Friday, April 3, 2009

Newsworthy

A friend forwarded me this peice of news today and asked if I agreed with it.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2009/04/03/cgy-pools-breastfeeding-calgary.html

It's about some women who are protesting because they were told not to breastfeed their children while in the pool. Because mothers should be able to breastfeed anywhere, right? Yes...but...

Now, I am all for breastfeeding. I still nurse my 18 month old toddler and hope to nurse him till he is at least two or maybe more. It's a very nice experience and there are several benefits..yada yada yada. We all know.

And so something like this should be good right? Maybe, but in a pool? Is it really that necessary to nurse the kid while being inside the pool? And if they were fighting for the rights of an infant, it would make more sense. I suppose in the bigger picture they are, but the immediate struggles refer to a 2 year old and a 3 year old. Surely you didn't really need to nurse a 2 or 3 year old on demand!

And of course the commentors are having a gala! They are spewing venom against breastfeeding, against women who breastfeed beyond a year, against anything and everything. And why wouldn't they? They just got more ammo!

There have been struggles such as being able to breastfeed on a plane, or in other public places that may be awkward but necessary. And there are struggles like these. Maybe this is just as legit as the others but I am not so sure of that. Must we really fight each and every battle? If we pick some and let some go, don't we have a better chance at winning?

2 comments:

  1. In Europe it is normal for women to breastfeed their children until they are at least 2 years. They breast-feed whenever and wherever they like and no-one bats an eyelid. It is normal, natural, and accepted. Here it seems to offend some people (often men) but I have to agree there are ways to be subtle and breast-feeding in a swimming pool doesn't seem an ideal location. Not to mention unhygenic for the baby.

    ReplyDelete
  2. They may be arguing for older children, but the point is that they are also making a stand for young babies.

    Also, if people are wrried about babies in an unhygenic pool, they wouldn't take them, because you KNOW they swallow plenty of water just playing and swimming.

    I am proud of those women and grateful that they are taking a stand for something that so many women are ashamed of.

    ReplyDelete