by Caetlyn R Campbell

Created on: October 01, 2007   Last Updated: September 24, 2010

Should women be allowed to breastfeed in public? Yes of COURSE women should be able to breast feed their babies wherever and whenever the baby needs it. I'm surprised that in this day and age that this should even come into question.

Very young babies have extremely small stomachs and require feeding often and nature has designed breast milk to be easily and quickly digested. Not only that, but on hot days breast milk helps keep the baby cool and hydrated.

To suggest that a mother should hide in a bathroom or a closet or even use a breast pump for those public occasions suggests ignorance of how tender a new mother's breasts are, but also a sense of prudery and shame. After all, if "God" had not meant us to breast feed or to feel shame about it, He should either have not given us breasts or at the very least then have arranged us to be born clothed.

Public breastfeeding is not only legal in the US (in fact about 20 states have passed laws on this), but it is also a woman's right. If someone tells you to stop or to take it somewhere else, you can remind them that it's the LAW that you can feed your baby where and when you need to.

Anyone, including mall security, shop keepers, bus drivers who get testy and refuse service or demand you "take it somewhere else", can and should be reported to The National Alliance of Breast Feeding Advocacy (NABA). For those mothers who have to work, work places are also required to allow mothers to use a breast pump.

When nursing in public if you feel the need, you can try to be discreet about it by placing a light weight cloth or blanket over the baby's head, but older babies may refuse to have their heads covered, in which case don't worry about it, after all this is an important continuance of bonding between mother and child.

On the whole, people tend not to notice a mother who is nursing and those who do are usually polite enough to pretend they didn't. Oddly enough, it is usually women who object to seeing a mother feed her baby and make a fuss about it. Men are usually curious but not offended or even "turned on".

However, the more women stick their legal rights and nurse when and where the babies demand, the less often you will hear a baby screaming in righteous anger at having to be hungry and this kind of question will be considered "ignorant" instead of something viable to debate.

Learn more about this author, Caetlyn R Campbell.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.