I’m over at Babble today stirring the lactivist pot with a discussion about when to cover up while breastfeeding in public. My feelings on the issue can be summed up with a tweet I wrote over the weekend.
Simple, enough, don’t you think? I get a little more nuanced at Babble:
As a nursing mother, I know my comfort with breastfeeding exceeds other people’s comfort with the sight of nursing babies. You hear tales all the time about people who are so affected by the sight of nursing mothers that they say some pretty bizarre things about the appropriateness of breastfeeding in public or suggest that the mothers find another venue in which to nurse. I happen to know that in my state, breastfeeding is appropriate anywhere I’m lawfully permitted to be, so anyone who tried to get me to move would be referred to the Maryland legislature to lobby for a law change if that’s what they really wanted. (Here’s a handy list of state laws on breastfeeding for your reference) Generally, if I’m nursing in public, I’m doing it in a place where I can watch over my son and moving is not an option and anyone who doesn’t like it? Well, they just need to get over it or move away from me.
But the second part of the issue is what responsibility do I have regarding other people’s sensibilities regarding the sight of breasts. Is it up to me to throw a cover over my boobs and my baby to protect others from discomfort? Or is it the responsibility of others to remove themselves from the situation if my boobs disconcert them in any way?
To read my whole post, click on over to Babble!
