[haleyelianasmom]

I just got my Parents magazine in the mail today (I have s subscription. It was a shower gift). They had a picture of a woman breastfeeding, which I was glad to see, but they also had a picture of a woman outside on a park bench with her baby in a stroller being fed from a bottle. There were people sitting nearby giving dirty looks to this woman as if they were disgusted to see a baby in public. I didn't get to read the article all the way through yet, but it discusses how some things aren't kid/baby-friendly and a vocal minority can stand seeing babies out and about.

While I agree this is an issue, I was bothered by the picture. This might send out a bad message: that even bottlefeeding can be unacceptible and irritating to some, so don't even think of carrying that baby around and nursing it while out. I don't think this is what was intended, but the message of this illustration was irritating. I'm so sick of seeing bottlefeeding as if it should be the norm in these magazines. Bottlefeeding should be seen in illustrations becausr let's face it, sometimes it IS necessary, but not to the level these magazines would have you believe.

It bothered me in the same way as the ads with 90 pound supermodels laughing and smiling eating chips or ice cream. unnatural and staged and NOT the way things should be

Has anyone seen this picture?

 

[mommyto3girls]

I saw the picture and thought it would be great to take the picture and change the title and caption. Make it look like the people were disgusted to see the mom bottle proping with baby in the stroller. GIve the peole with disgusted looks little bubbles where they are thinking "OMG, I can't believe she's doing that in public" "Ugg, do I have to sit here and look at that silicone nipple shoved in that baby's face." "Some people just have no respect for other people's feelings and comfort"

 

[frontierpsych]

lol, someone should photoshop it!

 

[firstkid4me]

I haven't seen the picture, can someone post a link?

 

[justplainbecky]

Quote:

I saw the picture and thought it would be great to take the picture and change the title and caption. Make it look like the people were disgusted to see the mom bottle proping with baby in the stroller. GIve the peole with disgusted looks little bubbles where they are thinking "OMG, I can't believe she's doing that in public" "Ugg, do I have to sit here and look at that silicone nipple shoved in that baby's face." "Some people just have no respect for other people's feelings and comfort"

OMG! THAT would be fabulous! If I photoshopped it, could I post it here?

:

 

[Sarah]

We were leaving home and I picked up the mail on the way out- later when the baby started fussing from the carseat I tossed him the Parents magazine so he could look at the baby pictures. ... (I would never do that with a Mothering I had not even read yet!) I have to go out to the truck and find this picture- hope it's still in one piece. It sounds to me like they used the bottlefeeder to demonstrate that it was not the breast *some* people object to... but simply the life/existence of the baby. Had they used a nursing mom, some people might have assumed that the people were objecting to her breastfeeding- so by using a bottlefed baby they were making it very clear that boobie was not the issue-

I think that actually IS a great point that needs to be made because I think that a huge abount of breastfeeding harassment is actually nothing but child/mother hatred and the fact that the mom is nursing is just the "opener" the bigot was looking for. Fact is- they would hate you if your baby cried, they would hate you if your baby drooled, they would hate you if you baby smeared some food on his face, they'd hate you if they were seated near you on the airplane/ movie/ bus/ .... they would hate you if they saw you changing his diaper, they would hate you if they smelled his diaper in the moment before you changed it... etc...

 

[moonfirefaery]

Very good points Sarah. A lot of people that do not have babies (wehther they have never had them or have ones that are much older now) are irritated by babies and do not like being aorund them. They just consider them a nuisance, even feel sad for people who have them (and of course angry if they don't 'control' them every mnute of the day). That's just my experience though