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Expert Q&A
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| By Ann Calandro BSN, RNC, IBCLC Lactation Consultant | ||
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I live in Topeka, Kansas, and want to know if breastfeeding in public is illegal. I do every now and then, but I feel like I'm doing a crime. People look at me, and they roll their eyes or sigh with a look on their face. My mother, for instance, doesn't want me to and doesn't approve of me doing it in front of others, and that gets on my nerves. How do I handle this situation? I would expect my husband to have a problem with it."
Breastfeeding in public is not illegal. It never has been and never will be. Many states have special legislation to protect breastfeeding, but even if your state does not have special legislation, that does not make it illegal. The state you live in, as far as I can see, does not yet have special legislation for this. One good place to look for information about legislation is on the La Leche League Web site.
You are dealing with beloved family members who are not culturally comfortable with breastfeeding. You are not alone. Many mothers have found that their own family members, as well as outsiders, have not yet become comfortable with it. They have lived in a culture where breasts have been covered and kept private and/or used only in a sexual connotation all their lives. It is hard to undo this. Be sensitive to their needs, and at the same time, make your own choices about what you feel comfortable with.
In the fullness of time, breastfeeding is going to become so commonplace that nobody is going to think a thing about mothers breastfeeding whenever and wherever their babies need them to. Until that time, it is going to take some maturity on the part of everyone to learn to accept breastfeeding as natural and normal. Discuss your feelings with your husband as well. Provide him with literature about the normalcy of breastfeeding, and let him know how much you need his support right now.
Another good thing to do is to find your local La Leche League group and attend meetings with your little nursling. You will be able to talk to other mothers and discuss these concerns with them and the leader of the group. Being with other women who think like you do makes a huge difference. Congratulations for giving your baby the very best!"
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