What is wrong with this picture;
That’s right… NADA. What is wrong with PEOPLE?!
Why is breastfeeding still such a tabo subject to so many, and the beautiful image of a mother nourishing their child deemed offensive?!
The photo above is used as a promotional image for a handmade jewellery business; Mumma Rocks! Baby safe bling for the modern mumma (I have one of her nursing necklaces by the way, it is beautiful) – the woman pictured is Jen, the owner of the business, & this image was reported as indecent or offensive on facebook yesterday, resulting in it being removed from her facebook business page. When she uploaded it again, facebook banned her from uploading ANY photos for a week.
Even though facebook seems to be forever doing things like this – deleting users gorgeous breastfeeding images while leaving far more offensive pictures of women in derogatory poses & wearing far less – it is not the only place where breastfeeding is questioned, looked down upon or deemed inappropriate.
When the beautiful Miranda Kirr & her hubby Orlando released the first pictures of their child; pictures featuring a glowing Miranda breastfeeding their squishy new infant, eyebrows were raised by many & mutterings of “cover up” or “…it’s okay for her!” were heard probably not just all over this country, but all over the world.
I’m so sick of something natural, beautiful, healthy & RIGHT, being questioned & more importantly UNSUPPORTED. Seriously, breastfeeding is hard enough without having to fight for acceptance amongst your community, friends or family; is it any wonder that so many mothers relent & move to formula feeding when instead of being celebrated, this natural wonder is being frowned upon?
What disheartens me the most is when I see or hear other mothers putting breastfeeding down in various ways, & consequently putting breastfeeding mothers down too. “Breastfeeding is yucky.” “Nobody wants to see your boob hanging out.” “Go to the toilet to feed the baby.” “Feed the baby before you leave the house.” “Why don’t you pump & use a bottle in public?” “I don’t want my children to see that.” Unfortunately, all of these things I have personally seen or heard given as “advice” to a breastfeeding mother, usually by another woman… Whatever their reasons for thinking that their view is correct, be it misinformation, justification or just plain ignorance, this sort of abuse, yes, abuse, is not okay.
When are women going to start to support each other? Mothers support mothers? When is society as a whole going to start not only seeing breastfeeding as completely normal again, but better still, not bat an eyelid?
Only when it IS completely normal again, in my opinion. Only when everybody sees it every day, thinks of it as the primary way to feed our babies & the years of ridiculous brainwashing to think otherwise have been washed away.
Even The Boy has said to me that he is made uncomfortable by nursing in public – he doesn’t have a particular reason – believe me I’ve questioned him enough – he just thinks that it should be done in private. Unfortunately for him, Suspence & I do not agree & we will get to it wherever & whenever we need to; but for woman who are already unsure or uncomfortable, this sort of ‘disapproval’ could prove fatal for their young breastfeeding relationship – that’s why they, we, need all the support we can get.
I think you can tell I’m angry. Of course I am. This sort of rubbish should not be happening, yet it is, every day. We should all be angry, whether we are women or breastfeeding or not.
