I know this is a touchy controversial topic, but I just need to vent a little bit and this is where I do my best thinking/ranting so here it goes.This is my opinion on breastfeeding, I'm sorry if others don't agree but I have the right to my own opinion.
I have had 2 children, I did not breastfeed either of them. It was my choice not to. I was not breastfed as a child, and I have my own other personal reasons for not breastfeeding. I didn't not breastfeed because I didn't want my breasts to be exposed when feeding my child, I obviously wish I was able to give my children breast milk because it is the best most natural thing to give your child. It just wasn't in the cards for me. I 100% agree and support mothers who do breastfeed their children and do it openly. I hate that some women are so uncomfortable they have to take their child to the rest room to feed, or cover them up with a blanket. However this is what I do have a problem with.
Breastfeeding is a time for you and your child to bond. I can see taking a picture for your OWN personal viewing. What I do not understand is the constant need for women to take a picture of themselves breastfeeding their child and posting it onto social media for others to see. I get it. You're proud, your trying to spread support and awareness for breastfeeding. There is a point though that you are going past that and into territory I like to call, "breast obsessed". It's your mission to prove to everyone you don't care, you constantly post breastfeeding pictures. You are posting pictures breastfeeding with your middle finger up. This is a time for you and your child, why are you sharing this personal moment. Instead of trying to prove your point, enjoy this moment and forget about what other people say or think. Don't turn something that is positive into something negative, by putting up a middle finger in a picture of you and your child. Why do you feel the need to shove it down peoples throats that you breastfeed. We get it, we don't need to be reminded of all the "haters" you have because of your breastfeeding pictures. I didn't post pictures of myself bottle feeding my children and yell from the mountain tops "bottle feeding is BEST!" so why do you take pictures of yourself breastfeeding your child and yell "breastfeeding is BEST" on every platform available? I don't get it. It seems like a cry for attention to me. It looks like you are trying to get the "oooh's and the aaah's".You are not the first person to breastfeed and you are not that last. You say it's so natural, then be natural. You say animals breastfeed, so we should breastfeed. Yeah but you don't see dogs taking selfies with their puppies on their breast. You say people have been doing it for years, yes they have, but they didn't feel the need to share it with everyone else and take photographic evidence of it, after all, all you are doing is feeding your baby right? You are making it a big deal, no one else is. We DO want to see your precious baby feeding, but not your full breast exposed. I swear some pictures I see, you can't even see the childs face all you see is the mother and her breast. What are you trying to get a picture of exactly, the baby breastfeeding or you and your breast?
It's like this basically. Facebook to me is the equivalent of standing on a podium in front of all of your "friends" and showing them EVERYTHING. In my head I envision us in the 18th century in the middle of town square on a podium. Your status/photos would be what you would be saying to all the people in town. Basically what you are saying is "LOOK EVERYONE I'M BREASTFEEDING MY BABY!" Nobody cares that you are breastfeeding your baby. Go for it girl, feed the shit out of that baby, but why share it on social media for everyone to see? Now this goes for everyone who airs their dirty laundry, their relationship problems, complaining, etc. on facebook. If you wouldn't share it front and center in town square you shouldn't be "sharing" it on facebook.
Be proud. Spread the word. Raise awareness, but do I really have to see boobs all the time. I have 2 of my own. I've seen women breastfeed before, I don't need a daily reminder on facebook what breastfeeding looks like. What are you trying to prove? I have a lot of friends who breastfeed, and they are very proud of it, but they don't feel the need to share it on social media and if they do, they do it with class and with respect for themselves and for others.
Well that's all I've got for today. I want to thank all of you breastfeeding "breast obsessed" moms out there that gave me a topic for todays post. I want to give a special shout out to all the moms who breastfeed their babies and do it with class and are proud, because they should be proud for breastfeeding in public and not being afraid of what others think. Every mother should be proud to just be a mother, whether that child is breast fed or bottle fed. Stop the judgement of either choice. No way is better than the other. This post was not to bash women who breast feed in anyway, you all know "those" people I speak of, and I know many breastfeeding mothers that think "those" women give breastfeeding a bad name/image.
-Ali
