Friday, June 1, 2012

Breastfeeding in Uniform

I am by no means a crunchy/hippie/all-natural/attachment parenting/earthy/stay-at-home type of mom.  I actually consider myself like the anti-mom for those kind of things.  Bring on the pain killers, doctors, vaccines, processed food and all that other bad stuff that will get you shunned faster than you can scream "BREAST IS BEST!"

Which brings me to what's on my mind...

Breastfeeding in Uniform

Although I am like the Anti-Crunchy Mom, I fully support breastfeeding in uniform!  Here is the catch...  I don't think that the latest hot topic picture....


gives an appropriate representation on what it means to breastfeed in uniform.

Breastfeeding is great!  But using the military uniform to fuel breastfeeding awareness is against DOD policy.  It's not just breastfeeding.  It's any personal or political agenda.  Military members are to hold their own personal opinions on topics to themselves while in uniform because anything they say can be misinterpreted as speaking on behalf of the military.  Don't believe me?  Check it out here!

I do NOT find the pictures to be disrespectful to the military or the uniform.  Any servicemember knows that worse things have happened while in uniform.  However, that doesn't always make it right.

I think that if these pictures had been taken candid I would have a different opinion.  Catching a military mom feeding her child in uniform can be a beautiful moment where strength and love are represented.  ...Yea, it would also be kinda creepy...but work with me lol.  These pictures being posed cheapens the moment.  When pictures are posed to make a statement it takes the true meaning away.

On a personal note, my last year in the Navy I was breastfeeding and I did so while I was in uniform.  I was not the only mother who did this, there were many others and there still are.  If someone would have told me to put my boob back...  I might have smacked them with it.  ....Okay, no I wouldn't have.  But feeding a child in need is more important than being politically correct.

Breastfeeding is a great way to bond with a child.  But it's not the only method of bonding.  ...I am the Anti-Crunchy mom I support each mother in her choice to raise her child as long as that child is healthy and happy.

...In other news....  I love boobies!  ( . v . )

1 comment:

  1. Awesome Ali. This is what I thought when I saw it too. I breast fed, in uniform, with Emily. Didn't have too much to say then... Whatever. But i agree that the pictures should not have been posed, even though in the article they say that they aren't, that they were candid. But I can't look at this pic and say, yea, that looks candid to me...whatever. Good thoughts Ali.

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