Being a nursing mother is one of the most challenging things I’ve done.
Scratch that. It IS the most challenging thing I’ve done.
Oh, sure! Really hard! I bet you’re thinking.
But if you’ve ever been in a situation where you’re surrounding by
prying, judgmental eyes because you’re child is throwing a tantrum, then you have a minute idea. Compound that by having to raise your shirt, position
your body and baby hoping to avoid exposure of your truly offensive
breasts (sarcasm, yes) because someone may be offended by boobs. You’d think that lady had just shoved a fish under her blanket.
Catherine is my idol in more ways then one. Not only is she an amazing woman, but she’s well spoken, caring, and when she’s challenged? She’s a force to be reckon with. Even when she’s lacking the strength and compassion for a fight while there are far more pressing issues happening in her life she has a way of making me want to fight along side her.
Just over a week ago, Catherine was on a WestJet return flight from Kelowna, British Columbia to Toronto, Ontario. Already overcome by emotion from her extremely heart-wrenching trip, she was approached by a WestJet flight attendant requesting in not-so-many-words that, instead of taking comfort in nursing her infant son, she should be considerate to other passengers and cover up.
[To give the attendant some credit, she did come with blanket in hand. *sigh*]
Catherine and I are polar opposites when it comes to breastfeeding. She, the strong, confident one. Me? Not so much.
I would do just about anything to have the confidence that she has. To be able to pull my boobie out in public: anywhere, anytime, and not have the nervous sweats, heart palpitations and anxiety that someone were to approach me and say something.
Had it been me in Catherine’s situation? I would have broken down, inconsolable and crushed, never to nurse in public again. On that flight? I would have more then likely tried to lock myself in the itty bitty bathroom.
How is that right, or fair?
I question if those vehemently opposed to nursing in public think
about the feelings of the person they are condemning, because forbid they
be offended – what gives them the right to offend someone else? Spewing
their hate on a mother who is just feeding her child? When did that become acceptable?
The
thought of being confronted while in such a vulnerable state consumes
me while I attempt to feed my child. So much so that we very rarely
have had a successful nursing session in a public place – even in a
washroom stall for that matter, because dammit, I’m sitting in a public
washroom feeding my child who has every right to be sitting in a
comfortable, CLEAN location to eat.
I let this hatred, lack of education and unacceptable attitude of
those who feel that breastfeeding is an indecent act control the
comfort of myself and my child; for that I am ashamed. How dare they
make me feel this way. How dare they take this away from me.
But Catherine? My hero. My breastfeeding comrade. My mom in a shiny big busted bustier. She’s not letting this go.
She’s fighting the fight for the rights of breastfeeding mothers.
She is standing up for our rights as set forth by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
She is standing up for mothers, like myself, who would otherwise
slink away from the hatred and uneducated attacks of those against
breastfeeding in public.
Here’s CBC’s coverage of the story (Catherine! Nursing! Boob on display! ON TV!):