Breastfeeding

I wanted to look more into breastfeeding around the world because I have heard so much stigma attached to seeing women breastfeed, and especially being in child care, teachers have had some negative opinions on feeding infants their mother's milk or seeing mothers' boobs who come to the center to breastfeed. These opinions bother me because I have always wanted to breastfeed. I have not had children yet, but I when the day comes, I want to breastfeed. It saves money on top of all the amazing benefits listed in our text. I had not considered all the long-term benefits of breastfeeding before. Reading about breast-fed babies having higher IQ's, being more likely to attend college, later puberty which affects the numbers of teen pregnancy, and being less likely to become obese or hypertensive by age 12 was all new facts to me (Berger, 2009). I was aware of all the childhood benefits such as less sickness, infections, and better bonding situations which leads to stronger emotional development, and I was also aware of the benefits for the mother, another reason why I want to breastfeed.

I found this awesome website called Breastfeeding in Public Around the World (n.d.), and it is a place where women, and men, can comment on what they have experienced when it comes to breastfeeding. I was shocked to see so much stigma attached to breastfeeding in our very own country! Many of the women posted about feeling anxious about doing such and always trying to find a private corner or asking first if it was ok or if there was a better place to do so.

Interesting points from the website from other countries:

• In Egypt, it is against their religion to breastfeed in public.
• In Ghana and Kenya, a woman is looked at negatively if she does not breastfeed as soon as her baby cries out for it; it is nothing out of the ordinary to see women breastfeeding.
• In Nigeria, it is highly recommended for the first two years; even on the farms, women have figured out how to keep on working while feeding their infants strapped to their backs.
• In India, there were differing views on what was normal; however, there is a general trend that the more educated women do NOT breastfeed in public, it is only in the rural areas where breastfeeding is commonplace.
• In Taiwan, it is not common to breastfeed infants in public, if at all.
• In Australia, not only is breastfeeding acceptable anywhere a mother is, but they are also protected under law to breastfeed their infants.

Reading all of these stories shared by women, and men, all over the world, causes me to rethink my own attitudes from when I have witnessed someone else breastfeeding, I have been one to stare occasionally when it is in a socially awkward position, like a shopping mall. Maybe it will shift again once I have my own children, but sometimes, I cannot help but look and see what is happening. I also feel offended when I hear about breasts being such sexual objects, but when it comes to breastfeeding, it all goes downhill. Maybe, the US needs legislation to protect women's right to breastfeed in public. Some states have issued this, but what about the others?

After I wrote that, I googled state legislation for breastfeeding in public and found this website that lists all states, including Puerto Rico and D.C., and what laws are in place. I was astonished that we have so much protection for breastfeeding! Here's the website: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14389
It was very interesting to see the three states that I have lived in; they have several different laws!



Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Breastfeeding in public around the world. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.007b.com/public-breastfeeding-world.php