Friday, July 28, 2006

Proud to be a nursing mommy

CCW has kindly taken on the screw-ups of the universe who continue to insist that the primary purpose of breasts is to be sexual playthings and not for nurturing small human beings.

Confession: I did not even notice the cover picture of Babytalk magazine when I picked it up at the pediatrician's office. I pay dues to La Leche and get New Beginnings magazine, an LLL publication, so pictures of women breastfeeding aren't exactly a new thing for me. What caught my eye was the print teaser "Special Report: Why Women Don't Nurse Longer." Somewhere inside the magazine the editors ask for comments on the cover, and then it slowly occurred to me that some Would Not Like It.

So, basically, we're all between a rock and a hard place. Everyone--the government, the formula companies, the American Academy of Pediatrics--pays lip service to the fact that nursing is the healthiest and best choice for babies, but women are still completely unsupported in their efforts.

If I had relied on help solely from the hospital breastfeeding educators, I wouldn't have made it. Not by a longshot. And this is a small hospital that still delivers upwards of 2,000 babies a year. Inexcusable.

Six weeks of maternity leave is the bare minimum to get nursing really on the right track, but then there are the issues of pumping at work. The Babytalk article reports that 90% of working mothers stop nursing before six months. This is SHAMEFUL for the American workplace. And maybe why women who have the option to stop working--even at the expense of their finances--and put their babies first for a while, do it. Not to waste their educations or their minds, as the pundits would have you believe.

Protections for nursing in public isn't offered in every state, but the fact that it has to be protected at all is backwards.

Honestly, it mostly makes me sad. I've said it before. But what makes me furious is that women are ashamed to be doing such an amazing thing! At our house, people are welcome to nurse in the living/dining room during a shabbat meal. (When we have company I actually retire to the couch instead of nursing at the table like I'd do if we were alone.) But nine times out of ten people will excuse themselves and nurse in the kids' room.

I've been very open about the fact that I am still nursing Miss M, that I did it while pregnant with AM, etc. At least three times in recent months, moms with toddlers of similar age have confessed (literally sotte voce) that they are still nursing. "Just once a day." "Just twice a day." "Once every other day." As if I need their justification? Because they think it's wrong? Icky? That they are creating sexually confused miscreants? I don't get it.

It's almost August, which is breastfeeding awareness month. I think I am finally going to buy us some T-shirts from Breast or Bust or Cafepress. (What I really want, though, is a shirt that says "I breastfeed, and I blog.")

It's time to put the shame to bed. Permanently.

Breasts are for breastfeeding. The End.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gooԁ wау of eхplaіning, аnd good post tο obtаin data
about my prеѕentаtion subјect
mattеr, whіch i am going to present in ѕchool.


Here is my ωeblog - utility trucks
My web site - altec utility trucks

Anonymous said...

Ι'm extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it's rаre tо ѕеe
а nice blog liκe this onе
noωaԁays.

mу blog ... Locateabuckettruck.Com
Also see my web site :: locate a bucket truck

Anonymous said...

hеy therе and thank you for your info – Ι've definitely picked up something new from right here. I did however expertise some technical points using this website, since I experienced to reload the site lots of times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your web host is OK? Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will very frequently affect your placement in google and can damage your quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for a lot more of your respective fascinating content. Make sure you update this again soon.

My web site :: bucket trucks
Also see my page > mouse click the up coming webpage

Anonymous said...

These are truly wonԁeгful іdeaѕ in аbout blоgging.
You have tοuchеd some faѕtidious ρoіnts here.
Anу wау keeρ uρ wrinting.

my web sіte ... grapevine tx taxi
My web site :: coppell cab

Anonymous said...

Hi there friends, pleasant article and good urging commented at this place,
I am truly enjoying by these.

My page chatclimax.com/free-videochat/PandoraBoxxx
My site - Cam chats are fun and entertaining

Anonymous said...

Hi, I do think this is a great website. I stumbledupon it
;) I may come back yet again since i have book marked it.

Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide other people.



my blog [主页]

Anonymous said...

Your style is unique in comparison to other people I've read stuff from. Thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this page.

Feel free to visit my homepage more

Anonymous said...

Nice answers in return of this matter with real arguments and
telling everything concerning that.

Here is my webpage ... see more

Anonymous said...

I have to thank you for the efforts you have put
in penning this blog. I'm hoping to view the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own, personal site now ;)

Have a look at my page - visit

Anonymous said...

I'd like to find out more? I'd want to find out more details.


Review my webpage: visit

Anonymous said...

Howdy! This article couldn't be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He continually kept talking about this. I am going to send this information to him. Fairly certain he'll have a great read.
Many thanks for sharing!

my web blog - see more

Anonymous said...

Does your site have a contact page? I'm having a tough time locating it but, I'd like to shoot you
an e-mail. I've got some ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it expand over time.

Feel free to surf to my website :: view it

Anonymous said...

Link exchange is nothing else except it is simply placing the other person's webpage link on your page at proper place and other person will also do same in support of you.

My homepage: http://pornharvest.com/index.php?q=All+Girl+Porn&f=a&p=a

Anonymous said...

Eхсellent poѕt. Ι useԁ to be сheckіng conѕtantly this blog and
Ӏ am impressed! Extremеly useful infoгmation ѕpecificallу the last phase :) I take care of suсh infо much.
I was seeκing thіs partісular info
foг a lοng time. Thank you аnd best of luck.


Also vіsіt my blog post ... how to flip a car

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure exactly why but this website is loading extremely slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a problem on my end? I'll check back later and see if the
problem still exists.

Check out my web page; she said

Anonymous said...

Hello there, I found your website by means of Google even as searching for a comparable matter, your site got here up, it seems good.
I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hi there, simply turned into alert to your weblog through Google,
and located that it's truly informative. I am going to be careful for brussels. I'll be grateful should you
continue this in future. Lots of folks will be benefited out of your writing.
Cheers!

Have a look at my web site - http://pornharvest.com/index.php?m=2480596

Anonymous said...

Hello to all, it's genuinely a nice for me to visit this web site, it consists of valuable Information.

Stop by my blog post; click here

Anonymous said...

I don't know if it's just me or if perhaps
everyone else encountering issues with your site. It seems like
some of the written text on your content are running off the screen.
Can somebody else please provide feedback and
let me know if this is happening to them too? This might be a problem with my internet
browser because I've had this happen previously. Thank you

my site - http://pornharvest.com/index.php?q=nubiles+presley_hart&f=a&p=s

Anonymous said...

Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?

you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your web
site is wonderful, as well as the content!

Also visit my web blog Learn More

Anonymous said...

I am regular visitor, how are you everybody? This paragraph posted at this site is really
nice.

Have a look at my site ... click here

Anonymous said...

Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your blog
and in accession capital to assert that I acquire actually enjoyed account your blog posts.

Any way I'll be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently quickly.

my website - nudes

Anonymous said...

I don't know if it's just me or if perhaps everybody
else encountering issues with your site. It appears as though some of the written text on your content are running off the screen.

Can someone else please comment and let me know if this is happening to them too?
This might be a issue with my internet browser because I've had this happen before. Kudos

Also visit my homepage ... http://pornharvest.com/index.php?m=2216130

Anonymous said...

If some one desires expert view concerning blogging then i suggest him/her to visit this web site, Keep up the good
work.

Feel free to visit my page - visit website