So, I am breastfeeding. I actually didn't really intend to originally, but there came a point during my eighth month of pregnancy that just made me feel like I needed to do whatever the little bean needed from me - and that included breastfeeding. I don't feel particularly political about breastfeeding, per se. I actually am a little creeped out by the La Leche League. I'm not really a joiner, though. Of course, I am an atheist liberal Californian, so I know that I am generally not exactly the majority, but I have never really thought much about women breastfeeding in public one way or the other. Apparently quite a few people feel rather strongly about it- especially about a woman remaining "modest". I don't care about other women's modesty, to be honest. I don't think it's brazen to bare a boob in public to feed your kid. I do care about young girls being sexualized by our culture from a very young age, but that is an entirely different can of beans and has nothing to do with seeing a breastfeeding mother feeding her child. How weird our country is. It is so strange that we can be so Puritanical still. I think it is even more interesting that our culture has been so influenced for so long by baby formula companies that we see breastfeeding as something somehow shameful. (I don't want it to sound as if I am judging moms who feed their babies formula- breastfeeding isn't for everyone, and it's a choice each mom has to make herself, for her what's best for her family. Breast may often be best, but every family is different with different needs and moms have to make their decisions on what is best for their own family, not some ideal textbook situation.) For my family, it's right, and it's worked out really well. I am glad I tried it, because I feel like I would have missed out on spending this special time with my daughter.
Over at Suburban Turmoil, the discussion has begun about whether it is ok to breastfeed in public. I can't help but feel the "Left Coast" influence on me- I can't even think of a time when anyone (so far) has commented on my breastfeeding my baby in public. In fact, all through my pregnancy people (including complete strangers in Target) wanted to know if I was going to breasfeed. I couldn't understand why they cared, to be honest, but in the beginning I was answering with "formula" and getting disappointed "oh"s. I didn't even tell anyone other than my husband that I wanted to breastfeed, but now when people ask, and I say that I breastfeed M, they are just so approving. What a bunch of hippies, huh?
I am actually more embarrassed about breastfeeding in front of my in-laws than in front of complete strangers. I can't seem to keep a blanket over M, so I bought a Hooter Hider from Bebe Au Lait. (Which, my stepmom showed me in a magazine, Mira Sorvino also uses- I have aqua, she has pink).
I guess that all of this current discussion originated from Maggie Gyllenhaal breastfeeding in public. I should say, daring to breastfeed in public. (Who knew she was such a rebel?) She was completely naked in her film Secretary, so I am sort of surprised that anyone can work up any excitement over her seeing the top of her boob over her kid's head.
I am so more interested in her stroller- it is so cool.
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