So the thought hit me: maybe this is just what moms need to do on occasion when they are out in public nursing their babies - look directly at the lookers, and smile.

Whenever I've seen a mom NIP, I hoped to catch her eye so I could give her a proud smile. Every single one was furtively glancing around or at her baby, but never into the faces of passers-by. Their own discomfort showed.

If these moms saw someone staring, or making a face, what better thing to do than to look him/her in the eye and smile! - an easy, relaxed smile. Wouldn't that make the "offended" turn away? That just what mom wants them to do. 

On the other hand, wouldn't that make the "curious" relax a little and begin an adjustment into an acceptance of NIP as normal? When the mother's demeanor is relaxed and "normal", that's the message she communicates and her life gets easier. No more furtive glances.

Just my opinion.

Phyllis


> But I'd suggest it's the eyeline shot, that makes the real 
> difference...  we need a controlled study, with similar pictures, and 
> different eyeline shots, and to test for reaction.  It may be that the 
> mother looking at the camera (the audience) whilst the baby feeds, is a 
> more 'acceptable' shot than the one of her involved with the baby.  The 
> Male Gaze, and all that jazz.  We're included, so we feel invited and we 
> feel it's a nice thing.  When she's looking at the baby, we feel 
> excluded, and that we are viewing something intimate and exclusionary - 
> we feel our 'lack'.  We have been made voyeurs - that will excite some 
> of us, and repel others.  The people excited, will then be doubly upset 
> that the woman's gaze is on the baby.
 
--
Phyllis Adamson, IBCLC, RLC
Glendale, AZ.
[log in to unmask]

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
Mail all commands to [log in to unmask]
To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or [log in to unmask])
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet or ([log in to unmask])
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]