More on breastfeeding in public - the definitive last word

I couldn't put it any better than the Sydney Morning Herald's correspondent, Richard Scully of Invergowrie. Sane and balanced, this "bloke" puts it very simply
"Koch also seems to think that this is a debate where one can ''agree to disagree'', and that one opinion is as good as the next. He is wrong. This is not, nor has it ever been, about mere ''opinions''. It is about civil rights and the law: Australian women have the right, endorsed by bipartisan political support, and upheld by the majority of citizens - to breastfeed in public wherever and whenever they so please. To ask them to stop, or refuse them service, is to act unlawfully under the Sex Discrimination Act (1984), quite apart from displaying a breathtaking impertinence and lack of courtesy."
More comments in much the same vein - gratifying to read!

David (Koch) ... the dinosaur!

So 100 mums did as promised and breastfed their babies outside the Sunrise studios in Sydney’s Martin Place at 7am this morning. The posters they displayed and the online comments made interesting reading ...“I prioritise my child’s needs over the attitudes of dinosaurs”,“you are a Neanderthal sir!”, “Where's the radio button on the poll for 'Do you think Kochie is an idiot for his remarks?'"                                                                                                                   Not all condemned David Koch however, some in fact agreed with him and thought the women were “militant” and “creating a storm in a teacup.” 

To me, the saddest thing is that there is any comment at all. When a significant proportion of the population fails to see a woman breastfeeding her baby as an absolutely normal activity, wherever that activity might be taking place, what hope do future generations have of their birthright - their mother’s breastmilk? 

My baby's hungry ... so I nurse her!

Totally normal, logical and uncomplicated way to go, well if you’re a breastfeeding mum that is. Unfortunately there’s still a large, insensitive, ignorant bunch of folk out there who don’t see breastfeeding a baby as a totally normal activity that usually takes place whenever and wherever that baby’s need for food, drink or comfort strikes. 

Most recent very public example of ignorance and idiocy was a mum requested to be more discreet when she was observed breastfeeding her baby at a public swimming pool where her older children were in the water. Maybe, just maybe you could forgive a young, brash lifeguard, trying to keep his domain “respectable” but it was follow up comments made by a male morning talk show host that really set the breastfeeders going! 

Here was a wonderful opportunity for a figure in the public eye to loudly and proudly proclaim in support of breastfeeding mums, yet he saw fit to agree that it was an activity best kept out of “high-traffic” areas. The comment itself and the fact that the swimming pool was indoors and a mere handful of others were in attendance makes it small wonder that hundreds of nursing mums are planning a breast-baring/breastfeeding sit-in outside the TV studio! More power to them all and wonderful to see so many young women committed to this normal, healthy activity and prepared to stand up and be counted!