True Stories #169 - Feeding Time

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Episode Transcript

(00:01):
I'm Seth Andrews, and what you'reabout to hear is a true story.
Here is a sensitive subject to bringup around family and friends. I will
let you decide if you want thekids to join us for this one.

(00:22):
We are talking about public breast feeding. I had seen a story about a
mother in China who was breastfeeding infull view of other people. She was
approached by authorities who gave her astern warning, stop doing this immediately.

(00:42):
And I agree with the authorities.Now hang on when I tell you why.
I think you just my degree withme. Here in the US,
all fifty states have some kind oflaw that specifically allows women to breastfeed in
any public or private location. Afew states are still a little bit fuzzy

(01:06):
about when it might become indecent exposure. Four states California, Illinois, Minnesota,
Missouri. They've even run breastfeeding awarenesscampaigns because they want to encourage the
practice. The US government has anentire page of tips for people nervous about
public breastfeeding. The page suggest maybetry wearing certain types of blouses that button

(01:30):
down, put a blanket on theshoulders to help cover up. If you
want, you can find designated roomsand malls and stores and stadiums. Practice
in front of people that you arealready comfortable with, before you go out
in front of strangers. Feed yourchild before it gets fussy, and beyond
all of that the messages. Don'tbe ashamed of feeding your child in this

(01:55):
natural way. The National Office onWomen's Health post about the science of breastfeeding,
saying that the statistics show breast fedbabies get sick less often. This
is a bonding experience with the child. Your body often recovers from pregnancy and
childbirth more quickly. If your breastfeed, the data suggests, you might

(02:19):
lower the risk of breast and ovariancancer, and you might even have an
easier time losing the baby weight.Yet, the National Library of Medicine has
studied public opposition, much of itrooted in the fact that, at least
here in the United States, wecan be a very bashful people. Our
social norms are still very conservative.Some people worry about separation issues when women

(02:46):
go back to the workplace, andthere's a whole lot of misinformation out there
about breast feeding. People Magazine ranan article in twenty eighteen with stories about
the strangest places that women say theyhave ever breastfed. Sports Illustrated fashion model
Mara Martin she actually walked the runway. She was on the runway at a

(03:09):
fashion show in a gold bikini,breastfeeding her five month old daughter. A
woman named Tricia wrote in She saidshe and her husband were sitting in a
living room display at Ikia and becausethey just felt at home, they decided
to treat it like home. Canadianminister Karina Gould breastfed her three month old

(03:34):
during a session of parliament. Ellietold the magazine she had fed her child
at the Minnesota State Fairs cow milkingdemonstration. Lula fed her baby on the
front row of her grandfather's funeral.So many stories, breastfeeding during a massage,

(03:54):
during yoga, walking the streets ofNew York, even inside one of
those inflatable bouncy castles. Mothers caringfor their young without shame, and good
for them. But I'm still raisingan eyebrow about that one woman in China,

(04:15):
the one breastfeeding her baby before beingcalled down and condemned by the authorities.
The child was eighteen months old.Okay, the mother was on a
public street, fine, but shewas also driving a motorcycle at about thirty

(04:38):
five miles an hour. Maybe thatparticular example doesn't fall under the category of
proper nurture and care. I'm justsaying, and that story of motorcycling mammory
misjudgment from September of twenty thirteen isa true story. True Stories podcast dot com m