[1Plus2]

I recently read "To Kill A Mockingbird" (I have no idea why I never read this amazing book before now!) and two passages stood out to me:

"Greasy-faced children popped-the-whip through the crowd, and babies lunched at their mothers' breasts."

and there is another one later on in the courtroom that refers to babies nursing as well (I can't find the specific passage right now).

How is it that this book which was written in 1960 about a story that took place in the 1920's (I believe it was the 20's) mentions nursing in public at least twice and it's a TOTALLY NORMAL THING? Yet here we are almost into 2005 and mothers are getting harassed at JCPenney's for doing the exact same thing! How are we actually regressing instead of making progress?? Can anyone attempt to explain this to me??

 

[crazy_eights]

Well, doncha know, that was in 1920 when they didn't have formula that was so advanced

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[Patchfire]

I can't recall where Harper Lee was from exactly, but I know it was somewhere in the south... and when you get to pockets of older southern ladies, they are the *best* supporters of breastfeeding. My family is supportive, sure, but the most supportive one was my great-grandmother. She would go on and on about how dd was so strong because of my breastmilk, how healthy, etc. I think it comes from being raised with a fairly self-sufficient ethos (and in her case, seeing younger siblings get sick when her mother died). YMMV, of course, but it might explain Harper Lee's easy acceptance.

 

[binxsmom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patchfire I can't recall where Harper Lee was from exactly, but I know it was somewhere in the south... and when you get to pockets of older southern ladies, they are the *best* supporters of breastfeeding. My family is supportive, sure, but the most supportive one was my great-grandmother. She would go on and on about how dd was so strong because of my breastmilk, how healthy, etc. I think it comes from being raised with a fairly self-sufficient ethos (and in her case, seeing younger siblings get sick when her mother died). YMMV, of course, but it might explain Harper Lee's easy acceptance.

my 83 year old southern grandmother is my biggest bf and cd supporter. she just doesn't understand the lack of bf in our culture today. she's amazing!

 

[springbabes]

My grandpa was born in 1918 in New York City and he says when he was a kid it was perfectly normal to see women breastfeeding on subways and street cars--so I don't think it was just the south

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[artgoddess]

My FIL was raised in the mid-west and moved to Cali after the marines. Everytime I see him he asks; "Are you still nursing?" He does it because he wants to make sure I am! I love that. When I was preggo he asked if I planned to nurse, and when I told him yes he nearly teared up telling me how happy he was to hear that. "There is no grater bond than between a baby and nursing mother." he would tell me.

He was born at home in the 1930's during a power outage no less. So I guess natural parenting was so great for him, that he wants to make sure his grandchildren get the best of it too.