What do you think about breastfeeding? Cover or no cover?

[GoldenEagle]

This week was world breastfeeding week. Feel free to discuss one or more of these questions...

A. What do you think about breastfeeding? Cover or no cover?

B. What are the social norms in the culture/country you live in?
 

C. Do you know the laws in your country/state regarding breastfeeding?
 

[Littlelambseativy]

NA and I see nothing wrong as long as the mother covers her breast. It is healthy and natural for mother and baby.

[Guest man]

 

 

A. What do you think about breastfeeding? Cover or no cover?

 

 

Cover.

[Fez]

Times change and so do perceptions. I guess waaay back it was fine, today I would say cover up, even though it is a natural thing mothers were created to do.

[MorningGlory]

NA and I see nothing wrong as long as the mother covers her breast. It is healthy and natural for mother and baby.

 

I believe it's perfectly acceptable so long as the mother uses a cover.  Wanting to expose one's self in public is, IMO, the mark of an exhibisionist. 

[LadyKay]

This week was breastfeeding week. Feel free to discuss one or more of these questions...

A. What do you think about breastfeeding? Cover or no cover?

B. What are the social norms in the culture/country you live in?

 

C. Do you know the laws in your country/state regarding breastfeeding?

 

 

 

A. What do you think about breastfeeding? Cover or no cover?  It does not bother me either way. I see nothing dirty or shameful about a women's breast.

 

B. What are the social norms in the culture/country you live in? I don't really know.

 

C. Do you know the laws in your country/state regarding breastfeeding? Do we really need laws for breastfeeding? I don't think so.

[GoldenEagle]

This week was breastfeeding week. Feel free to discuss one or more of these questions...

A. What do you think about breastfeeding? Cover or no cover?

 

A. I think education regarding breastfeeding is important. I believe breastfeeding is a functional and not sexual act.

 

There are a variety of views on breastfeeding based on individual's upbringing, culture, experience, generation (age), etc.

 

I believe if a cover is available for public nursing it is good for a woman to use it. However, I don't see it as mandatory or compulsory.

 

When it comes to nursing or breastfeeding I think considering intent is important. To me it seems breastfeeding in public at least in the U.S. is considered somewhat taboo. What I like to consider is why is a person dressing, acting, or talking a certain way? If it were to draw attention, particularly sexual attention, then I’d agree that's not modest. However, I don't think this is the case for a majority of mother's who breastfeed.

 

A baby has a legitimate need for food. A nursing mother is the one to provide this for her baby if possible. She does this through the use of her mammary glands which God created to allow her to nurture her child – this is completely natural.

 

Yet what is the general intention of a nursing mother? I would say most mothers do not purposefully try to cause other people distress or discomfort. I would say a mother's heart/intention is to nurture and care for her baby. If a breast happens to come free of a nursing child it shouldn't be a big deal.

Consider too that many women don’t use covers or dislike using covers for practical reasons having to do with their children – the babies. Baby’s when using covers often get hot and squirmy. The baby often cannot see with a cover to latch on to begin the breastfeeding process. The baby also might want to see their mother or what is going on around them. Finally, breathing in tight spaces isn’t comfortable for anyone much less babies.

 

I think too we need to do a better job of teaching all people and in particular males what a breast is. We also need to educate people in general how a woman’s breastfeeding is depicted in Scripture and what is its God-given purpose. I believe breastfeeding is a natural endeavor and should be treated as such.

Thoughts?

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

C. Do you know the laws in your country/state regarding breastfeeding?

 

 

C. I've actually recently found some interesting facts regarding breastfeeding. Some interesting findings on the laws regarding breastfeeding can be found here. Items of note include:

 

I. It's legal to breastfeed in all 50 states of the Union.

II. Forty-five states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands have laws that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location.

 

III. Twenty-eight states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws.

 

Individual state laws and regulations in the U.S. are also mentioned in the link. Here's an example...

 

IV. Tex. Health Code Ann. § 165.002 (1995) authorizes a woman to breastfeed her child in any location.

Tex. Health Code Ann. § 161.071 (2001) requires the Department of Health to establish minimum guidelines for the procurement, processing, distribution, or use of human milk by donor milk banks. (HB 391)

Tex. Health Code Ann. § 165.003 et seq. provides for the use of a "mother-friendly" designation for businesses who have policies supporting worksite breastfeeding. (HB 340)  The law provides for a worksite breastfeeding demonstration project and requires the Department of Health to develop recommendations supporting worksite breastfeeding. (HB 359)

God bless,

GE

[missmuffet]

In public....cover up.In the privacy of your own home and among your husband do as you wish.

[GoldenEagle]

B. What are the social norms in the culture/country you live in?

 

Personally, I've encountered breastfeeding moms in public a lot. Especially growing up in S. America where the practice is not uncommon. Even in church it was not uncommon to see mothers breastfeeding their babies. At the most nursing mothers would use a cloth to cover what they could. It was expected that some cleavage would be shown by accident or unintentionally. Men, women, and children were expected not to make a big deal about it. Why? Because it was natural for a woman to breastfeed her child. It was also preferable to the alternative for her to nurse than to have the baby screaming or crying.

Currently, in Texas I find there are mixed signals and this is somewhat of a controversial topic.

I find it amusing when single people (men or women) who've never had a child have strong opinions on how a woman should or shouldn't breastfeed their child in public.

 

Breastfeeding in public whether covered or uncovered I believe is in no way inappropriate or immodest. And IMO anyone who is turned on by seeing a mother nurse her child needs to be further educated and has their own issues to deal with. I would suggest if someone is significantly aroused by breastfeeding they see a therapist or counselor.

 

Yet I find there is certainly a double standard. People will emphasize modesty when speaking of breastfeeding but will often still support such celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, etc. I don’t really get that.

 

Thoughts?

God bless,

GE