Before you whip that tit out, I'm going to need to see...

...a birth certificate.

On Monday night, a town outside of Atlanta outlawed breastfeeding a child over the age of 2 in public.  It is now considered to be an act of indecent exposure.  If the baby is younger than 2 you are fine, but over 2: the breast you are "exposing" is now deemed "lewd".

Your own personal feelings about nursing in public and extended breastfeeding aside, should the government be able to make it illegal? Do we really need a group of men deciding where and how we should be able to feed our children?

But it's no big deal because...

• If the kid is old enough to ask for it and lift up your shirt, it's time to stop!
• A 2 year old can get everything they need from solid food
• Breastfeeding at 2 is sexual abuse
• Why can't they just do it in private?
• Moms should just pump and use sippy cups
• At 2, breastfeeding is more for the Mom than the baby

Do you agree with any of the above?

Some babies can talk at 9 months.  At not even 5 months, Carina can almost pull aside my shirt.  Should I wean her now, even though her doctor recommends breastfeeding for at least a year?  The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding up to 2 years of age and beyond because babies get more than just nutrients from breast milk.  Research has shown that breastfeeding past infancy results in children who are sick less often, have fewer allergies, and a reduced risk of asthma.  And those are just the health benefits.

The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that breastfeeding continue throughout the first year of life and that "It has been estimated that a natural weaning age for humans is between two and seven years." (2008)  We are one of the few countries in the world who are in such a rush to take our breast milk away from our children and give them the milk of another animal instead.  Believe it or not, the average age of weaning worldwide is 4 years! (Baldwin 2001)

As for sexual abuse, to even believe that breastfeeding could be sexual abuse one would have to view breasts as primarily sexual objects.  Breasts were made for feeding babies.  They were not made to be the motorboated sexual playthings of men.  In my opinion, to treat them as if that is their primary purpose is male chauvinism at worst, just plain sad at best.  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, "There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer." (2005)

I try to nurse in private whenever possible.  However, there are some times when it is just not possible.  On the plane on the way home from Carina's baptism, for example.  During take off and landing you can't get out of your seat.  And, the little miss spit up all over my nursing cover.  There isn't always going to be a private place for you to nurse your baby.  And should your baby have to be relegated to the bathroom in order to eat?  I have a feeling that if someone told you that you had to eat your meal in a place where people take a dump you would be none too pleased.

Pumping often takes a great deal of time and can be very uncomfortable for some women.  And to tell women that this is what they should do is operating under the assumption that it is even possible for all women.  Some women are not physically able to express milk at all.  While pumping and using cups might work just fine for some Moms, it isn't going to work for all and cannot become policy. 

I've been lucky and haven't had many issues with breastfeeding thus far.  I've only had one clogged duct, which while very painful, was not that bad relatively speaking.  Some women experience multiple bouts of mastitis and cracked and bleeding nipples.  We have to deal with breast engorgement, milk leaking through our clothes, and being physically tied to baby or a pump.  I highly doubt there are women out there that extend this pleasure filled ride for their own selfish reasons.

Lastly, how is this law even enforceable?  Will Mothers be forced to carry around their child's birth certificate?  I can just envision a cop approaching a Mother, "Ma'am, I'm going to need to see a birth certificate before you whip that tit out."  Is this really worth legislative time and effort, as well as taxpayer money?

I'm sorry this became so long.  I guess I didn't even realize how passionate I am about this until I wrote this post.  What are your thoughts?  It doesn't matter to me if you are uncomfortable with nursing in public or extended breastfeeding.  The issue here is: should the government be able to make it illegal?

 

 

Sources:
http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/policies/b/breastfeedingpositionpaper.html
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/496
Elizabeth N. (2001). "Extended Breastfeeding and the Law". Breastfeeding Abstracts 20 (3): 19–20.