QUEZON City, Philippines (February 26) – A mother breastfeeding her child in public. Believe it or not, said scenario is the subject of a lot of debate. A debate that centers on its acceptability. One side argues that it’s a mother’s right to breastfeed her baby and said act is actually acceptable in many countries, but there are some places where breastfeeding in public is not acceptable.
Breastfeeding is a beautiful act – an intimate moment where the mother and her baby is connecting to each other. But it can also bother others especially when done in a public venue or even in a public utility vehicle. Just imagine, everyone in the aforementioned PUV seeing everything. Awkward.
The woman’s breast is a private part of her anatomy and exposing that in public is absolutely wrong! I don’t want to upset those that feel strongly about it, I mean it’s a beautiful moment and you are bonding with your bundle of joy but honestly, I don’t think I will be able to just breastfeed uncovered, shoot me, but it just doesn’t feel natural to expose my breast to family, friends or even strangers.
Yeah, you can breastfeed, you cannot deny your child of a meal wherever you are, but it doesn’t give anyone a right to stare at your mammary glands. You’re still a woman, you still have right to keep some mystery. If it cannot really be avoided, cover up!
Of course, it is really not the mother’s choice – after all if the baby is hungry you have to feed the precious bundle of joy whether you are in public or not. So to lessen the awkwardness, here are some tips for lactating moms!
- Try to find a discreet corner where you can breastfeed your baby in relative peace and quiet.
- Always bring a blanket. This will at least give you a modicum of privacy when breastfeeding your baby.
- This is more for those around a breastfeeding mom. Keep your eyes to yourself! Don’t make an already awkward situation even more awkward by staring!
(written by Mia Caragay, edited by Jay Paul Carlos, additional research by Vince Alvin Villarin)