If You're Being Shamed For Breastfeeding In Public, Here's What You Should Do
Breastfeeding, particularly in public, always seems to generate attention and debate, even though it is a natural process that is important for babies' health and a great way for mother and child to bond. Yet criticisms are so common that even celebs like Mila Kunis have been affected, per Vanity Fair.
Most women would argue that nursing is normal and that no one should be offended at seeing babies feed, something they require frequently. Dr. Lori Feldman, the chairperson of the breastfeeding wing of The American Academy Of Pediatrics told USA Today, "Infants typically feed anywhere from eight to 10 times in a day."
Those who oppose public breastfeeding often raise concerns of indecency, viewing the act from a sexual angle as opposed to the non-sexual reality of the situation, per Scary Mommy. When mothers nurse, breast milk simply nourishes their babies with what they need to grow.
Also, considering that children can hardly decipher whether they are in a private or in a public place when they need to be fed, the railing against women who respond to the needs of these kids seems quite unfair. So, what should you do when someone tries to shame you for breastfeeding in public?
Remind them that breastfeeding is totally legal
If you nurse your baby in public, you are not breaking the law. You will not be found guilty of indecent exposure if all you've done is bare your breasts to feed your hungry baby whether in private or in a public space.
Breastfeeding [thankfully] remains legal in all the 50 states of the United States of America, and even in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, per the National Conference Of State Legislatures. Laws guiding decency in these states have done well to exempt breastfeeding from acts that are can be labeled as indecent or punishable as such.
What is considered illegal, is the interference with this right. Yeah, you read that correctly. Some state laws in America give you the right to bring legal action against anyone who tries to shame, embarrass or make you feel uneasy for breastfeeding your infant in public, according to Breastfeeding Law.
In addition to asserting your legal right in the face of breastfeeding bullies, you can choose to stand up for you and your child's rights in any of the creative ways these 17 brave women did, per this Cosmopolitan listicle. Examples include leading a social media campaign against an airline company and staging a breastfeeding protest at a food court that tried to shame a customer for breastfeeding her child.