The Breast or The Bottle?

Mother's milk - a vital life source for all children. A mother's milk contains the highest nutritional value for a child, supplying vitamins, antibodies that boost their immune system, neorlogical growth, in addition to a beautiful bond between mother and child. Breastfeeding fosters and important connection and relationship between mother and child, one that cannot be replicated through the practice of bottle feeding. So why then, do people care so much if women breastfeed? In recent decades, breastfeeding has been turning heads and making people very uncomfortable. It is a natural and beautiful thing, and the best thing for a child, so what is all the fuss?

In my research paper, I discuss the problems surrounding public breastfeeding, it's place in the media, and the laws that have been created in recent times in order to protect and accomodate nursing mothers. We will take a journey from the state and federal legislatures, to a nurse-in outside of the ABC studios. We will take (or be delayed on a trip) from Burlington, Vermont to New York City, only to then return to the airport to breastfeed our child in yet another nurse-in. We will venture from the internet pages of Myspace to Facebook, all along the way encountering injustices and sour attitudes placed upon breastfeeding mothers.

One thing that will definitely get you laughing is the ridiculous nature of Barbara Walters, and the backlash from another ABC colleague, Jimmy Kimmel. This clip can be found here:

Jimmy Kimmel vs Barbara Walters

We will also get a great laugh out of the Facebook experiment Phil Hansen did when they banned photos showing nipples:

Hansen vs. Facebook

and the follow-up

Resolution

I hope you all will enjoy my paper, presentation, and support lactivism! :-)

The Breast or the Bottle: The Essay