Dear Norma,
All I can say is thank you for explaining why it is okay to cover up if that
helps a woman breastfeed in public BUT--
I agree; it is not necessary! A baby does not have to be under cover. I
have not seen women flaunting their breasts when breastfeeding BUT--
I have seen a lot of flaunting of body parts on the beach, in magazines, in
movies, on TV, in the mall, etc. BUT-
Do we ask those women and men to cover up? No, we can either look/stare or
look away. That is the only choice/right we have in those situations.
I like to think: Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder; some think it is
beautiful to see a child breastfeeding. :-) As for table manners, we do
not have the right to ask an adult who exhibits obnoxious eating behavior to
go eat in the toilet or under a blanket.
Warm regards,
Lee
Lee Galasso, MS, LLLL, IBCLC, RLC
Lactation Specialist
Lactation Center of Westchester/Putnam
Westchester County in NYS, USA
914-245-2206
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Vice-President
Westchester/Putnam/Rockland (WPR) Lactation Consortium
"Children are Born with the Right to be Breastfed" (and it does not have to
be under cover)
>If a woman feels more comfortable nursing under a *nifty cover,* then by
all means she should consider using one.
However, most babies do not *adjust* to the use of such covers, nor should
they have to. We certainly do not ask teenagers, for example, or adults, to
cover themselves with a blanket every time they eat in public!
Most mothers find that with a little practice in front of a mirror, they can
nurse their babies without even the person sitting next to them realizing
what they are doing. Throwing a blanket or shawl over their baby is a way of
drawing attention to themselves, of saying, *Hey! Don't look at me feed my
baby!* and defeats the purpose.
There is no need to strip naked to nurse a baby. Wearing a two-piece outfit,
especially with a knit top, allows access while preserving modesty. A jacket
or cardigan adds further coverage, if desired.
By the way, I am confused by your concern about allowing the baby some
privacy for feeding being part of the socialization process. Isn't eating a
social occasion? When I taught my children table manners, it did not include
practicing eating alone, in the dark, or under a cover.<
Norma Ritter, IBCLC, RLC
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