BREASTFEEDING

NURSING IN PUBLIC & THE RESPONSE OF THE PUBLIC TO BREASTFEEDING


"If a multinational company developed a product that was a nutritionally balanced diet and delicious food, a wonder drug that both prevented and treated disease, cost almost nothing to produce and could be delivered in quantities controlled boy the consumers' needs, the very announcement of their find would send their shares rocketing to the top of the stock market. The scientist that developed the product would win prizes and the wealth and influence of everyone involved would increase dramatically. Women have been producing such a miraculous substance, breast milk, since the beginning of human existence." ~ Gabrielle Palmer


As a breastfeeding mother of 4 children, I am deeply concerned and outraged by the treatment of breastfeeding mothers nationwide. These mothers who are only doing what is natural, what is normal for most live bearing animals and viewed as such except when it is a human, many times are treated completely unjustly, their rights violated, their self convictions shattered by medical professionals, and their instincts as mothers bashed into the ground.

How many times have we seen news articles showing breastfeeding mothers being attacked for public indecency, improper conduct, nudity, and many more outlandish accusations? Dec. 2009, a mother was shopping in an Michigan Target store when her young infant got hungry and she proceeded to feed him. Security asked her to leave for doing so and when she refused as is her, moral, and legal right, the police were called. Her and her husband were harassed not only by store employees but also by officers of the law. These "officers" jobs are to uphold the law, and to bring those that do not do so to justice, however instead they joined them! A mother in another Target store is told she cannot nurse in the fitting room, away from the public eye,. A mother in Apple-bees is told she needs to cover her nursing child on a 90 degree day in Kentucky, A mother nursing at a pool is told she cannot do that here, as bodily fluids may get in the water, yet infants and children urinate frequently in our public pools. What is wrong with a country, state, county, town, restaurant, store, etc.. in a free country that allows these things to continually occur. No one says a bottle feeding mother cannot do that here. Why attack the natural form instead of the duplicated, inferior form?

It doesn't end here, mothers in Hospitals nationwide are being undermined as well. I myself have been undermined. My baby born prematurely and IUGR at 3 lb 9 oz was undermined. Many medical professionals have lost their confidence in a mother's ability to feed her child and the child's ability to feed itself! I was told my baby would not be able to nurse efficiently if at all. I was told she would need a supplemental fortifier to maintain her hydration and weight, I was told my milk was not good enough! A mother in 2002 with a 3 hour old infant put her baby to breast only to be told she needed to stop and feed her baby properly. When she refused hospital staff proceeded to call child services. Mothers are continually filled with misinformation about breastfeeding, such things as her breasts are too small, she has had implants, her mother couldn't produce so she won't be able too either, and the list goes on. All from the people we pay to give us and our babies the best care possible!

However, these professionals are continually hit by the formula companies to push their product. They are told for every mother they offer formula they can get a free sub at the local restaurant, they are taken to paid dinners and conferences all at the expense of the formula company. Why wouldn't they want to line their own pockets? In 1981 a code was passed limiting the marketing of formula and other breast milk substitutes. This code states 1. no marketing of an substitute products should directly or indirectly target the consumer. This includes company reps giving information and free samples to pregnant mothers. 2. Only scientific information should be given to health providers. 3. Literature on infant feeding must be provided by the government, not the formula companies. However upon acceptance in the US in 1990 this code has never been followed!!!

Health professionals have gotten so wrapped up into this that they themselves many times do not research facts. My own baby would have fallen victim to "procedure" had I not been educated enough myself to advocate for her. Many times upon being told she needed a substance other than my own milk I asked why? Most often the answer was little more than because that's how we do it. This is unacceptable!!!

So.... In a nation where our professionals are misled sheep leading us and our infants down a slippery path, where nudity abounds on our magazine racks, television sets and breasts are shown freely in a sexual manner, do we start to right the wrongs of these breastfeeding issues? I propose this -
More women need to stand up for their right to breastfeed whenever and wherever their child is hungry. They need to stand firm against those who tell them it is inappropriate, disgusting, and illegal. Carry state and federal law with you as you go about your daily business. If needed show it! every state is protected. Many women are discouraged by stories they have heard of others being harassed. If we continue to hide and allow ourselves to be used as door mats to be walked all over there will always be those that choose to do just that. However, if more of us stand up and feed our children the way they were intended to be fed the more normal it will become. Mothers will begin once again to have faith in their body and it's ability to feed their babies. Drs. will begin to see the positive outcomes of breastfeeding and in turn will regain their faith in breastfeeding. The public upon seeing breastfeeding mothers more often than bottle fed babies will turn and see it as the normal!! I encourage ALL mothers to educate themselves before doubting themselves. I encourage them to trust their instincts even in tough situations. My preemie small baby did just fine on breast milk alone, not only did she do fine she NEVER dropped below her birthweight!!! She amazed her doctors! She with help from my advocacy showed them what could happen if the mother child bond was not tampered with.

Will it be easy, no not always, but nothing worth while comes free, the things that matter most in life must be fought for. Our children deserve better, our children's children deserve better. Lets start today by making their world safer, and better one breastfed baby at a time!

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