Yesterday, breastfeeding Moms across America staged a protest at airports due to the fact a nursing mother was kicked off an airplane for nursing in public.
As always I am baffled. Why is country so “forward thinking” when it comes to issues of immorality, and backwards when it comes to issues of child-rearing and motherhood?
I heard arguments on the O’Reilly Factor yesterday:
“the mother was offered a blanket to ‘cover up’ which was reasonable, yet she rejected it”
“no one is saying mother’s should not breastfeed, just maybe not in public.”
“People need to care about other people’s sensibilities”
“The child was 22 months old at the time which is really old to be nursing.”
I am so annoyed and disgusted on so many levels, and if I continue to blog, I will say some really stupid things.
Ok, I am going to go on anyway. Do these people who take issue with nursing in public have any inkling of what is involved in taking care of, comforting, and having a loving a relationship with an infant/toddler?
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Isn’t it funny how prudish our culture is about bf’ing?
I think it would make sense to me if our culture was as consistently puritanical across the board, then I wouldn’t even see why this was an issue. I mean we can walk into a music store and see crap like this on shelves in plain site, and if you complain, you are just way to serious and stilted. Logic? Someone? Anyone?
I have watched many parents at wits’ end dealing with infants in airports. I think we should PROMOTE breastfeeding if it makes the experience of flying better for them. (And therefore, selfishly, for me, too!)
I often wonder about these stories how the mother was nursing, for instance, was she “lettin’ it all hang out”?. I nurse in public all the time, if my baby is hungry, and I’ve never gotten a dirty look. I’ve nursed all my children (up to almost 2 years for one of them) and I’ve always been aware that some people have “issues” with the public nursing deal so I will drop bra whenever I need to, but I DO try to be as private as possible. Most nursing moms know how to do it without people even knowing they are, but I’ve actually had NICE looks and smiles when I’ve been nursing in public. I do think that I would be pretty frickin’ irate if anyone asked me to stop, but I wouldn’t go all militant on their butts. I would probably try to explain to them that they’d much rather have me sitting there with a happy, content baby than a hungry, screaming one! I once traveled on 4 flights with my ten month old daughter. I got panicked looks when people saw a baby come on the plane and happy, almost clapping people when we got off because she was completely silent the whole time…NURSING, of course!
“no one is saying mother’s should not breastfeed, just maybe not in public.” And I’m not saying anyone should eat, just maybe not in public.
“The child was 22 months old at the time which is really old to be nursing.” The child was 22 months at the time which is really too old to be drinking milk.”
See, I can be ridiculous too.
Maybe if she was letting it hang loose and refused to cover up, I can see how that might make some people uncomfortable, but to kick her off a flight? What if some girl had walked in with very low-rise pants and nothing but a bikini top on, would they have offered her a blanket too and then kicked her off the flight? If you’re going to be prudish, at least be consistant!
Oops that last comment was me, normally it remembers my info, I forgot to enter it this time.
There’s pics on the net of this mom nursing — she’s completely covered up, using the “itty-bitty nipple” method (ie. shirt and child covering everything except nipple, nipple in child’s mouth.)
I BF my oldest to 26 months — and he was an angel to travel with. Same with my second — nursed till 18 months. I too would see the panicked looks, and then the utter relief at how good and quiet they were!
People need to get a life — honestly, is you bf them all the time, then stop for a plane ride, they’re gonna screech, and then everyone will complain about THAT. Sheesh.