...argh, the stupid!

[kyrielle]

I advocate the right of a woman to breast-feed her baby almost anywhere and anywhen she needs to and is comfortable doing so.

That sentence didn't used to contain the word almost. Yes, I'm shy, and I would be uncomfortable breast-feeding on a bench in the mall, but anyone who is comfortable with it should be able to, IMO. If the baby is hungry, the baby is hungry. (Me, I'd use a bottle if in the mall - or perhaps retire to my car if I needed to breast-feed - or something.) The always has appeared because no, I don't think it's reasonable to breast-feed while in a moving vehicle, especially while driving it.

1) Distracted driver.
2) Not-properly-secured baby.
3) Baby in target zone for steering column and/or air bag in an accident.
4) HELLO DANGER DANGER DON'T RISK THE BABY YOU IDIOT.

Seriously, pull over and park and you can feed in your stopped car all you want. But not. While. Driving. Not while riding, either - that would get rid of 1 and part or all of 3 (depending on where the mommy was sitting, when a passenger, the air bag might still be a risk), but the baby is still not properly secured. Your arms are not going to be sufficient to hang on in an accident. And your baby deserves better than to be risked that way.

I'm so glad that nothing bad did happen to that baby.

Comments

[phoenixscribe.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I saw that article myself, and was in complete shock at the sheer stupidity. And the excuse of "I wasn't going to let my baby go hungry" - or something to that effect??????????

PULL. OVER. STOP. CAR. **THEN** feed baby.

Personally, I remember quite well the last 5 minutes of multiple drives when Leo was very little and got hungry just before we got home. They were not pleasant 5 minute spans, but nobody was at risk of death, either.

There were also more than a few where we pulled over, I got into the back seat, and fed him with a bottle because we really didn't have time to stop to feed him but he was hungry NOW.

[canyoncat.livejournal.com]

I can't believe someone would actually be that stupid. :\

[cipherpunk.livejournal.com]

I have never been persuaded by arguments that a woman has a right to breastfeed. By definition, civil rights are those that apply to all Americans equally and can be exercised by all Americans equally. I have about as much right to breastfeed as I do a right to an abortion -- another civil right which can only be exercised by 50% of Americans. (IMO, the fact women have the right to total control over whether they reproduce but men don't is one of the most glaring faults in the idea of the Constitution protecting the right to an abortion; it seems to be an obvious violation of substantive due process.)

I have no problem with telling a woman, "no, you can't breastfeed here."

I have a huge problem with telling the kid, "no, you can't sate your hunger here, or if you want to, you have to do it with food that medical professionals say is a second-place finisher, nutritionwise, to the food that you could be having."

Once, years upon years ago, I was in the Mount Vernon Pizza Hut paying my bill when someone came up and told the manager a woman was breastfeeding at a table. (Said woman was doing so quite discreetly, it must be said.) The manager looked over at her a moment, then looked back over to the complainant. "Yes, sir, it does appear that little kid is violating our posted 'No Outside Food or Drink' policy. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. However, I don't think he can read, so I'm inclined to give him a pass for right now. Just wouldn't seem fair otherwise."