Is This As Far As We Come?

Even though an estimated 75% of adults agree that women have the right to breast feed in public spaces, health officials in Timmins, Ontario felt it is necessary to keep the discussion open. Life size cut outs of breast feeding mothers dot the city in an attempt to ease the discrimination faced by mothers in Ontario and across Canada. Women are illegally asked to cover up, leave an establishment or are verbally attacked by strangers.

Breast feeding has become somewhat of an oddity in Canada, as well as in most modern, ‘developed’ nations. The 1930’s saw the introduction of scientific parenting; doctors urged mothers to breast feed their babies and shamed any who didn’t. A brief glance of social media will show that mothers are shamed from both breast feeding and formula feeding alike, however, for those who choose to breast feed, there are additional barriers. The invention and marketing of infant milk supplements in post-war Canada, coupled with the over sexualization of breasts in the 19th century has created a culture hesitant to the idea of breast feeding, especially within the public sphere. The benefits of formula were praised by a western world that was trying hard to impose capitalist, nuclear family values. Breasts were not longer seen as sourced of infant nutrition but rather sources of sexual desire. Current acceptance of large and visible lingerie ads is proof that this attitude continues today. It has become normal to view breasts as inherently sexual objects, meaning a woman showing her breast in public while feeding her child is seen as indecent and immoral. Science has since confirmed the claims made by 1930’s doctors in that breast feeding is the healthier and safer choice for capable mothers, yet many still face stigma and pressure to cover up or stop altogether.

Only 14.4% of mothers’ breast feed to the age recommended by the World Health Organization, and while there are several factors that play into this choice, the stigma surrounding public breast feeding remains a strong deterrent. Women who feel comfortable breast feeding in public are 2.9 times more likely to continue breastfeeding to the recommended 6 months, yet provincial and federal governments fall short when it comes to deterring stigma and funding breast feeding programs. Only 3 of Canadas 350 maternity hospitals are baby friendly as outlined by the United Nations and WHO, while federal funding for Breast feeding is non-existent. Social stigmas are unlikely to change without support from our local and federal governments.

Educating women about the benefits of breast feeding and increasing the training of health care professionals are significant ways to increase breastfeeding, yet they may not be enough to resolve social stigma. Advocacy groups may well be the social push needed to pressure the government into action while educating the public about mothers’ legal rights. Social pressure to accept breast feeding can help de-sexualize breasts and their functional uses. Not until then will we stop seeing breast feeding as a barbaric or outdated act, dangerous to men and children.