Breastfeeding in Public: A Woman’s Right or Crime Women were born blessed with the ability to offer the most natural and beautiful act a mother can do for her child. Breastfeeding is a treasurable bond shared between mother and child. Controversy arises when nursing mothers choose to perform feedings in public areas. Select groups of people view breastfeeding in public places as indecent and offensive. It is to be determined if it is a women’s right to breastfeed her child anywhere she deems suitable. According to the medical dictionary, breastfeeding is defined as feeding a child human breast milk ("eMedicineHealth.com"). A lactating mother produces this milk. Lactation is the process of producing milk. Human milk is secreted by the …show more content…
In the case that other lactating women were not available, the motherless baby would perish. When necessary, a baby’s milk was substituted with the milk of an animal such as a goat or cow. In the 1800’s doctors, scientist, and other researchers began investigating what ingredients were indispensible in food mixes for babies to grow. In 1867, the first commercially available baby food was created by Justus von Liebig ("breastfeeding-mom.com"). Following this development, various other kinds of baby formulas were made. Numerous women around the world began using these formulas in place of breastfeeding. Manufacturers promoted the use of baby formulas as a modern way to feed babies. By 1950, more than half of the babies in the USA were fed some form of baby formula ("breastfeeding-mom.com"). Trends began to change back in the 1970’s. Women felt the need to go back to the fundamentals of feeding their babies as done in history. Public pressure has urged health departments to recognize the significance of breastfeeding and encourage mothers to do so. There are now laws in place to protect the rights of a breastfeeding mother when feeding her child in public. A baby's need to eat cannot be determined by a set schedule. There are laws that make public breastfeeding legal and prohibit companies from banning it in the workplace. A United States House of Representatives appropriations bill
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
Bottle feeding and Breastfeeding is a decision that all mothers make. Bottle feeding is a formula that is mixed with water and a powder cereal that a baby drinks. Breastfeeding is actually using the milk from ones breasts in order to feed the baby. Nutrients, a close mother and daughter/son relationship, and the cost are similar in different ways. Although, bottle feeding and breastfeeding have similarities, breastfeeding is better than bottle feeding because of health, flexibility, and cost.
Legislators developed laws for breastfeeding mothers to protect them from indecency exposure law. Some mothers would breast-feed their child in public at a restaurant, park, or maybe at airport; then would be asked can
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.
Breastfeeding with no attempt at being unnoticeable tends to be lacking, but have people really pondered what nourishment is secure, compelling, and promptly accessible? That is designed to individual needs, naturally agreeable, effortless, offers long haul insurance, is free and as a reaction is a weight reduction strategy? Would it be able to envision somebody being victimized for utilizing such an incredible item? Women were given breasts with mammary glands so they could feed and nourish their young. Unfortunately, some people just don't see that. And it is one of the most discussed topics currently. There are numerous individuals who feel that breastfeeding ought not to be seen in broad daylight, but rather in all trustworthiness it is not generally advantageous for a mother to run and stow away when it's an ideal opportunity to bolster her child; a lady does not settle on the choice to breastfeed in light of popular supposition, or accommodation. Breastfeeding in public should be universally accepted because changes need to be made with formula companies, medical professionals, and the public opinion of breastfeeding in order to give nursing mothers the support they deserve.
Breastfeeding is a healthy, natural ability of every woman, and should therefore be socially acceptable and supported by everyone. For some reason this is not the case in our society, in fact breastfeeding continues to be a controversial issue that must be addressed by women’s rights activist groups. Breastfeeding is a feminist issue because the natural act has been medicalized and devalued by major companies because of their interests in profits in bottle feeding. According to Penny Van Esterik a coordinator in the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), women should never have to choose between their duties as a mother and their duties as a responsible, hard working employee. Our society pressures, exploits and oppresses women
Breast feeding in public is a very controversial subject. Many people feel very strongly about their opinion. This is one of those recurring social debates and issues that seems to pop up quite frequently in one form or another. Is it acceptable to breastfeed in public? There are no laws against it in most states, but is it acceptable or seem presentable to do that in front of one who doesn’t want to see? It is hard to say who is right and who is wrong, when each person has a different view on life, religion and morals.
Imagine sitting on a bench at the park enjoying some ice cream. Then out of nowhere, the high pitched wail of a baby is heard. It could be the baby’s diaper or the fact that he is hungry, but since breastfeeding is not permitted, the baby will not stop crying until he is fed. The mother is frantically trying to calm her baby down by rocking him, but he keeps crying. At this point, not even an artificial formula works; he wants his mom’s milk but the mother does not know what to do since she cannot breastfeed and her baby will not be satisfied now. If breastfeeding was allowed in public, this problem would not be so common. Breastfeeding should be allowed in public because it is something normal and human. Nobody should have a problem with this since there would definitely be less disruption and frustration of mothers in public places if they were able to feed their babies.
Breastfeeding has sometimes been viewed as a disturbing public exposure by a lot of people. Most of them chose to ignore the benefits of breastfeeding your child. The article of Lisa Flam is an example of what people think about breastfeeding. It discusses a picture of a young African woman nurturing her child in front of everyone during a graduation ceremony. Despite the fact that people think is wrong to breastfeed your child in public, it is legal in 49 states in the United States. Another perspective of looking at this article is the empowerment of encouraging African women to breastfeed their children because they are the groups that breastfeed their children the least in the United States.
Breastfeeding in public is natural, however, others think it is inappropriate. A survey has found that 6 out of 10 women who have breastfeed take steps to hide it in public and a 3rd of these women feel embarrassed or incomfortable nursing outside of their home. The poll also showed that 1 in 5 believed people did not want the mothers to breastfeed in public and 1 in 10 who chose not to nurse their baby were influenced by the worry of doing so outside the home. The poll was carried out by Public Health England's parenting advice service. It is illegal to ask a breastfeeding woman to leave a public place but there have been high-profile cases of women being told to cover up.
Why should you be able to show your breast in public? Alexia Garcia stated that “It is our hope at breastfeeding world lift the stigma that breasts are something that should be sexual, and instead to teach that they are for food, so the world knows the breastfeeding is normal, natural, and nothing to hide under a cover.” (Garcia) Breast are not sexual organs. As society will argue, our breasts were made for feeding. Images of sexualization breast are everywhere, from advertising to women walking down the street, if there is no breastfeeding in public, but sexualized images of breasts continued to be flaunted in public, our youth will grow up thinking that breasts are only sexual. You can cover up. Most times when you cover an infant's head
Growing up around women breastfeeding was quite interesting; although I was young I was always embarrassed to be around a nursing mother. Most of us are aware that breastfeeding is the most natural way of providing infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. Breastfeeding to a lot of mothers is the time of bonding between themselves and child. Disagreement arises when nursing mothers decide to perform feedings in public areas. Then we have the groups of people that view breastfeeding in public places as indecent and offensive. In an article about current breastfeeding laws the authors state that “currently, the majority of the US states have legislation permitting women to breastfeed in any location and exempting breastfeeding from indecency laws” (Nguyen,Hawkins). I don’t think the issue is with breastfeeding itself. What may actually be the problem with the whole breastfeeding in public debate would have to be the action of breastfeeding, the locations where the mothers choose to breastfeed and sometimes age of child being breastfeed. Public breastfeeding can be a very touchy topic with strong feelings on both sides of the debate. After considering both sides of the issue, breastfeeding in public areas should not be done.
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.