In the few years that I have been an adult I have been a busy girl. I have done all the "normal" things people my age do. I have worked long hours, drank until ugly people look hot, bought shoes because they were on sale even though they didn't fit and eaten my body weight in chocolate.
But I have done some thing many 24 year olds are yet to do. I have have gotten married, I have had a baby, I understand the terms co-bedding, baby wearing and lactivist, I have had the sleepless nights when giggle girl is sick (even if she is sleeping fine) and I think that dribbly kisses are the best. I have also breastfed in public. And I'm dammed proud of it!
I fed in public where it suited me. I loved getting a hot chocolate and feeding in the coffee shop. I never covered up, I wanted to see her beautiful face. I even feed in the defence boozer (cross between a pub and social club for defence members and their families)
I waited to be criticized for it. I feed with defiance knowing I was doing the right thing for my baby. I wanted other younger mums to realise that it was ok. You don't need to feed in the smelly baby change rooms if you didn't want to.
The criticism never came.
I don't know if it was because of my body language, I was just lucky or if the "fuck off" look on my face if anyone came near put people off commenting.
What I would like for my 24th birthday is that the stigma of breastfeeding is removed. I know it won't happen overnight but by my 30th birthday I want to not be able to find a breastfeeding discrimination article in newspapers or on the Internet.
I want people to realise that breast feeding in public is not about exhibitionism or attention seeking. It's not about anyone else except mum and bub (or bubs if you have mad boobie skills!)
The sad thing is in the last week a mum had her facebook account disabled for having a photo of her breatfeeding her baby on her profile.....facebook deemed it as obscene
Please read her note to get all the details and see what facebook WILL allow HERE
Its not about if you personally want to feed in public or post your own breastfeeding photos.
but for all those with daughters do you want her to feel like a social outcast if she breastfeeds her own child, your grandchild?
Do you want her to be able to show you photographs from the other side of the world or country of how proud she is of her achievement, how she is doing what her body is designed to do.
Do you want her to be able to show you photographs from the other side of the world or country of how proud she is of her achievement, how she is doing what her body is designed to do.
OR
Do you want her to be to be thought of as obscene and pornographic feeding her baby.
Do you want her to be to be thought of as obscene and pornographic feeding her baby.
This is not about us now....this is about our daughters, and our daughters-daughters.....
What kind of world do you want your grandchildren born into??
Love and smiles
Z
xox
3 comments:
I love reading your post they are just amazing it's what i think but never express it. I have neverhad a issue with breast feeding in public but my partner has!! :( He hates to think that there are men out there and a boob is a boob doesn't matter what your doing with it. xoxo
completely agree, breast feeding is just so beautiful and lovely and always makes me smile at mum's who are feeding in public! Of course i don't stare or make a deal about it but a little smile to try and say 'I'm proud of your courage'.
Just want to say its also really interesting that my friends who enjoy watching porn have more a problem with breast feeding then my other friends (hmmmmmmm)
It is nice to see young people still fighting for the right to breastfeed their baby's. It saddens me to see that not much has changed from the time I breastfeed my first child 35 years ago. Keep up the fight and keep encouraging other young mothers.
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