Breastfeeding in Public: a Women's Rights Issue

Breastfeeding is a healthy, natural ability of every woman, and should therefore be socially acceptable and supported by everyone. For some reason this is not the case in our society, in fact breastfeeding continues to be a controversial issue that must be addressed by women’s rights activist groups. Breastfeeding is a feminist issue because the natural act has been medicalized and devalued by major companies because of their interests in profits in bottle feeding. According to Penny Van Esterik a coordinator in the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), women should never have to choose between their duties as a mother and their duties as a responsible, hard working employee. Our society pressures, exploits and oppresses women and the condition of their lives in every instance in which breastfeeding, especially in a public environment, is not adequately supported and accepted as a beautiful thing. There are many organizations worldwide that are dedicated to give women the support they need in order for them to not be discouraged from breastfeeding because of outside, socially constructed forces. La Leche League International and Pro Mom are just a couple to name. These organizations are very similar in the sense that they wish to create informative, happy and supportive environments for all women breastfeeding (or not) and anyone who wishes to be an activist for this issue.
LLLI refers to La Leche League International, an organization founded to give information and encouragement to breastfeeding mothers in personal help by seven women in 1956. This group is supported by many physicians and other health care professionals and emphasizes the importance of mother-to-mother support in order to understand the needs of their baby and the best means of fulfilling those needs.
LLLI’s basic philosophy is that “Mothering through breastfeeding is the most natural and effective way of understanding and satisfying the needs of the baby.” It believes that