Breastfeeding Has It's Perks

Breastfeeding sure has gotten a lot of attention lately in the media.  It's craziness, really.  I know before I had kids I was squeamish about breastfeeding, especially in public, and I am still mindful of that.  As much of a hippy wanna be that I am, I am not all that comfortable, 3 babies later, breastfeeding in public.  I have so far, spent 25 months breastfeeding, and I am a huge proponent of it.  I think every mom should breastfeed their new baby.  I have nursed a baby at the beach, on an airplane, recently at the Tower Grove Farmer's Market, in my sister's backyard, and numerous public bathrooms and cars.  I have pumped almost any place imaginable.

Lately nursing has gotten a lot of media attention.  It all started last fall with this article about a mom breastfeeding at Target.  http://www.bestforbabes.org/target-employees-bully-breastfeeding-mom-despite-corporate-policy  Then the moms organized a "nurse in" which I find so amusing, but so great.  I'm sure Target did not want to irritate the nursing moms of the world.  Target quickly sent out an apology, trying to render things before we all decided to do our Christmas shopping elsewhere.

Then, about a month ago, this cover of Time magazine appeared.

Is the picture striking?  Yes.  But, the only reason Time magazine put it on the cover is to sell magazines.  Magazines are dead.  No one is buying Time magazine anymore.  I'm annoyed that they are exploiting the nursing population in order to make money.  The truth is that this mom has a baby that she nursed, and also adopted this toddler.  She decided to nurse this older child to provide a bonding experience, some love, security and nutrition.  She hasn't nursed this child from birth.  That changes things, doesn't it.  This mom said she isn't here to tell every mom to nurse, she just wanted to be part of the conversation.  Shame on Time magazine for villianizing breastfeeding.  They are trying to make it dirty, or crazy, and nothing could be further from the truth.

A few days ago this picture surfaced.

It was written that it is military policy not to nurse in your uniform.  Breastfeeding military moms are advised to pump and bottle feed their babies.  That is absurd and I can guarantee no woman made up that rule.

Through all this I have had some personal experiences that have surprised me a little.  In March I went to see a taping of America's Got Talent.  Like most things in the Hollywood realm, it took much longer than I expected.  After about 4 hours of being there, they had a break in taping the show.  I headed to the van to pump, and the door lady said no one was allowed to leave and come back.  A person higher up came over and asked what was going on and as soon as I could get the words, "I'm a breastfeeding mom" out of my mouth, she promptly said they can make an exception.  I giggled all the way to the car picturing the Wrath of the Nursing Mom on America's Got Talent. =)  About a month later, I decided to start counting calories and lose a few extra pounds that were hanging on, preventing me to wear anything other than maternity clothes.  I got a calorie counting app on my phone, but couldn't figure out how to adjust for nursing.  I sent a quick question to the app people, thinking it would get lost some where in cyberspace, but the app guy quickly replied back giving me a few ideas on how to modify the app.

Although I call myself a hippy wanna be, there isn't that much that I feel strongly enough about to stand up and get excited.  In my next life maybe I go to Berkeley and perfect my protesting signs.  I will have to say, though, that I feel that breastfeeding a baby is something I could support and get excited about if it was taken away.  I'm not one to preach and make everyone adhere to my beliefs, but if a newly pregnant mom were to ask me advice in this area, I know what I would say.