Breastfeeding

In case you haven't heard there was a woman kicked off of a flight in Vermont for breastfeeding her 22-month old daughter. The woman was sitting next to the window in the next to the last row of a Freedom Airlines (Delta) flight. Her husband was sitting on the aisle seat. A flight attendant offered her a blanket to cover up her nursing daughter saying she (the flight attendant) was offended. The mother refused to cover up saying she had the right to breastfeed her baby. The flight attendant had the woman removed from the flight. The woman has filed a complaint with the VT Human Rights Commission. Across the country last week women (and there supportive family and friends) staged 'nurse-ins' at Delta ticket counters.

I am proud to be a breastfeeding mother. I am glad that I have been able to continue to breastfeed Spencer for the past 10 months even though I work full-time. I am proud that Spencer has never been supplemented with formula. I breastfeed in public, and I feel self conscious about it. I never know if the people whispering are commending me or criticising me. I always wonder, and it makes me hesitate. But I continue to breastfeed in public. Luckily I have never had a negative experience...I even got a thumbs up from a fellow diner at a restaurant for breastfeeding Spencer while waiting for my food. It is sad that I feel self conscious every time I do something so natural, so normal, and so healthy and beneficial for both Spencer and myself.

This country needs to get over it and learn that not all things breast-related are sexual or offensive. Get a grip, people.

For more information on this news story:

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061115/NEWS01/61115010

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15720339/?from=ET

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/21/AR2006112101316.html