Ladies and gentlemen, allow my to introduce you to a concept that has been providing for the human race since the beginning of time: Breastfeeding. Without it… none of us would be here. “But I was formula fed” I hear you saying from the back. Sure… but what about your mother? Your mother’s mother? Your great great grandfather bill? If you’re really honest then you’ll realize that you don’t have to go back too many generations to find a relative above you on that big family tree who was sustained through infancy by a breast.
The secondary part, of course, is “in public.” Shivers run down the spines of the prudish. Sure, a woman probably should follow the law (which in America means she doesn’t go down the street waving the human-baby-bottles to passers-by) and she should probably also adhere to some sort of social code-of-conduct. There is a line, though, that should not be crossed. A woman need not be relegated to dark corners during every private or social event. She need not be ostracized for her decision to feed her child in a natural way by her superiors, peers, or otherwise. In short, a woman should not be made to feel less-than-a-woman for being a woman.
If you’ve been reading my blog long enough you’ll realize that I’m a fairly easy-going person. I don’t get too worked up about things. I stay fairly calm. There are some things, though, that make my blood boil. No one should make my wife feel bad because that makes me angry. No one should suggest that my son shouldn’t be able to eat. These natural processes literally maintained humanity into the current generation.
While there are many opinions on the intricacies of breastfeeding etiquette, let us at least agree that breastfeeding is natural and that women are not lesser because they choose to breastfeed. Most of the research points suggests an incredible benefit in breastfeeding for both mother and child. If I were a woman, I’d attend “nurse-ins.” These are events designed as protest against discrimination towards breastfeeding. Perhaps my wife and I will organize one. We’ll also bring our child. He might even be hungry.