though it is what's best for the mothers and the babies. “Breast milk contains antibodies that protect infants from bacteria and viruses. Breastfed children have fewer ear, respiratory…” (Legislatures). Instead of verbally abusing the women who breastfeed in public other ladies need to support the new mothers by knowing what the law states about breastfeeding in public and protecting the mother’s rights.

Breast feeding has been in practice for a very long time, as early as 2000 BC. Before the invention of formula, bottles, and pumps this was the safest most common way for a mother to feed their infants. In fact, for 99% of human history breast milk was the sole source of nutrition for children until the age of two. In today’s society there are many different and opposing personal stand points on where or not a mother should breast feed their children. It is a very controversial topic with many variables. In breast feeding there are several benefits, reasons, and cultural effects that go into making the decision to engage or stay away from breast feeding. There is also historical causes and cultural differences that lead influence a mothers

What could possibly be wrong about a mother nourishing her child? Absolutely nothing. Many people view a woman's breasts as sexual items. The main purpose of breasts Is to breastfeed a child after birth. I came across The Milk Truck while back. The Milk Truck is there “to create a mobile breastfeeding unit that allows mothers to feed their babies in places where they have been discouraged - restaurants, shopping malls, public spaces, etc. Babies should be able to eat anywhere, and everywhere". I am absolutely for breastfeeding in public.

However, some people think of breastfeeding as Nudity. Breasts are viewed as sexual items rather than a natural way of providing nutrients and comfort for a child. Anxiety about breastfeeding in front of other people affects breastfeeding for women with low self-confidence or who feel society disapproves of breastfeeding in public. They start to feel uncomfortable. Women should be able to have rights to legally breastfeed their babies in public. Mothers report that that they felt more comfortable breastfeeding in a park than a shopping mall. In some cases, women are asked to leave the premise due to them breastfeeding. Parents do not want to explain to their children about breastfeeding. So, they label breastfeeding in public indecent. Parents who are concerned about their children asking questions should just explain to them. This will help people understand the benefits of breastfeeding.

According to The Equal Opportunity Act and the US Department of Labor, a mother should be able to breastfeed her child in public and in her place of work. Even when it is a protected right, public perception varies on the delicate issue of whether or not a nursing mother should meet the necessities of her child in a public place. If babies have the right to eat and people do not complain or judge when a baby is being bottle-fed in public, then mothers who choose to breast feed should have the same right. Many people are not well informed of the all the benefits that breastfeeding offers the child, mother, and, even the public.

Statistical Product and Service Solutions for Windows (SPSS) 12.0 software package and SAS 8.0 software. SPSS 12.0 was used for all statistical analysis except linear regression which used SAS 8.0.