Breastfeeding in Public
Acceptable or Not?
Why I Chose This Topic?
I selected this topic because it is a very modern controversial topic. Also most people have their own strong opinions on the topic and I knew it would be an interesting issue to research. Since I was going to spend weeks on this essay I knew it has to be an enjoyable topic. In the end, it kept me on task and engaged in my paper, besides when Lexie and I got hooked on playing Cool Math Games.
My Thesis Statement
"Although critics say breastfeeding in public is awkward and wrong, it’s extremely natural, healthier for the infant, and breastfeeding moms are more conservative than many of today’s fashion styles."
As my paper evolved, I would refer back to my thesis statement and it kept me in order. Then as my paper became more controversial it really showed how the critics needed to be informed and their argument for "awkward and wrong" was irrelevant.
My Main Ideas
Natural
- Breastfeeding is one of the most natural aspects in our human life. It is the mother's way of caring for her child in the best way possible. Every mammal feeds their baby and we are apart of this species. It is our duty to care for our offspring and breastfeeding is the way to go.
Nutrition
- Statistics have proven that breast feeding is healthier than formula. Breast fed babies have a greater chance of a healthy life than bottle fed children do.
Today's Fashions
- In today's society the skimpier the clothing the better. Breastfeeding is more conservative than what some women wear in public. Women are now wearing clothes with their breast hanging out just as much as women who are feeding their children.
My Main Research
EBSCO Host
This data base helped me find reliable sources for my statistics and examples of breastfeeding in public.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
This site was helpful by giving me exact numbers and percentages of the postie outcomes of breastfeeding and negative outcomes of bottle feeding.
Lexis Nexis
This was another data base that I found my information from. It is similar to EBSCO. It had great newspaper writings over breastfeeding in public.
They Said it best
“ When you’re using your breasts for breastfeeding, you’re feeding your babies. That’s what they’re made for” (par. 16).
This was from the Edmonton Journal written by Jennifer Yang. I really enjoyed using this because it was sweet and to the point. Breasts are made to feed our babies. Society has made them out to be much more and now we look at their natural use as something that is wrong and disgusting. Yang hits what I was trying to prove perfectly.
Many adults whose moms breastfed them as infants have the slim chance of developing factors for heart disease like obesity and high blood pressure. Also, mothers who decide to nurse their child have a decreased chance of postpartum bleeding, breast cancer, ovarian, cancer, hip fractures, and osteoporosis (Newell 256).
Lucila Newell wrote this for Children's Geographies and it was exactly what I needed for my "nutritional" section of my paper. It proves that breastfeeding is not only healthier for the baby, but also for the mother nursing the infant. The milk contains nutrients that the child can't get from formula. This helps me win my argument. It also lets me lead to the fact that health insurance can go down and not cost our country tons of money because they won't be constantly going to the doctor.
If we look around our society, it has many offensive ads. We might see these pornographic billboards on the way to work, half naked women on a magazine cover placed just at eye level for a five-year-old, or even commercials during a child’s cartoon that is advertising condoms and lubricating gel (14).
As my third point for my paper was today's fashions this quote pointed everything out perfectly. All over society is sexual images of women or even men. Children are watching this and learning what a breast is not made for and that is wrong. This quite points out what we feel is normal against something that should actually be viewed as normal, but is now viewed as wrong and awkward.
Facts and Stats
"The percent of US infants who begin breastfeeding is high at 77% (“Breastfeeding Report Card” 1).
The quote shows that breastfeeding is one its way to becoming popular again and now society just needs to get used to it.
"The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life; and UNICEF shows as to how making this happen has ‘the single greatest potential impact on child survival, with the potential to prevent 1.4 million under five deaths in the developing world’(Black et al. 2008)” (256)
This fact was greatly for my side. I loved using it in my nutritional section and it added great. Infants need breast milk for a better life.
Crazy Observation
Breastfeeding is healthier for the mother too!!
Last But Not Least
Society can find bun runs and shirtless competitions okay but not breastfeeding in public.
What I learned
I learned that I need to manage some time a little bit better. I also learned a lot of facts about breastfeeding I didn't know before. This project helped me get a better look at what mothers go through just to take care of their children. Makes me appreciate them a little bit more.
Challenges
Throughout this essay I struggled with staying on task. It was a long drawn out process and senioritis kicked in big time. Another challenge was trying not to repeat the same issue over and over. I needed to improve on adding more information and not repeat myself. Other than that the essay went a lot smoother than I imagined. I am sure glad that it is over!