A women I follow on Instagram just had a photo depicting herself breastfeeding her child reported as inappropriate. The other day another Mum commented on a photo saying that she was harassed in a sexual manor in a parents room by a father whilst breast feeding.
On the other hand politicians have considered labelling formula cans with health warnings as I spoke about here. Women are harassed by mid-wives to breast feed and in some cases (mine) given incorrect knowledge encouraging them to breast feed at the detriment of their child.
It's a lose/lose situation.
If you are able to breastfeed you better, and you better let everyone know so they don't judge you. But at the same time make sure that this breast feeding takes place in a private place, and don't flaunt it. Definitely don't take photos of it. Heaven forbid you might offend someone! But make sure you don't formula feed either. Right?
How ridiculous. What an enormous amount of pressure to put on these women, us women, who are trying to do the best thing for our child.
Again this is not every one. When I breast fed I quite often felt comfortable and people were respectful, but I always made sure I carried my over sized scarf to use for privacy, just in case.
If seeing someone breastfeeding makes you feel uncomfortable I suggest you imagine the child eating a Big Mac or a cheese burger. That is what should make you feel uncomfortable, then maybe seeing this baby receiving very important nutrients will seem less offensive.
If it turns you on then you're a little peculiar and I probably wouldn't brag about it, so my suggestion here is just keep it to yourself.
In fact the best thing people can do is say nothing, do nothing. Not stare, not comment, not accuse. Just live, and let live.
It doesn't matter what we do someone is always going to want us to fail, or look like a failure. At the end of the day we just have to do what makes us comfortable and what is best. It's just sad that society finds so many ways to make a new mother feel uncomfortable.
Just another rant bought to you by Cassandra J.
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