Breastfeeding in Public: Is It an Issue? | Teen Ink

Breastfeeding in Public: Is It an Issue?

March 28, 2019
By Leadistefano1 BRONZE, Paramus, New York
Leadistefano1 BRONZE, Paramus, New York
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Have you ever been looking around outside and see a women breastfeeding their child? How did it make you feel? What did you think about it? Many people go on vacation all the time and see women sitting down on a lounge chair at the beach, and most of the time those people are adults that have little kids around the ages of only a few months to around 2 years old. And mostly these women will be sitting on the beach breastfeeding their children, while other kids and other people can see exactly what they’re doing. Now the real question is how do people really feel about it? It only takes for a person to start breastfeeding on the beach once to lead them to be breastfeeding again and again in other public places where everyone is watching. At its most basic, lots of kids at the age of 10 don’t want to be somewhere with their parents and look up and see a person with their shirt down holding their baby trying to give their little kid some milk. So as of this, women-should be allowed to breastfeed in public as long as they are fully covered. Women all around the world breastfeed their kids, because it is not prohibited to. However many people don’t support this as a law.

Breastfeeding takes a huge role in society today, many people don’t like the fact that people do it in public without being covered, but whether or not people are going to do it anyways. According to the article, by new york times many people still face challenges about breastfeeding. Now what is really the issue? The issue is that back then it was way different then now, so fast forward to today. We now have people who frown upon mothers’ breastfeeding their children in public, citing indecent exposure. This shows how many people feel about people breastfeeding in public in every place that they might go to. About 82 percent of women still breastfeed in public today, while 52 percent on women don’t breastfeed their kids. Breastfeeding is very much so accepted in society just as much as it’s not accepted. For example, Why do some consider public breastfeeding as inappropriate? Now why do they? Many people despise breastfeeding and specifically in public because many women take advantage of their rights to do so. However, according to science nordic they described the written rules for womens breastfeeding and they decided that women will be allowed to publicly breastfeed as long as their nimple isn’t showing and also if they are mostly covered. Also, According to the National Consumers League they believe as if breastfeeding in public is legal and that women should have the right to breastfeed their kid when there out, as if they take responsibility of that meaning that they can’t have their whole breast out in public while they are breastfeeding.

Many people think that women should not be allowed to breastfeed in public because they're offended by it. However, that’s not fair to women. According to Debate, it states that 67 percent of people think women should be allowed to breastfeed in public, while the other 33 percent think not. Many adults believe that it’s my baby. My body. My choice. Meaning that no one can tell them whether or not they are able to breastfeed their kids. Women should be allowed to breastfeed because if you think about it moms are always busy at work and breastfeeding is also good for the baby and if they weren’t allowed to breastfeed they would have to give they’re kid formula and that’s not as healthy as breast milk is. Also, breastfeeding is a faster way for the baby to get feeded if needed that second. In life, you always see those moms who are running around with there kid from store to store, and the baby is hysterically crying because he or she is hungry, and if the mom isn’t home and she can’t be able to breastfeed how is she supposed to feed her kid that’s crying. What do you think that that mom would be going through? How do you think the kid will keep reacting? So put yourself in a little kids shoes, your going to the store and your walking right next to your mom and-you are really really hungry so you start to cry and your mom isn’t able to feed you in public and she doesn’t have any formula on her to give to you so you start to cry even more. At this point, your mom has no idea what to do and how to stop you from crying if she can’t do anything to help you, and then your mom becomes to feel very-stressed out because she has been running around all day. Although, mothers are still being judged for breastfeeding in public today, women should still feel as if they are allowed to breastfeed in public if-needed. Also, the infant's life is what is the most important, and if they need food and are hungry the mom should be able to give to them.

One way that workplaces are accommodating busy moms is by provided support for pump stations. According to the article by the Washington Post, they believe that it’s only fair for women that when they are at work they-give moms a designated area where they are able to pump breast milk. When a woman is producing milk, the milk must be pumped at certain intervals. Additionally, according to Aimee Danielson the director of the Women’s mental health program at Georgetown Hospital, “one of the biggest factors in whether it’s something tedious versus truly stressful is the ability of the workplace to have institutional support for pumping.” This proves that she supports the idea that moms should have the right at work to pump their breast milk.  

Another way that moms should be completely allowed to breastfeed when needed is because breast milk is healthier for the baby then formulas are. As stated in kids health, here are some of the many benefits of breastfeeding: It helps to fight infections and other conditions, breastfed babies have fewer problems and hospitalization, and can strengthen the babies immune system. Now formulas aren’t as healthy as breast milk is because it doesn’t contain the immunity-boosting elements like breast milk does. For most babies, breast milk is actually way easier to digest than formula. However, according health experts they believe that breast milk is the best nutritional choice for infants. But if some places around the world like South Dakota and Virginia don’t allow women to breastfeed then the baby isn’t getting the best choice of nutrition that they should be getting at a young age.  

Some people might take breastfeeding as an offence. However, those people don’t consider the lives of busy and hard working moms that have to take care of their young children. I also understand why some people may get bothered and grossed out by it, but they have to except that that is apart of life. According to NCBI many people, indicating health professionals, believe that 45 percent of the U.S. adults indicated that they believe a breastfeeding mother has to give up to many habits of her lifestyle. In addition, the commitment required by breastfeeding and difficulties in establishing breastfeeding are sometimes often seen as threats to mothers’ freedom and independence. But, breastfeeding shouldn’t NOT be allowed because of what some people conclude, breastfeeding should be a choice of whether or not the mom wants to. It’s the mom's choice to breastfeed because it’s her baby. Her life. Her choice. And her rights to do so. And no one should really be judging that person's decision.   


Breastfeeding has the potential to help babies grow up with full animation and to live a more healthier manner of life.  

 

In conclusion, researchers and professionals have been closely examining breastfeeding for many years now. A lot of this research can be confusing and or bias towards one side. Some studies show that breastfeeding is not needed, while other studies show that breastfeeding is healthier and a better choice for infants. Some studies show that people get offended by breastfeeding, while others say that breastfeeding is very-necessary. Reading this information and actually understanding it may be a confusing experience to go through, especially if your a mom and have a kid. However, there is one thing that these studies agree on: that both sides feel as if a baby needs to get fed. Also, that they both agree that parents should be allowed to breastfeed but one side just believes that it shouldn’t be in public-even if it is an emergency. So, if your little kid is crying while your at a store because he or she is hungry you better fight for your rights to give your child milk. It might be a good idea that if your going to breastfeed your kid you might want to fully cover yourself if your in public.


The author's comments:

Hi I'm Lea DiStefano and my topic about breastfeeding has really got me thinking about it deeper, and it really made me think what other people believe about breastfeeding in public. 


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