Scarlett and I get out a lot, we are ladies of leisure, if you can call Costco and Target leisurely places.;) I feed her in various and sundry places, the dressing room at baby Gap, the car, the park, while out to lunch. We are breastfeeding and I try to be discreet throwing a blanket over her head if we are in public, but the process if far from seamless and there is boobage exposed at some point. I try not to worry too much about if other people see boobage, and honestly if someone wants to see my boobs come on over. But I do realize that other people might not want to see boob and I try to respect that. Where we live if I get out in Berkeley or San Francisco people don’t really mind a bit of boob.

We traveled to see our in-laws this weekend and where they live the local Victoria’s Secret was a scandal when it went in about a year ago. So boobs are BIG news there. On the way home from our trip I talked to hubby about it. I just don’t get why breastfeeding is such a big deal. We have boobs so that we can feed our children, that is what they are for. Just like cows and pigs and cats and dogs feed their babies. Yes I am relating my parts to a dogs parts, whatever. Feeding your baby is one of the most innocent and caring thing you can do. What could be more innocent than feeding your baby? Hubby brought up that some people don’t want to see other people’s private parts like breastfeeding your kid is akin to a dirty old man in the park flashing his bits to anyone he can get to pay attention. Why are boobs this private thing? Their entire reason for being is to feed babies.

I didn’t always feel so cavalier about boobs and breastfeeding. I remember being pregnant for the first time and checking out a woman who was feeding her baby at a restaurant in San Francisco. Sneaking peeks like she was doing something naughty. Why are we like that in this country? What is the big deal about boobs? I can see if maybe they were supposed to be used for something else like let’s say for example boobs started cars, then flailing them about in the local Applebees would be odd, but they don’t start cars, they feed babies. Your baby needs to be fed, whip those suckers out. Why is it such a big deal?

I remember being in Nice after college with my oh so conservative boyfriend at the time. I was determined to go topless, he was having a fit about it. He didn’t last long.;) Anyway, we were there on the beach and a French family was having a very proper lunch with a table, tablecloth, linen napkins, the whole nine right there on the beach. The matriarch of the family was topless, during lunch she remained topless and I thought, ‘GEEZ, put those things away, you are eating!’ But now I wonder what the big deal is, they are just boobs.

So maybe I should move to France.;)

CDM