6 Contradictory Arguments Against Breastfeeding

By: Kristy Kemp 

A lot of the arguments I hear against breastfeeding contradict themselves. I have listed 6 of them in this article.. What would you add to this list? 

1.) "Show some respect and at least cover yourself when you breastfeed."

Respect- Agree to recognize and abide by (a legal requirement).

Since it's a woman's legal right to breastfeed in public HOWEVER she chooses, I'd say the only ones being disrespectful are the ones interfering, not recognizing or RESPECTING said law.

Respect- avoid harming or interfering with.

I would say interfering with a mom breastfeeding her baby is pretty disrespectful.

So yeah I agree. Show some respect by recognizing and abiding by the law which says a woman can breastfeed in public and respect said mother and child by not interfering with a mom feeding her baby a meal.

2.) "Breastfeeding is the best nutrition, but it definitely shouldn't happen after 12 months."

The Word Health Organization Recommendation on Breastfeeding- Encourages breastfeeding all the way up to age two or beyond alongside complimentary foods.

You can't pick and choose when something is the best or not based off your personal preference. Scientifically speaking breastmilk consumed at any age is beneficial and nutritional. If you agree that breastmilk is the best nutrition from age 0-12 months, but think it's pointless past 12 months you contradict yourself.

3.) "I don't think there is anything sexual about breastfeeding, but breasts are seen as sexual, therefore I don't want my kids or my husband to see it."

The main purpose of a breast is to produce milk to feed our offspring. Sure, they can be used sexually as well, but when they are being used to feed a baby there is nothing sexual about the breast in that moment.

Saying you know there isn't anything sexual about breastfeeding, would mean that you have learned to separate breasts in the sexual sense verse their biological purpose, but saying that you know there isn't anything sexual about breastfeeding, but it should still be hidden from view because breasts are sexual is contradicting because you are then still associating sex with breastfeeding. Get it?

4.) "I'm okay with kids playing make believe, but I think a kid pretending to breastfeed is inappropriate."

Kids imitate what they see. If they are around breastfeeding, then it only makes sense that they will pretend to breastfeed instead of going for a play bottle.

If you're truly okay with kids playing make believe then you shouldn't have an issue with kids playing make believe in regards to breastfeeding. If you would be fine with make believe bottle feeding, but have an issue with make believe breastfeeding it contradicts your belief. I assure you that a kid imitating the act of breastfeeding is normal and very appropriate and we should encourage our kids if they do it, not discourage them.

5.) "I understand a baby needs to eat, but there is a time and a place and at church or a funeral is definitely not the time or place to breastfeed, learn to time your trips out better."

Breastfed babies normally feed on demand meaning there is no schedule, rhyme or reason why a baby would want to nurse in that moment. If you truly understood that a baby needs to eat then that would apply no matter where they happen to be at that time. So with that logic breastfeeding moms should just never attend funerals or Churches because even though a baby needs to nurse it wouldn't be appropriate to do so there. Come on now.

6.) "I'm all for breastfeeding, but you don't need to post pictures of it all over Facebook! I sure don't want it thrown in my face!"

Moms post breastfeeding pictures just like moms posting pictures of any other bonding moment they share with their kids. Moms post pictures for lots of reasons and none of those reasons are about throwing breastfeeding in your face.

If you feel so strongly against seeing breastfeeding on social media then you're definitely not , "All for breastfeeding" and it's very contradictory to say that you are when in the next breath you basically insult it. Learn how to scroll or hide things from your feed because if you were truly "all for breastfeeding" you wouldn't rush to openly insult it or put it down. Breastfeeding pictures are breastfeeding just the same. If you're against the breastfeeding pictures, you're against breastfeeding.