Being Pregnant
World Record Set for Most Women Breastfeeding in Public. Um, Who Cares?
So you breastfeed in public? Big whoop.
I kind of get the need that some people have to try and set world records. I suppose it’s the idea of making your mark on the planet, of leaving something behind after you’re gone about some super incredible feat that you performed. I don’t have an itch to get in the Guinness book, but I don’t necessarily begrudge anyone who does.
Which means I applaud the women over the weekend who set a record for breastfeeding simultaneously in public — all 60 of them — but frankly, I think it was a little silly.
The event, “The Big Latch On,” coincided with World Breastfeeding Week (who knew that even existed!) and the organizers say the purpose was to normalize the act of public breastfeeding.
Um, if that was the point, however, was the best way to prove it to whip out their boobs en masse? I think of so many of the world records that are set as freak shows, generally speaking. This one is no exception.
One of the women who took part in the record-setting event argued that breastfeeding is “normal and healthy.”
Well, of course it is. But 60 women breastfeeding together sounds like a sideshow to me.
If we want to normalize breastfeeding in public, I think we just need to do it and ignore the stares and comments, not make a point to draw attention to ourselves, same as if we were bottle feeding our child or even changing a diaper. We’re doing what we have to do. So let’s just do it and not ask for a round of applause and a place in the record books. Believe me, way more than 60 women are always breastfeeding in public simultaneously.
How the weekend’s record is going to forward to public breastfeeding movement is beyond me. Make your mark on the world by raising a healthy child or volunteering to support people less fortunate than you. But breastfeeding in public with lots of other women? I’m not sure why anyone should be so impressed.
Do you wish you had been part of the record-breaking event over the weekend?
Think these celebrities who breastfeed in public would have joined?
Image: Wikipedia
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8 Comments
Erica Minnihan commented on Aug 08 11 at 4:09 pmThere were actually several thousand women (I think close to 5000) across the world participating in this event. NOT 60. It is about a public show of support for breastfeeding, not trying to get into some book by Guiness. I sponsored a local LatchOn in NYC and it was a ton of fun!
Mel commented on Aug 09 11 at 9:06 amI wanted to attend but my kids were sick. Honestly it is about awareness and community. A lot of times there isn’t support for breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is a social event.
JT commented on Aug 09 11 at 10:32 amCan we then say, “You write your opinion on a blog. Um, who cares?”
Meredith Carroll commented on Aug 09 11 at 11:08 am@JT – Absolutely!
Kate commented on Aug 09 11 at 12:59 pmWow, negative much? It was way more than 60, too..
Kaycee commented on Aug 16 11 at 2:15 pmMeredith Carroll strikes again. You are the worst and most offensive blogger on this site.
Meredith Carroll commented on Aug 16 11 at 6:57 pm@Kaycee — Thanks so much for (continuing to) read and taking the time to comment!
Kaycee commented on Aug 18 11 at 2:38 pmI’m not going to stop reading the entire site because of one bad apple.
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