Breastfeeding is Beautiful.
It is the ultimate expression of femininity and being a woman. It is a magnificent, selfless act of love that nourishes one’s newborn with perfect physical nourishment and strong emotional bonds that will last a lifetime.
You can imagine my surprise when I learned about a couple of military Moms who caught some serious flack when tasteful, professional photos of themselves breastfeeding in uniform on an Air Force base began circulating online.
Washington Air National Guard spokesman Capt. Keith Kosik said that a formal military response to the photos which have gone viral since being posted at BreastfeedinginCombatBoots.com was necessary as they were a violation of regulations against using the uniform to promote a civilian cause.
I beg your pardon, Captain, but breastfeeding is not a civilian “cause”. It is the simple act of feeding your baby, something that has been performed by Mothers far longer than armies have roamed the earth in fact!
Would pictures of women feeding their babies with bottles while in uniform have gotten a “formal response” from the military if these photos had been posted online?
Ahem. I don’t think so!
What’s really surprising is that some breastfeeding Moms were also critical of the photos with one commentor on BreastfeedinginBoots.com posting the following:
“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.”
With all due respect, but would you like to eat in the bathroom?
Nursing is not akin to going to the bathroom and therefore should not be relegated to this type of atmosphere where airborne germs and other potential threats to a nursing baby may abound.
We clearly have a long way to go in this country when it comes to understanding the role of Mom as both protector and nurturer.
A Mom nursing in uniform is a proud display of both in action and the military would be well advised to support this activity rather than reprimanding it.
What do you think? Should a Mom be able to breastfeed anywhere at any time even when on duty keeping our country safe?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Sources: Military Mom Proud of Breastfeeding in Uniform Despite Criticism
Breastfeeding Moms in Uniform Photos Were out of Line: Military
I love reading this blog for all things nutrition and health related. This topic, however, borders… something else, the military code of conduct. I have 2 sons and I am currently still nursing my 1 year old. I very much agree that we need to normalize breast feeding in this country. “I” believe all women should be able to breast feed in public or where ever they are comfortable.
HOWEVER…
I served 6 years in the military (and my husband 22 years) and I can tell you unequivocally the rules/laws that govern those in uniform are clear and concise. They are not the rules granted to our free civilian friends and family. We make the choice when we take the oath and choose to enter the military to adhere to these separate and more stringent laws. We can type and blog until we are blue in the face arguing what is “right” or how things “should be” but when it comes to the military, all the banter will equal nothing. The rules are the rules, case closed. I agree with the person above who stated these airmen got in trouble for showing their breasts not for breast feeding. I’ve known countless women who’ve breast fed while in uniform. That is not the issue here. The issue is that they exposed themselves WHILE wearing the uniform AND it was photographed/publicized. Regardless of what we may think of breast feeding, anything that even remotely casts any sort of negative light on the military is not tolerated. The gum, cell phone and many other seemingly trivial rules are not being exaggerated. Kissing, or holding hands, things known as “PDA” (public displays of affection) are not tolerated either. This is how the military works. In fact, it was so ingrained in me that to this day, I still will not hold my husbands hand or kiss him in public. This is just a fact, not something to argue the validity of.
As for “breast feeding being the ultimate act of femininity”, while this may be true, please realize that the military is not comprised of “men” and “women”. It is comprised of airmen, sailors, marines and soldiers. So while some may construe these actions/reprimands as anti-family or anti-feminist, realize that first and foremost, they are anti-sexist. In being so, this will inevitable deny individuality and uniqueness (be it due to sex or color of skin or anything else) BUT this IS the beauty of the military and why it functions as well as it does. I truly believe that one of the pillars of why the U.S. military is the greatest in the world is because it is what we NEED it to be despite what we may WANT it to be.
With utmost respect,
Sofia Grogan
I think that the photos are the problem, not breastfeeding itself. The military is pretty picky about the uniform. If you have an untucked shirt or a button unbuttoned, you’re basically out of regulation. While babies have to eat, the photos probably shouldn’t have been taken where the ladies were pretty much out of regulation with their uniforms.
I understand your point, and I’m all for breastfeeding, but please do not post such immodest pictures on your blog. There is a way to nurse discreetly! Thanks!
Sorry you were offended. I truly find that photo beautiful! 🙂
Too much showing? What about the beach? The Victoria Secret ads on prime time TV? The way BRATZ dolls are dressed? When people bring such bias to the table, it is time for a pysche eval to determine why they are so hung up on breasts. I remember seeing them on the front cover of Nat Geo when I was a kid. At times while nursing, I have had quite large breasts. Especially, the older the child, it aint easy to keep those things covered. Yes – there are ways to nurse discreetly, but it is not always realistic nor possible. Read about that this was a preapproved photo shoot ON BASE.
Maggie,
I could care less how they breastfeed their babies, but I very much disagree with the part in your comment about it being a pre-approved photo shoot on base. Pre-approved by whom? By the photographer? Unless you can tell me who approved them to participate in this, it’s not a valid point. Just because it took place on base doesn’t make it right. I’ve sat on a Court Martial for a crime committed on base. Being on base makes the photos even worse, because it draws the Air Force even further into looking like they promote something!
Vanessa,
Looking like they promote something? Like feeding BABIES, perhaps?
There is a HUMAN law in my mind that makes your nihilistic battle over what violates the “military rules” look like what it is – knocking your own head incessantly against a wall without even stopping to consider WHY you are doing so.
Black and white perspective can look like a personality disorder against the landscape of HUMAN RIGHTS.
Yes – it is a WOMAN’S HUMAN RIGHT in the eyes of nature to breastfeed her child, naked or clothed, ANYWHERE. A.N.Y.W.H.E.R.E.
Only society has usupred that BASIC RIGHT under the guise of civilization (you know, where civil people drown their kids’ chances at a long, healthy life according to the prescriptions of big pharma, big ag, and big industrial complexes (including the MIC).
We look nothing like Mother Nature today. Just look at us – as a society, we are so disconnected from our own “Mother Earth” (others can insert God, Great Spirit, Reason, whatever your creed or value system) that we don’t even look like her offspring. We are a bunch of plastic-wrapped, diseased, zombified, convenience-whipped do-do birds (or lemmings, in many cases).
But, when a mom can wear a uniform and cross multiple lines of context, addressing multiple stereotypes, she is a greater HERO to me than any “uniform” refusing to bend “the law” (see: Human Rights, Mother Nature!) out of “principle” for not breaking rules for rules’ sake (WTF?!).
Until black and white thinkers open their minds to higher value reasoning, they will continuously bang their head against the wall BEYOND reason.
No Maggie,
Promoting the Mom2Mom campaign, not feeding babies. Have you even read about this anywhere but this blog? This Human Law you mention…what would that be, I’m curious. Yes, I am certainly knocking my head against the wall because no matter how I try and illustrate what the problem with this picture is, some people can’t get past what this blogger has manipulated you into believing. I fear how this inability to see past media sensationalism will impact your voting on issues important to this country. The military has stated clearly in their official statements regarding this matter that they have no problem with the two moms breastfeeding their babies in uniform. So who then is taking away their ‘womans human right’? Using complex words does not make you sound smart if you use them incorrectly, it actually has the opposite effect (nihilistic, usupred?, context). If you’re going to use an uncommon acryonym (MIC) please share with us what it stands for! Why oh why are there periods between all the letters of “A.N.Y.W.H.E.R.E.”?? That is a writing style I have to say I have never before seen. The reason we are, as you call it “plastic-wrapped, diseased, zombified, convenience-whipped do-do birds” is because many people believe the first thing they hear and then vehemently defend an opinion with no facts to back it up. You have demonstrated this. Oh, and one last thing…where would I find “Human Rights, Mother Nature!” the reference you provided. Sounds like a good read.
As a Army veteran, and a mother who has fully breastfed all 4 of my children, I will tell you that being a mother in uniform is one of the hardest jobs in the world. I ended up not re-enlisting after my 6 year contract was over, just so I could stay at home with daughter #2 and nurse instead of being deployed to Afghanistan (since the Army will send you regardless if you are nursing) Natural living and eating in the military- is literally non-existent- and you really have to be your own advocate. I could go on about all the things that are not to be done while in uniform- yet are done everyday! I still remember having my husband bring my daughter to drill so I could nurse in the car on my lunch break. Being in a field with manly men, boobs are sadly looked upon as sexual objects. To get slack over this picture just shows me the ignorance of people. Anyone who knows the facts will know that breastfeeding is the best thing for a baby and saves lives. I commend these girls for taking and publishing this picture, and I would have been right there beside them if I had the opportunity!
Women in the air force feast feed all the time with no problems, boobs showing or not. They even have regs that a new mom can’t be deployed the first 6 months (considered the standard for exclusive breastfeeding) so that the mom can feed her baby.
What the military does have a problem with is promoting a cause of any kind without permission. These women posed intentionally to take pics the NBFM. They didn’t get permission to have the pics in uniform used. If they had done this in civilian clothes, it wouldn’t be a problem. But they did it in uniform. They made their point and got their publicity, but they broke uniform code to do it.
My family is heavily military, and very into natural parenting, so I’m able to see both sides. The military supports breastfeeding as much or more than other employers- they just don’t want their uniform used to promote causes. I can understand and be okay with that.
When I was in the military I had a car with a funky paint job (flowers). I was told very clearly that I was NOT allowed to wear my uniform while travelling in my car. It just sent the wrong message. Military members are clearly told the rules about the uniform, and while I fully promote our right (and duty, as far as possible) to breastfeed in public, I do agree that this publicity photo breaches their rules. And Martha Ives Feigen is right in her post about the woman feeding twins — she has far more of her breasts exposed than most of us are used to seeing when someone is breastfeeding. It actually makes me slightly uncomfortable, simply because she’s in uniform.
But wait, it gets worse. Breastfeeding is the least of their worries. This is a quote from the blog post (breastfeedingincombatboots.com) from which the offending photo was taken:
“Given that we are instructed that holding our children while in uniform is not maintaining a professional appearance, I never thought that breastfeeding my child while in uniform would be allowed.”
They are instructed not to HOLD their children?
I guess the people in all those videos of Marines returning from the middle east and hugging the kids they haven’t seen in months will come under scrutiny too.
I am a huge supporter of the American Military and all that they do and sacrifice for the USA. Let’s not force them to sacrifice physical affection and optimal nutrition for their babies, too. They already give enough.
Mary, I am in the military and I can tell you that the statement made on that blog is completely incorrect. Nowhere in the Army regulations does it say that “holding our children while in uniform is not maintaining a professional appearance”. The military does have guidelines about public displays of affection while in uniform. However, you cannot compare day-to-day displays of affection to a welcome home ceremony where families have not seen each other for months. Usually there is a formation and after the official part is over, they are released to greet their families.
Knowing the military and how strict the guidelines are, I believe they would’ve been reprimanded for the brushing your teeth campaign as well. They cannot promote ANYTHING!! Never mind the military, as a civilian, I remember I had a job once that required me to wear a smock with the company logo on it. I wasn’t permitted to wear that smock outside to go home. I had to leave it at work. The company did NOT want to be connected with anything I did on my own time.
What struck me is the comment they quoted from a marine mom. She said that they make life and death decisions. Well, if I’m not mistaken, feeding your baby is a life or death decision. Not to the magnitude of the military sense, but certainly in the human sense. I think the problem here really is the woman breastfeeding her twins. It is beautiful to me and women of like-thinking, but not to the general public. She IS exposing her breasts in uniform, while the other woman is not. And, I blame the TIME magazine cover mom for starting all of this. She made a poor choice in how she “exposed” breastfeeding. Ambre Sautter made the point about it being for NBAM, so it is possible that it is in violation, which means they made a poor decision to do that. But, again, I really think the issue is with the woman feeding her twins. I don’t think the other woman feeding without her breasts exposed would have gotten quite the same reaction. I’ve never breastfed twins, so I can’t comment on how it could be done differently. You can breastfeed without exposing your breasts. Very sad, our country’s thinking. May God have mercy on us all.
It is not for them breast feeding, it is due to military regulation. The same reason a soldier cannot attended a protest in uniform… If you are civilian making comments, please read up in uniform law… I am a lactivist…but this has been blown out of context…