Donna Walls, RN, BSN, CLC, ANLC
Years ago, when my husband and I were in Italy visiting Trevi Fountain, I noticed a mom with a baby in her arms, nursing. To my utter surprise and joy I saw a man stand up and gesture to her to take his seat. Wow, it was so heartwarming! Would that happen here in the US? More likely she may have noticed glaring, snickering or maybe even unwelcome comments. How sad that our culture hasn’t learned to accept, or better yet welcome, nursing mothers.
On an even more disheartening note, there are laws protecting breastfeeding moms. Wow, we need laws protecting a mom’s rights to feed her baby? Currently, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands have laws allowing women to breastfeed in public or private locations. Public Indecency Exemptions (are you kidding me?!) exist in 31 states and Washington DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands explicitly exempt breastfeeding from indecency laws. Whew! So nice of them the recognize that breastfeeding is not “indecent”!
Is it our Puritan history that considers the breasts as sexual, to be hidden? Strangely, women breastfed freely in early American times and frequently for up to two years of age. Indigenous cultures honor and respect breastfeeding as nourishing and nurturing the offspring, and consider it an honor to be able to breastfeed their babies.
Technology and science brought about changes in infant feeding in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Formulas and breastmilk substitutes became available in the nineteenth century, originally developed to feed the orphans in institutions. By the late 1800s factories began processing infant formulas, with Abbott Labs increasing the manufacturing and marketing of formulas by the 1920s.The profession of Pediatrics was, in part, first developed for the overseeing of artificial infant feeding and the belief was that this new, scientific method lent itself to better nutritional control and provided mothers with more independence. More aggressive marketing to families and physicians was, to say the least, successful.
When World War II began more women were working outside of the home and the use of infant formula was rising with breastfeeding becoming viewed as inconvenient and “old fashioned”. As the changing perspective of formula feeding continued, there also came about an attitude that higher socioeconomic, more well-educated women were choosing not to breastfeed.
Another significant influence we saw in that era was the sexualization of breasts promoted in men’s magazines and in the media focusing on the sexual function of breasts and diminishing the function of lactation.
So here we are today. As a lactation care provider for 40 years I have seen an improvement in attitudes and support for breastfeeding over the last 10-20 years. But, we are not even close to the attitude I saw in Europe. There is, what seems like, unlimited money available for marketing and advertising formula feeding with little resources for promoting breastfeeding. How can we make breastfeeding the norm, the expected way to feed our newborns?
First, we need to see more breastfeeding–it needs to be normalized! There are beautiful works of art depicting breastfeeding; use them whenever you can. Then, talk about breastfeeding–let people know about the benefits to both mother and baby. For example, in breast cancer support circles, let people know that breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer.
Formula feeding is often promoted as being convenient, so maybe we also need to talk about the difference between preparing bottles at night compared to the ease of nursing at night. Don’t be afraid to talk about the well-documented benefits of breastfeeding when infant-related conversations arise; talk about the reduced risk of infections, including ear and viral infections in newborns and infants. If discussing work schedules–let everyone know there are less missed workdays when babies are healthier. When talking about school–drop the research that shows that breastfed children can get an IQ boost from breastfeeding.
When you see a nursing mother, smile and make easy conversation–send the message that breastfeeding is normal and accepted. If you see a mom being harassed while breastfeeding, go to her and gently support her right to nurse. If moms are concerned about nursing in public let them know about clothing designed to discretely breastfeed or how to layer loose-fitting clothing that allows easy access to the breast. You might want to discuss how to use “cover ups”, but reassure them that they have every right to be breastfeed wherever and whenever their baby sends the “I’m hungry” message. Show your support by reminding them that they really do not need to hide or go to unacceptable places like bathrooms to nurture and nourish their baby!
We can take steps to normalize breastfeeding through educating the public and parents-to-be as well as supporting breastfeeding mothers and families, directly or indirectly. Making breastfeeding the norm will not happen quickly–but it can happen!