Breastfeeding In Public

The general topic of discussion for breastfeeding in public is that the public feels it is offensive and should not be allowed. Most scholars tend to discuss the importance of babies being breastfed and how breastfeeding in public is an important part of mothers successfully breastfeeding. They discuss those who are offended by breastfeeding in public, why the public is so offended by the mother’s actions, and what mothers can do to make breastfeeding in public less offensive to the public and embarrassing for themselves. Amanda Barnes Cook explains that “Public discomfort with breastfeeding creates a context in which women are regularly, if not frequently, asked to leave public places or to cover themselves when breastfeeding their children” (Cook 682). Amy Marsden states how the public discouraging mothers to breastfeed in public may be successful by stating, “Perceptions of social disapproval of breastfeeding and embarrassment of feeding in public are two of the main reasons why women may choose to bottle feed instead of breastfeeding, or why they may cease breastfeeding
early on” (Marsden 271-272). Both Cook and Marsden argue that there is disapproval and discomfort for mothers while breastfeeding in public. They also argue how the public stating their offense to breastfeeding in public may discourage the mothers from continuing to breastfeed altogether due to the attacks being received to avoid them. Dana M. Dillard argues that “Some deviant mothers have responded to these reactions with nurse-ins and social media. In response to requests for breastfeeding mothers to cover up or leave, groups of breastfeeding mothers have staged nurse-ins, in which a large group of nursing mothers respond to the location where a mother was asked to leave” (Dillard 74). Cook differs from Dillard by stating that women are constantly asked to be removed which may influence a nursing mother to discontinue breastfeeding in public due to the unacceptability of the public, while Dillard shows how nursing mothers rebuttal the negative suggestions of breastfeeding in public by fighting back for their legal right to breastfeed in public. Marsden addresses the two main reasons why mothers are being discouraged from breastfeeding in order to make the public happy, whereas Cook addresses how mothers are simply asked to cover up or leave the premises because they are disturbing others by breastfeeding in public. Therefore, they are given an option to comply with the public’s wants without completely avoiding breastfeeding. There are ways to respectfully breastfeed in public without disgusting those around the nursing mothers.
Although the scholars discuss the negativity of the public’s reactions to breastfeeding in public, they do not address any of the positives some of the public may see with mothers choosing to breastfeed their babies.
Some people accept breastfeeding in public and encourage breastfeeding as opposed to formula feeding for the benefits it gives the mother and baby. Cook and Marsden seem to overlook how there are people in public who accept mothers who choose to breastfeed in public and how the public’s negativity discourages mothers to breastfeed altogether, but Dillard addresses how even though the public have a negative view on breastfeeding in public, they choose to not let it discourage them for their babies’ better wellbeing. Nursing mothers join to show the public how it is not offensive and whether they like it or not, it is a natural way to feed their babies and completely
legal.