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Breastfeeding: A Site Of Objectification?

Written By: Misha
March 20, 2022

Highlights

  • Are public spaces accessible to breastfeeding mothers?
  • A lactating mother felt ‘uncomfortable’ breastfeeding her child in public.
  • Uncomfortable, embarrassed, vulnerable! But why is it a site of objectification? 
  • It is rare to find nursing rooms in public spaces where a woman can breastfeed.

 

  • Quick Read
  • Full Read

A woman felt uncomfortable about doing nothing more than feeding her baby. Public places are immensely crowded, with people pushing each other, being stared at and harassed. This ordeal doesn’t have much comfort to offer. In addition, it is rare to find nursing rooms in public spaces where a woman can breastfeed her child without the stares of objectification. The scorn of society is not the sole reason for the barrier in breastfeeding in public spaces. Lack of hygiene, no facilities of nursing rooms are among the other reasons which make the environment far from encouraging to protect the right of a child to be breastfed irrespective of where they are. Instead of misogynistic attempts to shame the natural act of feeding babies let’s ensure to normalize the gaze with which the society views the act of breastfeeding and work on providing well maintained accessible for all spaces free from intrusion at workplaces, malls, metro stations, railway stations and other public spaces for women to nurse their child without the fear of objectification or public glare. Let’s ensure no lactating mother gets directed towards the toilets to feed their babies.

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“Next station is Rajiv Chowk. Change here for the blue line. Doors will open on the right. Please mind the gap.” 

It was during one of my morning metro rides. As soon as the door of the metro closed, a woman came running from the general coach. She seemed in a hurry. But more than her swing of motion toward the moving train, what caught everyone’s attention was her little baby draped in her dupatta crying his throat out. 

She came to the women’s coach and sat next to me. And started breastfeeding her child instantaneously. The crying voice ceased just seconds after. Well, she answered the unasked questions pointed to her with many women gazing at her. She said, “I felt uncomfortable there” and smiled. 

Breastfeeding In Public Is Uncomfortable

She felt uncomfortable about doing nothing more than feeding her baby. 

Uncomfortable, embarrassed, vulnerable! Breastfeeding in public is a barrier to breastfeeding in general. But why is it a site of objectification? How society perceives the act of breastfeeding is a question of concern.

The Infant and Young Child Feeding Guidelines 2016 (IYCFG, drafted by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (Indian Pediatrics 2016) states:

“Nursing in Public (NIP): Mothers should feel comfortable to nurse in public. All efforts should be taken to remove hurdles impeding breastfeeding in public places. Special areas/rooms shall be identified/ constructed or established in places like bus stands, railway stations, airports, etc.”

Public places are immensely crowded, with people pushing each other, being stared at, and harassed. This ordeal doesn’t have much comfort to offer. In addition, it is rare to find nursing rooms in public spaces where a woman can breastfeed her child without the stares of objectification. 

From a woman being mocked by a fellow employee in Kolkata for breastfeeding her child in the office to a magazine receiving flak for featuring a model posing like she was breastfeeding – it is unfortunate and illogically unsettling how so many people still consider breastfeeding a stigma and view the process as mere sexualization, exclusive for gaze.

There are no laws in India that prohibit breastfeeding in public. However, the environment is not conducive to a breastfeeding mother either in a metro or at the workplace? 

This raises concerns about the social conditioning and unavailability of proper infrastructure in public spaces, including malls, metro stations, railway stations, bus terminals, airports for breastfeeding mothers. 

The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. The WHO also states within its guidelines:

Men Stare, So Do Women

The scorn of society is not the sole reason for the barrier in breastfeeding in public spaces. Lack of hygiene, no facilities of nursing rooms are among the other reasons which make the environment far from encouraging to protect the right of a child to be breastfed irrespective of where they are. 

Michelle Branch, an American singer, recently took to her social media after getting flak by another mother for breastfeeding in public. Branch wrote, “I am in shock that this kind of judgment was coming from a fellow mom!”

I just got shamed by another mother (who was holding her own young infant!) for nursing my 6 week old baby on a bench at a playground while my toddler was playing 🤯 She said I wasn’t “being modest” I am in shock that this kind of judgement was coming from a fellow mom!

— Michelle Branch (@michellebranch) March 15, 2022

Well, it is ironic that you’ll find a smoking room around different public spaces, but rarely you would find a nursing room to breastfeed a child.

The concerning thing is the fact, in 2022, women aren’t able to enjoy the freedom to breastfeed in peace. The possibility of being stared at, photographed, and harassed grips the basic fact of life. 

According to the survey conducted by Mompresso.com, a user-generated platform for Moms, 93% of lactating mothers feel uncomfortable in public because of a lack of breastfeeding facilities. 

No Space For Breastfeeding In Public

Shaili (name changed), a resident of Delhi, says, “I felt extremely uncomfortable breastfeeding in public during the first few months. I was directed to the washroom. We wouldn’t want to eat in a freaking public toilet, so why do many think it’s okay to tell a mother to breastfeed their child in a stinking toilet where they themselves wouldn’t eat?”

Pallavee, an IT professional with a leading firm in Gurugram, says, “I have breastfed my child in public parks, toilets, malls, restaurants, and trains. I was nervous when I had to nurse in public, surrounded by glares. I will never understand why breastfeeding in public is shamed upon. There are no places where I can breastfeed peacefully. I gotta feed my baby.”

“I do not attract anyone’s gaze while I breastfeed my child,” said one respondent.

As of now, there is no law in the country which mandates public spaces to have lactation rooms. If metro stations had a nursing room, we, as a society, normalize breastfeeding and not stare when a woman breast-feeds. It could have enabled that lady on the train and many more like her to take care of her infant without panicking and rushing to avoid the stares of objectification.  

We need society and laws to build a more empowering and accessible environment for lactating mothers and build necessary infrastructure which is clean and safe for a mother to breastfeed their child.

Let’s Support Nursing Mothers!

Larissa Waters, an Australian MP, made international headlines in 2017 when she breastfed her 14-week-old baby while addressing the nation’s parliament. Her gesture is a clear representation of how rarely there have been talks about breastfeeding in public.

Larissa Waters, Australian senator, breastfeeding her baby, while addressing the Parliament.
Source: YouTube screengrab

Babies need to be fed. Let’s be more empathetic and make it better for them without making them feel unnerved. The feeling of humankind should incite compassion and not oppose or associate accusations of indecency with breastfeeding.

Instead of misogynistic attempts to shame the natural act of feeding babies, let’s ensure to normalize the gaze with which the society views the act of breastfeeding and work on providing well maintained accessible for all spaces, free from intrusion at workplaces, malls, metro stations, railway stations and other public spaces for women to nurse their children without the fear of public glare. 

Let’s ensure no lactating mother gets directed towards the toilet to feed their babies. Let’s not objectify a mother’s choice – the next time!

Also Read: Placenta: The Life Supporting Organ

breastfeedingBreastfeeding in publicLactationLactation daysMomlifeNormalise breastfeedingObjectification of breastfeeding

Misha

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Pregnancy Tips For First-Time Moms: Lactation Consultants To Follow On Instagram

Written By: Tasneem Akbari Kutubuddin
August 10, 2021 | 01:42 PM |
1,034

Highlights

  • While lactation consultants are not always necessary, they are very helpful when there are difficulties or complex problems while breastfeeding an infant that isn’t resolving on their own.
  • Also nowadays lactation courses and classes are offered pre-natal so most mothers are already aware of breastfeeding advantages, latching positions, breast milk advantages, myths, etc.
  • Here are a few lactation consultants who should be following if you are on your way to motherhood or just seeking more knowledge on the subject.
  • Full Read
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Lactation Consultants can be a blessing for mothers to be and new moms who are entering the journey of parenthood. While lactation consultants are not always necessary, they are very helpful when there are difficulties or complex problems while breastfeeding an infant that isn’t resolving on their own. That is when lactation consultants can offer professional help. Also, breastfeeding advice is not one-size-fits-all. Every situation between a mother and baby is unique and different. Also nowadays lactation courses and classes are offered as pregnancy tips for first-time moms, so most mothers are already aware of breastfeeding advantages, latching positions, breast milk advantages, myths, etc.

While social media is home to many practitioners who share their knowledge on breastfeeding and lactation through their content and videos, here are a few lactation consultants who should be following if you are on your way to motherhood seeking pregnancy tips for first-time moms, or just seeking more knowledge on the subject.  

Arushi Agrawal

Instagram @lactationconsultant_arushi

Arushi is a certified lactation consultant from Jaipur and is a part of the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. She offers online and offline consultation.

arushi agrawal offers Pregnancy Tips For First-Time Moms

Neha Dwivedi

Instagram @nehadw

Dr. Neha is a Childbirth Educator and IYCF specialist. She is also the COO Akkarbakkar HQ and has Co-authored the book Vijyant at Kargil Penguin India

neha dwivedi offers Pregnancy Tips For First-Time Moms

Swati Jagdish

Instagram @mayas_amma

Quite popular on social media, Swati is a psychologist specializing in sex education and parenting along with lactation counseling through her online and offline workshops and sessions.

mayas amma offers Pregnancy Tips For First-Time Moms

Anupama Kumar Vijayanand

Instagram @anupama.vriksham

Anupama’s award-winning, Vriksham Pregnancy Care Education “Social Enterprise” offers online classes & offline classes (Tiruppur, Coimbatore), for fellow women on pre-pregnancy, prenatal, early-pregnancy, pregnancy, child-birth, infant-care and breastfeeding.

Anupama vriksham offers Pregnancy Tips For First-Time Moms

Prutha Pai Panandiker

Instagram @lactation_milky_way

A certified lactation professional from Goa, Prutha provides support to breastfeeding mothers all across India, helping them with complete knowledge on breastfeeding and everything that encompasses motherhood.

prutha pai offers Pregnancy Tips For First-Time Moms

Archana Shroff – CLP

Instagram @lactationwitharchana

A certified lactation professional, Archana offers breastfeeding pumping support along with lactation counselling and prenatal & postpartum nutrition through online and offline sessions.

archana shroff offers Pregnancy Tips For First-Time Moms

For more pregnancy tips for first-time moms, click here.

breastfeedingbreastmilklactation consultants

Tasneem Akbari Kutubuddin

Tasneem Akbari Kutubuddin has done her masters in Journalism & Communication and has worked as a senior journalist, editor and columnist for leading publications like The Logical Indian, Deccan Chronicle, Worldwide Media Corporation, The Bridge and Provoke.
With Infano, she hopes to create more awareness about women’s health issues. Suffering with Fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition, she has also been advocating for its awareness through media.

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