The Breast

And here I am so freaking freaked out because I cannot breastfeed, much less breastfeed in public, and this is what the world is coming to...

Eyeful of breast-feeding mom sparks outrage
"I was SHOCKED to see a giant breast on the cover of your magazine," one person wrote. "I immediately turned the magazine face down," wrote another. "Gross," said a third.

(Babytalk magazine, breastfeeding cover)

Comments

[Susan Wensel]

This was a lot more discreet than I expected given the hype.

And to think, there was less outrage over a nude, pregnant Demi Moore (covering her naughty bits) on the cover of a major magazine just a few years ago.

Our society certainly lacks a sense of proportion here: a pregnant woman is not sexual and a breastfeeding mom is????

[Jennifer]

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I saw that magazine in the pediatrician's office and picked it up to read the article. Didn't think anything of the cover until I saw the controversy. I was amazed.

Bravo to BabyTalk.

Why is this considered offensive? It is a beautiful picture of a baby nursing from it's mother. Our society is so twisted.

[Cherith]

It really makes me sad that something as basic as a child being nurished would be considered obscene by some people.

I have to ask those people, WHY do you think that breasts start producing milk after childbirth??? It is not a design flaw, that's what they are for!!

I just read the article and come on. This women better not take their kids/husbands to the grocery store check out stands where boobs are hanging out. Baby Talk's magazine cover is so tasteful. Seriously, they show more on boob on t.v. then what is on the cover. Sorry, I am just babbling but this has got to be a joke. What a beautiful picture!!

[Beret]

There is more breast shown on the average Vogue, Cosmo, etc. covers monthly. What is the big deal? People who are offended by this have waaaay too much time on their hands. They should take their outrage and channel it into more productive ventures.

[leigh]

Some people will always be freaked out by this. Don't even begin to spend the energy worrying about these people. No woman, or person, can please all the people all the time. You might get some disapproving glances out in public, but you will get some approving ones too. I promise. People will feed off your attitude, act shamed, and they will shame you. Act natural (and proud) and people will respond accordingly. Please don't worry about what strangers think!! Cheering for you!!!

[Micaela]

Here's a perfectly appropriate blog entry from Doctor Mama on the difficulties she experienced breast feeding, and then the subsequent harrassment for continuing to do so.

http://doctormama.blogspot.com/2005/10/my-breasts-or-when-are-you-going-to_22.html

You can't please everyone, and most people are stupid, it seems.

[DD]

Oh, but if we superimposed George Clooney's face over the baby's, no one would have batted an eye and scooped up the magazine by the dozen.

[rockmamainwaiting]

I saw this a few weeks ago and it just made me so MAD!!!! Britney Spears can get it all out on the cover of Vogue but a breast doing what it's designed to do is somehow "gross". (just to add, I thought Britney Spears actually looked pretty great on the cover of Vogue, but it's just a comparison.)

[SaraS-P]

How is this offensive? I think it is beautiful. With all the slutty images on magazine covers now, are we really condemning THIS???

[Heather]

One can either pay attention to the "outrage" sensationalized by the mass media-or one can find their own quiet corner of supporters and subcultures such as La Leche League International (if you ever go to one of their conferances it will be like coming home to one's own "country" of "like minds on at least ONE issue:)", or help to support magazines like "Mothering". I'm glad that a mainstream baby/parenting magazine has chosen to step into "uncharted" waters a bit-for once-and they should be commended. For a further interesting read-get "The Politics of Breastfeeding." Change comes slowly and one must also concede that had you attempted to have NG 50 years ago-it would not have happened at all-and that all the paraphenalia that you are able to utilize to get her as much breastmilk as possible is also a product of the techno age of this "non-breastfeeding" culture. Previously-a wet nurse, backyard cow or goat would have to do. So take heart-know all new mums are tired-have rampant thoughts of "what did I get myself into THIS time?", and probably have low levels of depression. There are an enormous amount of life changes that happen with a baby-mostly-we are no longer under any illusions that we can live life as we used to, or had fantasy's about. This is your own and G's and NG's personal journey-you do the best you can-you often have regrets-but you just keep hacking away at it, and try not to make the same mistake more than once! This is a vulnerable time for all of you-and the invitation on the next step of "growing up." You don't need to take on anything more than the baby and pertinent commitments at this point in time. Let the rest of the world drop for a while, and take heart that there used to be women who stemmed the tide of all sorts of cultural mores all along, or there wouldn't have been midwives, education, the right to vote, pants, or even the traditions of all the heritage arts-including breastfeeding. Really Aliza-the world ain't that bad!

[Jessica S.]

I was dismayed by the outrage when I read this article in my local paper.

"I'm totally supportive of it — I just don't like the flashing," she [Gayle Ash, of Belton, Texas] says. "I don't want my son or husband to accidentally see a breast they didn't want to see."

I got news for ya, lady. Your son and husband want to see ALL breasts.