Breasts...there I said it

Breastfeeding has become a "hot topic" as of late and we live in a society where breasts are used as marketing ploys...hello Carl's Jr, Hardee's, Victoria Secret, etc...and let's face it, sex sells.  And until that changes we can expect to see images like these plastered all over TV, and the internet.  And on the flip side we will have mom's shamed for breastfeeding in public.

However when it comes to breastfeeding...there are some things people need to remember...It is a FEDERALLY PROTECTED RIGHT.  Not my fault if you only look at breasts as something that is for pleasure, or to be admired.

I do live in the state of Missouri, and this is what the LAW states:

Breast-feeding in public permitted--not sexual conduct, public indecency, or obscenity--no municipal ordinances to prohibit or restrict.

191.918. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a mother may, with discretion, breast-feed her child or express breast milk in any public or private location where the mother is otherwise authorized to be.

2. The act of a mother breast-feeding a child or expressing breast milk in a public or private location where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be shall not:

(1) Constitute sexual conduct or sexual contact as defined in section 566.010; or

(2) Be considered an act of public indecency, indecent exposure, sexual conduct, lewd touching, or obscenity or any other similar term for purposes of state or municipal law.

3. A municipality shall not enact an ordinance prohibiting or restricting a mother from breast-feeding a child or expressing breast milk in a public or private location where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be.

That being said, there are also federal laws that protect my rights, and those of all other women currently breastfeeding or those that wish to breastfeed.  And here are some more fun facts about state laws for those of you ladies reading this that are curious about their own states (more found here and here)

State Breastfeeding Laws

• Forty-nine states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands have laws that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location. (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.)
• Twenty-nine states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws. (Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.)
• Twenty-seven states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws related to breastfeeding in the workplace. (Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.)
• Seventeen states and Puerto Rico exempt breastfeeding mothers from jury duty or allow jury service to be postponed. (California, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Virginia.)
• Five states and Puerto Rico have implemented or encouraged the development of a breastfeeding awareness education campaign. (California, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and Vermont.)

You are probably wondering what brought on this blog post, I mean Guppy isn't due till April...well it's simple.  I have friends that are currently breastfeeding, and rocking at it.  And today I woke up to this post:

 You must be thinking wow, this picture must be bad, with some of the things that are on Facebook that get reported.....

Milk drunk (published with mom's permission)

Oh and this one....

Also published with mom's permission

There is no more breast shown in either of these two pictures, that were posted on the mom's page, and a breastfeeding page respectively....than the images I first posted that are seen daily in advertising.  Why do we find it offensive that a mom breastfeeds but a woman baring her boobs for a paycheck is ok?  I for one plan to breastfeed my baby wherever I am that she is hungry, if you don't like it don't look.  And please don't ask that I leave the room or go to the bathroom to feed...otherwise Mama Bear might show up and you won't like what I have to say.

I will say, kudos to Facebook for NOT removing the pictures of this little cutie getting "tit faced"

If you or someone you know wants to know more about breastfeeding, or needs some more resources to help support breastfeeding please check out the following!

Kelly Mom

La Leche League USA

La Leche League International