The "Free the Boobies" Revolutionaries Need to Give it a Rest!

I need to hop up on my soapbox and rant a bit and since this is my blog, I can do whatever I want.

I have breastfed all 3 of my children and am currently STILL breastfeeding my 19 month old daughter. So, it's safe to say that I wholeheartedly believe that breastmilk is the absolute best food for infants and than it is beneficial even beyond infancy. However, I DO NOT think it is appropriate for women to "whip it out" and freely show off their boobies in public with the justification that their baby is hungry. This is not a 3rd world country, I'll bet your minivan is just a few yards away and you can skedaddle on home and not be nude in public. That's not to say that I am totally against nursing in public, just the careless bare naked nursing where the breasts are in plain sight for every male within a 20 ft radius to enjoy. I have nursed in public many, many times. I used a very hip cover up from Hooter Hiders. Once my baby was able to pull off the cover I stopped nursing in public because I was no longer able to do it and maintain modesty.

In a way I understand the problem. The breast is a private part of the body where feeding a baby is not a private thing. No one is embarrassed or turned on watching a baby drink from a bottle. However, most men n in our society see a breast with a baby attached to it the EXACT same way as he sees a breast WITHOUT a baby attached to it! Frankly, any straight man in ANY society sees a naked breast as a turn-on (unless he's a solely a "leg man" but I'll get to that). Some societies accept the naked breast as acceptable out in public. We do not. However, we do not insist women cover totally. For example, we do accept naked legs in public (even though many warm-blooded males feel a tingling in their nether regions when they see a nice pair of gams). But it's something we have agreed upon as a society and I think that it makes sense because legs do not always cause the "South to Rise" on a man but a bare naked breast does the trick just about every time. I suppose these Lactivists would say then we need to change society and the rules about a naked breast. Why so Mama Bears everywhere have the right to show their ta-tas while dining at the nearest Applebees? Why not feed the baby and THEN go out??? That's what I did. But that's sooo inconvenient, they might say. Are you telling me that having a baby is convenient for you? Maybe we should lobby society to become absolutely silent while a baby within 150 ft is napping in public. After all Mama Bear wants to finish shopping but Baby Bear has a right to their nap so it must be everyone else's job to change. Ludicrous.

Mama Bears of America: Breastfeed your babies! It is the absolute best thing for your Little One. However, accept the fact that it may cramp your style a bit especially as the baby gets older and can pull off your cover. Heaven forbid, you might have to feed the baby and THEN go to the Gap or you may have to get your Tazo tea at Starbucks "to go". If you do want to breastfeed in public there are PLENTY of good cover ups out there and a good ole fashioned receiving blanket works too if you are thrifty. A boobie, is a boobie is a boobie to a man. Whether it's lactating or not makes no difference and all the activism in the world is not likely to change it. We need to show some modesty Mama Bears and modesty is not a dirty word it's a beautiful thing.