Breastfeeding issues have gotten a lot of press lately.  That is probably because World Breastfeeding Week is August 1-7, and breastfeeding advocacy groups are planning nurse outs and other activities to increase the awareness and acceptance of nursing.  All of the media coverage of these events, and of breastfeeding issues in general, has led to quite a few heated discussions on local talk radio.  In particular, nursing in public seems to be a hot button issue. 

Most of the talk show hosts who I have heard cover this issue are conservatives.  As a conservative myself, I have been disappointed that most of the opinions expressed on these shows have been against nursing in public.  For the most part, the hosts, and many callers, have been rude, childish and often mean-spirited towards mothers who are simply speaking out for their right to feed their babies.  I have heard nursing in public compared to clipping your toenails or having sex in public.  One host even half jokingly told a mother that she had been nursing too long, was in a quagmire and needed an exit strategy. 

Of course, some of the controversial statements made in these discussions may just be an attempt to shed humor on the subject, or rile up the listeners.  But as a conservative women who is also a nursing mother, I have recently begun to feel to need to speak out against what I see an a conservative bias against breastfeeding in general, and nursing in public specifically.

To be fair, I know many nursing mothers who would consider themselves conservatives.  I am in no way saying that conservatives do not nurse their children.  However, all of the grief I have ever received or heard about nursing has come from conservatives.  Quite frankly I am baffled by this.  How can an ideology that supports my right to religious speech in public, not also support my right to publicly feed my child in the manner the Creator intended?  How can a person who believes in the right of a parent to send their child to the school of their choice, not also advocate for a mother’s right to feed her child where she needs to?  How can a conservative fight for my right to carry a gun practically anywhere, and not support my right to hold my child to my breast and feed him at the mall?

Maybe it is time for conservatives, and the public in general, to reconsider how they feel about breastfeeding.  If you see a mother nurse her child today the world will not end.  I promise that she will not purposely expose herself or titillate your young son.  The social structure of this country will not crumble if I nurse my son in public.  It is my hope that people from all walks of life and ideologies can one day embrace this important aspect of mothering.  Breastfeeding can be difficult enough.  Maybe we should try supporting our nursing mothers instead of banishing them to public restrooms and overheated cars. 

It has been said that in times of controversy, conservatives eat their own.  That is not my intention.  I only want to feed my son.