Why are we so afraid of breastfeeding in public?
This is the question that Reijo del Prado is asking netizens on Facebook.
Reijo is a fitness manager, a bodybuilder, and a new dad to a beautiful seven-week-old boy with wife Bonn, who is also a fitness trainer and a bodybuilder herself. So, it would be safe to assume that the couple has no qualms when it comes to the concept of body image and health.
The proud father posted a photo of his wife breastfeeding their son in public, debunking criticisms from strangers who insist that the mother cover up or breastfeed in the bathroom.
In the caption, Reijo wrote:
Ok. Let me get this straight.
Its a picture of my wife nursing my little one in public.Some will say “teka dapat may cover!”, others will say “dapat dun sa banyo!” At yung iba “wala ba lugar dito para magpadede?!”I’ll give you 3 questions to ponder.
A. Can you eat comfortably while being covered in the face all the time?
B. Can you imagine yourself eating in a public toilet?
C.Kung gutom na gutom ka na, at di ka makakain, ano pakiramdam mo?
Of course, babies are unable to care for themselves, and thus need to rely on their parents and guardians to provide them their needs, such as food. Hunger can definitely strike anywhere, and when you’re out and about, the logical action is to feed the young’un.
Breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed babies. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact — one that is supported by countless of scientific studies, and endorsed by various health organizations worldwide including the World Health Organization, and the United Nations. With breastfeeding, vitamins and nutrients are passed on to babies, and keeps them immune to many illnesses.
Needless to say, it’s the most natural way we can provide babies with sustenance. Our ancestors have long been feeding their little ones this way. So why then, are we shaming those who breastfeed simply because they have their breasts out?
A naked body, with all sexual context stripped away, remains that: a body. One that eats, breathes, and exists for many other purposes, other than the sexual connotation we attach it to.
If you ask me, I don’t see anything lewd in the picture. Instead, I see a photo of a mother who will go beyond the distance for her child.
What are your thoughts on breastfeeding? Share them with us!
