letter to the editor (my first step in lactivism! :-) Update --> THEY PRINTED IT!!!

My local paper finally ran the NY Times article on the nurse in and I want to use it as an opportunity to write a letter to the editor.

I am purposely trying to keep this really positive (and it is accurate...I have had wonderful experiences with NIP)...and I also want to put in a little plug for nursing beyond infancy.

I appreciate any feedback/suggestions.

Thanks!

~Erin


To the Editor:

I read the article "Lactivists to ABC's Walters: 'Hey Barbara, Don't Look!'" (Sunday, June 12) with great interest.

As a nursing mother I am very grateful that I live in a state where my right to breastfeed my child whenever and wherever I need to is protected by law.

I am also especially thankful for the positive responses I have received throughout the state. Friendly smiles of passerby's have really meant a lot to me over the past year as my daughter and I have nursed in grocery stores, parks, restaurants, libraries, on mall benches and even at the State House.

Although I have not received any direct criticism, I am sure there have been people who have felt uncomfortable at the sight of my daughter breastfeeding. I know because I have felt similar discomfort in the past.

I do not think there is anything inherently wrong with Ms. Walter's comment that seeing a breastfeeding mother made her uncomfortable. But I think we need to go deeper and explore where that discomfort originates. We need to be aware of the sexualized images of breasts that permeate our society and how this affects our perception of breastfeeding.

As my daughter celebrates her first birthday, I look forward to continuing our nursing relationship. I will continue to do my best to be appropriately discreet (and hope that my active toddler cooperates) but I will not hide in a darkened closet, or a dirty bathroom stall, while nursing to save others from their culturally imposed discomfort.

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