Kathleeen,

I am totally with you that a mom should not feel she must 
hide to breastfeed.

However, how a mom feels is not under our control.  I 
understand Carol Bryant found that embarasment was one of 
the big reasons moms don´t even start to breastfeed.  This 
is especially true in my culture.

Keeping that in mind, I usually discuss how to breastfeed 
discreetly in my prenatal and postpartum classes.  However, 
at the very same time I state that I celebrate each mom who 
feels she can breastfeed ¨visibly¨ in the mall or anyplace 
else where others would see her:  
¨Because I like 8 and 9 year old girls to see that breasts 
are not for selling cars, cigaretts or liquor, but to FEED  
BABIES!¨ 
Moms  (and Dads) usually laugh when I say this, but it 
seems to stick - because usually at my support groups moms 
comment on how comfortable they now feel breastfeeding in 
public...

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, IBCLC
Puerto Rico
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