The Truth About Breastfeeding in Public

<blockquote> <h3>Fast Facts</h3> <ul> <li>The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend that moms exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months of life. The primary reason for this recommendation is because of the many benefits that come with breastfeeding for moms and babies.</li> <li>According to a survey conducted by Aeroflow Healthcare, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 5 men in the United States find breastfeeding in public “inappropriate” because it’s “too personal”.</li> <li>Infants typically feed anywhere from eight to ten times a day, and in fact, it’s normal for babies to feed regularly throughout the day. Some babies may even feed as often as every hour.</li> <li>Breastfeeding in public is legal in every state. Some states (e.g., New York and California) offer strong protection in the form of civil statutes protecting a woman’s right to breastfeed in public.</li> </ul> </blockquote> <p>Exposed breasts. They can be seen out and about everywhere in public. They’re on magazine covers at newspaper stands, lingerie posters at Victoria Secret, a woman wearing a bikini at the beach, in movies, and even tv commercials. But put a nursing infant anywhere near those breasts and suddenly some people are offended because it’s “indecent”.</p> <p>Breastfeeding in public is a hot topic that seems to push buttons on both sides of the debate. Some would say it’s even hotter than the “breast versus formula” war. And unfortunately, many mothers have been shamed for feeding their babies while out-and-about.</p> <h2>A fed baby is best</h2> <p>Yes, there are many ways to feed a baby and every parent’s journey is different. Some exclusively breastfeed. Some breastfeed and bottle-feed pumped milk. Some only use formula. Many use a combination of all of them – ‘a fed baby is best’.</p> <p>For those moms who can breastfeed their babies, they should be able to do so whenever and wherever they choose – including in public places. Because yes, babies want to eat in restaurants, on airplanes, and park benches too.</p> <p>According to a study conducted by Aeroflow Healthcare – a medical-grade breast pump company – 1 in 4 women and 1 in 5 men in the United States find breastfeeding in public “inappropriate and indecent” because it’s “too personal”. But sometimes, moms need to be out in public while simultaneously needing to breastfeed their newborn baby.</p> <p>And so, in honor of World Breastfeeding Week, which runs from August 1st through August 7th, here are some reasons why moms need to – and choose to – breastfeed in public.</p> <h2>Breastfeeding adds to moms and babies’ health.</h2> <p>The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend moms exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months of life. The primary reason for this recommendation is because of the many benefits that comes with breastfeeding for moms and babies.</p> <p>Many studies show that breast milk provides the most ideal nutrition for infants. It contains a nearly perfect mix of vitamins, proteins, and fat – everything baby needs to grow. Breast milk also contains other nutritional components, such as antioxidants, enzymes, immune properties, and live antibodies from mom that help baby fend off viruses and bacteria. And it’s all provided in a form that is easily digested.</p> <p>Plus, babies who are breastfed have lower incidences of ear infections, respiratory illnesses, bacterial and viral infections, allergies, and bouts of diarrhea.</p> <p>For moms, breastfeeding releases the hormone oxytocin, which helps their uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size and may also help reduce uterine bleeding after birth. Studies have shown that breastfeeding may help lower the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, as well as osteoporosis. An added bonus is that breastfeeding burns extra calories so it can help new mothers lose their pregnancy weight faster.</p> <p>And so, for moms who plan on following the AAP and ACOG’s recommendation of exclusively breastfeeding their baby for the first six months, some of those breastfeeding sessions will have to happen in public.</p> <figure><img alt="" src="https://cdn.storymd.com/optimized/RqVPwksxom/thumbnail.jpg" /> <figcaption>Breastfeeding: Nourishing Body & Bond <em>Source: TheVisualMD</em></figcaption> </figure> <h2>Babies get hungry. A lot.</h2> <p>If you don’t have a baby or haven’t been around babies, here’s a day in the life of a newborn: eat, sleep, eat, cry, eat, pee, eat, poop, and eat. Then repeat. Infants typically feed anywhere from eight to ten times a day, and in fact, it’s normal for babies to feed regularly throughout the day. Some babies may even feed as often as every hour.</p> <p>Some babies can go longer stretches without eating when they are sleeping, but most babies need to be fed within a three-hour window.</p> <p>This is because a newborn’s stomach capacity is very small and so, they need to feed in small volumes frequently throughout the day. A one-day old baby has a stomach the size of a cherry – that’s about a tablespoon. By two weeks, their stomach is the size of a medium-sized egg, which means they can only drink about 2 ounces of milk at a time. As baby grows, so does her stomach. But for the first few months, they will need to feed multiple times a day.</p> <p>If a breastfeeding mom of a newborn needs to leave the house, she will most likely have to breastfeed her baby in public at some point during the day.</p> <h2>Breastfeeding on an airplane helps baby’s small ears.</h2> <p>Have you ever chewed gum when flying to help your adult ears from popping? Well, babies breastfeed to protect their small ears.</p> <p>Suckling or swallowing will equalize the pressure in the baby’s eustachian tube, which is a small passageway that connects the throat to the middle ear. And so, when the pressure changes while in the air, breastfeeding allows fluid to drain to help prevent their ears from popping.</p> <p>And so, if a mom is breastfeeding her baby on an airplane, she’s doing you a favor because her baby probably won’t be screaming in pain from a popped ear.</p> <h2>Bottle feeding isn’t always an option.</h2> <p>It shouldn’t be expected that mothers give their babies formula or bottle feed their babies pumped breast milk while in public. For one, some babies simply will not take a bottle. And two, a breastfeeding mother could become painfully engorged if a baby skips a breastfeeding session to feed from a bottle.</p> <p>On top of that, studies show that pumped breast milk is not the same as breast milk received directly from the breast. That’s because once milk is expressed from the breast, the nutritional contents instantly begin to change. Certain proteins will start to degrade and continue to degrade as time passes. And so, the nutrients in breast milk should be absorbed immediately and thoroughly to gain the most benefit.</p> <p>After only an hour, pumped breast milk will not contain the same protein or fat content. While it’s not harmful for babies to drink, they will not be reaping the full benefits of the breast milk.</p> <p>Additionally, the skin-to-skin contact from suckling directly from the breast provides baby good bacteria for her gut microbiome.</p> <p>And so, feeding directly from the breast will give babies the most benefit.</p> <h2>Breastfeeding is natural and should be encouraged, not hidden.</h2> <p>Yes, breastfeeding can feel extremely blissful and make a mom proud, but it can also feel very lonely and isolating. Which is why, despite the challenges of breastfeeding in public, some moms still choose to do so.</p> <p>And yes, breastfeeding is a natural way for babies to receive nutrition from their moms. But while natural, it should also be noted that it is not always easy.</p> <p>Thus, asking a breastfeeding mom to breastfeed her baby in a bathroom or to cover herself up are unnecessary barriers to breastfeeding. For some moms, the fear of being confronted by a stranger for breastfeeding in public may cause them to either never begin breastfeeding or to prematurely stop breastfeeding their infant.</p> <p>And so, don’t make breastfeeding harder to do than it already is – let a mother breastfeed her baby in public if she needs and chooses to.</p> <figure><img alt="" src="https://cdn.storymd.com/optimized/voJOWwtvd4/thumbnail.jpg" /> <figcaption>Breastfeeding Feeding Cycle <em>Source: TheVisualMD</em></figcaption> </figure> <h2>Breastfeeding in public is protected by law.</h2> <p>That’s right, the law respects a mother’s right to breastfeed in public – meaning that breastfeeding in public is legal in all 50 states. In fact, some states (e.g., New York and California) offer stronger protection in the form of civil statutes protecting a woman’s right to breastfeed in public. Under these laws, a mom can sue for civil rights violations if she is prevented from breastfeeding in public.</p> <p>And so, a mother does not need to “cover up” or go somewhere more private, such as a bathroom, to breastfeed her baby. Breastfeeding in public is a basic civil right. If a mom needs to breastfeed her baby and chooses to do so in public, she legally can.</p> <p>The bottom line is that breastfeeding in public should be encouraged and supported because babies need to be fed when they need to be fed. Beyond that, a mom is legally allowed to breastfeed anywhere she is permitted to because the law protects a mom’s right to breastfeed in public. This includes private establishments, airplanes, park benches, and restaurants. The only exception: in a moving car.</p> <h2>More on Breastfeeding</h2><ul><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/pwgr5lyi4j-breastfeeding" target="_blank">All About Breastfeeding</a></li><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/jyvzo8asyj-breastfeeding-at-home-at-work-and-in-public" target="_blank">Transitioning Back to Work While Breastfeeding</a></li><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/vj6de52szw-breastfeeding-in-the-workplace" target="_blank">Breastfeeding in the Workplace</a></li></ul>