Life in a Nutshell
*****Content warning to men. You may not want to click on the "picture" link*****
Very interesting debate raging over on Danielle Bean's blog.
It has to do with a certain picture that was featured on the cover of Babytalk magazine. The story featured was about nursing your baby and how long one should do that....one, two, three years? However, the magazine got numerous complaints about the picture and how "gross" and "revealing" it was.
Now. I am not a prude. I think breastfeeding in public is fine. I think some fashions these days are atrocious. I think there is a double standard when it comes to society's view of today's fashoins for women vs. breastfeeding in public. However, that picture seemed very unnatural to me. Who nurses their baby that way? It seemed obvious to me that the magazine was going for the "shock value" and not the "tender, innocent moment" between a mom and her newborn.
I think it is perfectly reasonable for women to "cover up" while breastfeeding. That said, all my kiddos hated to be smothered by a blanket, so I just had to try to be very discreet while feeding them in public. At home, I felt much more comfortable, and didn't worry so much about it. But in public! I just didn't want anyone else to "catch a glimpse" so to speak.
No, I don't wear long skirts all the time. No, I don't wear high collar shirts. I live in the south and wear a lot of tank tops and skirts to my knees and shorts and capris, etc. Yes, we have renaissance art up in the house. (a contention from one of the commenters....do we let our kids see beautiful art?) And in one of the pictures, Jesus (as a child) is naked. My kids have never really noticed.
Are there more important things to worry about in this world? Oh yes. But I thought this debate was an interesting one...
Thoughts?
5 comments:
I remember your post, glorybe! And I agree with your practice...sounds just like me! :)
I was just wondering what people thought about the magazine cover....
did it offend you? Do you think it was an appropriate picture?
High ladies here comes one male’s view. The picture is neither offensive or appealing to me. The addition of the baby invokes the functional use of the breast rendering it neutral. Although nice, the warning was unnecessary, still the right thing to do. It is the stylized use of the breast that the fellows have problems with. If it was a link to Victoria Secret, yes the warning would be necessary.
There is nothing offensive when I see a woman nursing a child in public. I’ve seen women nurse in Mass, I never gave it a second though. She had like four other kids, and she was fulfilling her Sunday obligation. What’s she supposed to do? Leave four kids alone in the pew while she runs outside. Lactation didn’t stop the martyrdom of Saint Perpetua.
We had the talk about modest dress before here. I love the Anne Taylor style. I like elegant and tasteful which also take care of being modest. My wife an daughter wear tanks, shorts, and all the other things you mentioned. It’s really a non--issue here.
My only contention here is that they could have used a more *tasteful* rendering of a nursing baby. I have no problem with mothers nursing in public at all....
The warning was necessary to my readers who consist of, for one, my very much-loved father-in-law who is very sensitive to mothers nursing in front of him. I do not get upset when around him, and generally try to remove myself from the general area when my babies need to nurse. I respect his discomfort. He comes from a different generation, after all.
The reference I make to dress is just to assure readers that they are not dealing with a puritanical-minded woman here. I think I have a pretty balanced view.
But I still say that they could have chosen a better picture.....
Agreed.
One question, off subject. My daughter when going to sleep is very calm and sort of drifts off. However, my son resists a bit, but we know he is driffting because he heats up to the point of breaking a sweat, and then goes off to sleep. It worried us so my wife took him to the doc but he said some kids are like that. He still does it at nearly five, he gets hot and then a bit of sweat and nods off. It really strange. Any comments or knowlege?
Sorry, CM. I only re-call the "nightmare" episodes....not sweating.
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