By Cate Nelson •
August 19, 2009
Augh. It’s happened again.
A woman began to breastfeed in the Science World museum when a volunteer directed her to the nursing room. Because Kristen George was with her 23-month-old and her 8-week-old nursling, she stayed put, keeping an eye on one child while soothing the infant.
I’ve always felt a little self-conscious, so I usually pump and bring a bottle, but I had forgotten it this time.
George was in the section of the museum specifically for infants and kids, and says she was wearing a baggy shirt that covered her. She says she was approached by a young man who asked her to move. Then when she responded that she wasn’t “doing anything wrong,” he said what she was doing was,
Morally wrong
His words were loud enough to catch the attention of other parents, now making something otherwise mostly overlooked into a spectacle. Fabulous.
By Cate Nelson •
August 2, 2009
As you know, today starts World Breastfeeding Week. While we all know “breast is best“, we have varying comfort levels regarding public breastfeeding.
How ’bout plastered on walls around the world, every day of the year?
That’s what the 2010 Rugby Breastfeeding Calendar is shooting for. It’s a calender produced by the UK’s Rugby Breastfeeding Cafe, where women play a full-contact sport while nursing. Oh wait–no. (It’s located in Rugby!)
From the Telegraph:
One photograph shows a half-naked couple embracing with their newborn baby at the breast.
Another features a pregnant woman breastfeeding her four-year-old daughter after a bath.
And one shows a pretty brunette in a revealing bra putting on make-up while breastfeeding her son.
These tasteful, beautiful shots are used to show it’s absolutely hip and “sexy” to breastfeed, while raising money for the Cafe. And it all started with a tiny little £100 donation.
By Cate Nelson •
July 14, 2009
When you were in high school, were you in one of those classes where you had to carry around a fake “baby”? An egg or other food item? You and your partner would dress it and take turns caring for it through band or basketball practices. It was to teach us the responsibility it takes to have children.
Because that sack of flour in a basket did a really convincing impression of a screaming infant. Maybe a bit more realistic would have been helpful.
A Melbourne high school canceled a live breastfeeding demo for a life cycles class. Sarah Simmonds, a volunteer from the Australian Breastfeeding Association’s community education program, was to breastfeed her 4-month-old son in front of the class at Hume Central Secondary College in Broadmeadows.
But when she arrived, she was surprised to discover that the teens in the class didn’t have parental permission, so they couldn’t watch the breastfeeding demo.
Because–you know–we wouldn’t want to expose our teens to the indecency of natural infant food, straight from tap.
By Cate Nelson •
May 22, 2009
I’ve used this Universal Breastfeeding Symbol before. But I didn’t even realize I was a “lactivist” until I started getting frustrated about the breastfeeding in public issue. Who knew that an infant eating the food that was made for it could be an issue?!
But I didn’t stop to think about how the symbol might be used in public. As in:
Hey you! With the breasts and starving child! You. Must. Go. Here.
That is, until a righteous blogger brought up a Mothering Magazine online photo spread of the use of the symbol.
Here’s the thing about breastfeeding in public. There is not a woman I know who does it to be an exhibitionist. Ever. At all. (Don’t argue with me here, folks.) We do it to…ummm…feed our children?
So the use of the symbol: What is the proper way to use this welcoming sign?
By Cate Nelson •
January 26, 2009
A California ad campaign may have onlookers doing the double take. Why in the world has that woman been there all day nursing her child?
That blonde with the baby? You’ll see quite a bit of her if you live in Marin County She and two of her friends will hang in public places doing the unthinkable for hours on end: breastfeed in public.
And what’s even more surprising? She won’t even flinch when she gets the stare down from slack-jawed gawkers.
Augh. It’s happened again.
