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More on Breast feeding
grumpygy
Member Posts: 53,466 ✭
Photo is on MSN.
quote:Is breast-feeding while in uniform conduct unbecoming to a military mom?
The debate over nursing in public got a new layer recently, when photos taken on an Air Force base began to circulate online. In the series of tasteful professional photos showing beaming moms as they nurse their kids, one jumps out: the photo of two servicewomen with their uniform shirts unbuttoned and hiked up to breast-feed.
"A lot of people are saying it's a disgrace to the uniform. They're comparing it to urinating and defecating [while in uniform]," says Crystal Scott, a military spouse who started Mom2Mom in January as a breast-feeding support group for military moms and "anyone related to the base" at Fairchild AFB outside Spokane, Wash. "It's extremely upsetting. Defecating in public is illegal. Breast-feeding is not."
It was Scott's idea to ask photographer Brynja Sigurdardottir to take photos of real-life breast-feeding moms to create posters for National Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August. One of the moms photographed in uniform, Terran Echegoyen-McCabe, breast-feeds her 10-month-old twin girls on her lunch breaks during drill weekends as a member of the Air National Guard.
"I have breast-fed in our lobby, in my car, in the park ... and I pump, usually in the locker room," she says. "I'm proud to be wearing a uniform while breast-feeding. I'm proud of the photo and I hope it encourages other women to know they can breast-feed whether they're active duty, guard or civilian."
She said she's surprised by the reaction to the photos, which also feature her friend Christina Luna, because it never occurred to her that breast-feeding in uniform would cause such a stir.
"There isn't a policy saying we can or cannot breast-feed in uniform," Echegoyen-McCabe says. "I think it's something that every military mom who is breast-feeding has done. ... I think we do need to be able to breast-feed in uniform and be protected."
The Air Force has no policy specifically addressing breast-feeding in uniform, according to Air Force spokesperson Captain Rose Richeson, who added, "Airmen should be mindful of their dress and appearance and present a professional image at all times while in uniform."
Brynja Sigurdardottir
Terran Echegoyen-McCabe, left, and Christina Luna breast-feed their children. Terran says she's proud of the photo, though she didn't expect it to get such a reaction.
Robyn Roche-Paull has been advocating for such a policy since she left the U.S. Navy 15 years ago. Her challenges in breast-feeding her son while on active duty - she recalls her "flaming red face" upon being reprimanded for nursing in a medical waiting room - prompted her to write a book called "Breastfeeding in Combat Boots" as a resource for military moms. She is now an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who remains close to the military through her active-duty husband and her blog for military moms.
"If you follow the comments on my blog, a lot of the comments are that the breast-feeding mothers are the ones who need to be covered up. Nobody sees anything wrong with bottle feeding mothers or fathers," she says. "Asking mothers to feed a baby by bottle when they are together, simply because they are in uniform, can both affect the mom's milk supply and her willingness to keep breast-feeding or stay in the military. It's simply one more barrier they have to face."
The criticism of the photo goes beyond the usual nursing-in-public debate, though. One commenter on Roche-Paull's website who identified herself as a retired captain in the Marine Corps said she advocated for breast-feeding moms in the military and now, as a civilian, she nurses freely on base. However, she writes:
"I would never nurse in uniform. I took my child to the bathroom or a private office when her nanny brought her to me .. Not because I was ashamed of nursing, nor of being a mother. All the guys knew I pumped. The military is not a civilian job. We go to combat and we make life or death decisions, and not just for ourselves but for those we lead. The same reason I would never nurse in uniform is the same reason I do not chew gum, or walk and talk on my cell phone, or even run into the store in my utility uniform. ... We are warfighting professionals. Women before us have worked too hard to earn and retain the respect of their male peers. I don't want my Marines to look at me any other way than as a Marine. When I am asking them to fly into combat with me and do a dangerous mission, I do not want them to have the mental image of a babe at my breast. I want them to only see me as a Marine. Let's be a realistic folks. We give up many freedoms being in the military.Breastfeeding in front of my fellow Marines was one of them."
Another commenter on the blog replies:
"There is N-O-T-H-I-N-G more authoritative than a strong mother standing tall breastfeeding as she barks orders. It's AWESOME that you've worked so hard promote breastfeeding, but I think you *might* be selling yourself short."
The women in the photo have given some thought to the whole question of military versus maternal duties. To those who believe breast-feeding in uniform undermines the authority of a female officer, Echegoyen-McCabe says:
"I guess my thoughts are, if you don't want to breast-feed in your uniform, you don't have to. But you should have respect for those who do. ... If anything, it should make people look at you as someone who is able to multitask."
Comments
WHY are MOTHERS even allowed to join the armed forces.???[:(!]
Happens after they join.
quote:Originally posted by fishkiller41
WHY are MOTHERS even allowed to join the armed forces.???[:(!]
Happens after they join.
Yep, they want those military bennies. You probably remember the female recruits at Parris Island trying to get pregnant at boot camp!
Everybody who knows squat knows women are allowed to nurse whereever they damn well please, and the wrath of all women and 50% of men will be brought down on the heads of those who dare complain about it.
Sorry, this is BS. This is an article about a problem from long, long ago. Can you honestly imagine in 2012 a military officer rebuking a woman for breastfeeding? Keep in mind that the Fort Hood shooter regularly spoke about how he planned to carry out jihad and NOBODY said anything because they were so terrified of offending the PC police.
"A lot of people" are idiots.
quote:"A lot of people are saying it's a disgrace to the uniform. They're comparing it to urinating and defecating [while in uniform]," says Crystal Scott, a military spouse..."
"A lot of people" are idiots.
A lot of people are not idiots. Don
"A lot of people" are idiots.
I'm in total agreement!!
quote:Originally posted by nunn
quote:"A lot of people are saying it's a disgrace to the uniform. They're comparing it to urinating and defecating [while in uniform]," says Crystal Scott, a military spouse..."
"A lot of people" are idiots.
A lot of people are not idiots. Don
So, by your logic, if I was in uniform on duty and needed to complete my morning constitutional (while in uniform at my desk on post) I should
A: Strip naked and proceed to the latrine
B: change to my civvies and proceed to the latrine
C: Tell you to STFU and proceed about my business.
Women have been breast feeding for millennia. Why is it a big controversy all of a sudden? In the old days, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, when women needed to feed the baby they tried to maintain as much privacy as possible under the circumstances they were in at the time. They weren't looking to start a fight. I wonder if that might have something to do with it.
Probably because some lonely POS had nothing better to do than look for something that has not yet been brought up[:(!]
quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
Women have been breast feeding for millennia. Why is it a big controversy all of a sudden? In the old days, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, when women needed to feed the baby they tried to maintain as much privacy as possible under the circumstances they were in at the time. They weren't looking to start a fight. I wonder if that might have something to do with it.
Probably because some lonely POS had nothing better to do than look for something that has not yet been brought up[:(!]
I think in general it is the same libtards that are trying to make abortion a big issue. They want to kill all babies and find women feeding them and keeping them healthy to be offensive.
I strangely am staring at a pack of chocolate chip cookies right now. don't really know why. strange. [;)]
It was an Oreo AD and I thought it was the best damn ad I have ever seen...
The Tag line is "Milk's Favorite Cookie"
And no, I will not post the original image here for copyright purposes.
(and yes I am an Oreo junkie....)
I don't have a problem with the breast feeding in uniform, if conducted discretely. I have a problem with any member of the military participating in a photo shoot intended to gin up a controversy. As far as I am concerned if they are representing the Air Force they should have to seek permission to participate in such a photo shoot while in uniform. This photo strikes me as a staged event. Just my opinion. People out looking for trouble just like that Marine that spouted off on facebook.
I agree. It's the "Hey, everybody, look at me! I'm breastfeeding, see how liberated I am" mentality that I object to. I prefer when it's not in my face, so to speak. Whatever happened to discretion?
Oh, and by the way, Nunn, I'm NOT an idiot. Obviously, you're the expert, though.
Big or small, I like em all.
I'm like a woman in a shoe store. I want to see every pair!
This is no different in my opinion. It is wearing a uniform while supporting a "cause". These two service women are using their uniforms to make a statement.
They are violating uniform code for the expediency of breast feeding in public. No cover (hat to you civilians) and unbuttoned blouses.
I support a woman's right to breast feed, just don't use the uniform to push the issue.
That is disgraceful. [:(]
It is against UCMJ to wear a uniform when supporting a political candidate. In fact, one soldier did so and faced disciplinary action.
This is no different in my opinion. It is wearing a uniform while supporting a "cause". These two service women are using their uniforms to make a statement.
They are violating uniform code for the expediency of breast feeding in public. No cover (hat to you civilians) and unbuttoned blouses.
I support a woman's right to breast feed, just don't use the uniform to push the issue.
That is disgraceful. [:(]
+1
I don't have a problem with the breast feeding in uniform, if conducted discretely. I have a problem with any member of the military participating in a photo shoot intended to gin up a controversy. As far as I am concerned if they are representing the Air Force they should have to seek permission to participate in such a photo shoot while in uniform. This photo strikes me as a staged event. Just my opinion. People out looking for trouble just like that Marine that spouted off on facebook.
Well said. I don't have a problem with breast feeding, homosexuality, people of different skin color, or any of the other thousand groups who claim to be discriminated against. What I DO have a problem with is when they get in your face about it, making you feel somehow inferior if you aren't out trumpeting about how great they are. You want to breast feed and be in the Air Force? Fine. Thanks for your service. Put a towel over that. Maybe breasts shouldn't be seen as 'private parts' but in our society they ARE, and just because you're using them for what they are for doesn't mean that exposing them is right. After all, my weiner can be used for making new life, a beautiful act- but I'm not going to demonstrate for my right to copulate in public. I have some sense of decency and what should be done where. These women obviously don't, AND are using their position to politicize the issue.
Clouder..
Different generation i guess.
Being out of proper uniform in public is unacceptable and a violation of uniform regs, regardless of the reason.
THIS is correct. Well stated.
quote:Originally posted by grumpygy
quote:Originally posted by fishkiller41
WHY are MOTHERS even allowed to join the armed forces.???[:(!]
Happens after they join.
Yep, they want those military bennies. You probably remember the female recruits at Parris Island trying to get pregnant at boot camp!
I stayed so tired at PI that I couldn't have gotten anybody pregnant!!!![xx(][xx(][xx(]
Being out of proper uniform in public is unacceptable and a violation of uniform regs, regardless of the reason.
That is the only problem I have with it.
It is against UCMJ to wear a uniform when supporting a political candidate. In fact, one soldier did so and faced disciplinary action.
This is no different in my opinion. It is wearing a uniform while supporting a "cause". These two service women are using their uniforms to make a statement.
They are violating uniform code for the expediency of breast feeding in public. No cover (hat to you civilians) and unbuttoned blouses.
I support a woman's right to breast feed, just don't use the uniform to push the issue.
That is disgraceful. [:(]
Agree!!
No problem with breast feeding but I'm curios, what ever happened to modesty and throwing a blanket over a shoulder to hide the luggage?
Different generation i guess.
Agree!!!
No problem with breast feeding but I'm curios, what ever happened to modesty and throwing a blanket over a shoulder to hide the luggage?
Different generation i guess.
I am with you on that one.
quote:Originally posted by xstuntman
No problem with breast feeding but I'm curios, what ever happened to modesty and throwing a blanket over a shoulder to hide the luggage?
Different generation i guess.
I am with you on that one.
+10000000000000
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain