Recently in the news, there has been an uproar about some photos that have surfaced of female Air Force soldiers nursing their babies. They are both in uniform and on a military base for the photos, which were taken for National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Their military jackets (called a “blouse” even on men) are unbuttoned to allow their children unfettered access to their breasts. As is normal with breastfeeding, the areolae are completely covered by the babies’ latches, and only the outside of the breasts are exposed.
The people arguing in support of these photos say that a nursing mother is a beautiful, natural thing, and that certainly servicewomen have the right to nurse their babies, despite being soldiers.
The people arguing against these photos say that it’s disrespectful to the uniform for women to be nursing, comparing it to defecating or urinating in public while in uniform.
Now let’s talk about war and about the men and women who protect our country from threats, both foreign and domestic. All of them are either mothers or fathers or sons or daughters, but in the honored and respected military uniform they become somehow more and less, simultaneously. They are treated with utmost respect, and seen as a trained unit for combat and intelligence. They are the servicepersons who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect us and our freedom and way of life. They are, for all intents and purposes, parts of a single machine that is our military. No longer individuals, but part of a much stronger chain of protection.
What do you think? What’s the real issue here? Do you think the photos are just a beautiful example of maternal love, or do you think that media representations of nursing breasts and babies need to be kept separate from media representations of those who serve and protect our nation?
Terran Echegoyen-McCabe & Christina Luna for Mom2Mom Breastfeeding Campaign
I personally think it’s a beautiful picture, but in the same breath, I knew the second that I saw it that it was going to be an issue. My husband was in the military and nothing is acceptable that may rock the boat. Period. I’m not saying that’s right, but it’s always been that way. Just think about how many issues gays have had in the military. Anything that is not completely 100% accepted by society is not supported by the military. And, let’s face it, breastfeeding is not the norm or totally acceptable in our society– but it definitely should be.
I think these women did a brave thing by posing in their uniforms and as a strong breastfeeding advocate, I applaud them. I hope that it doesn’t impact their military career negatively.
I think it sends a strong message to young women considering a career in the military that yes, YOU can be a fierce military soldier, and YOU also can have a young family and still enjoy a nurturing relationship with your baby.
Call it propaganda, but the photos are kind of brilliant as far a recruiting young female talent. And yes, I think the photos were done very tastefully.
well said!
signed – a mom who chose to formula feed, but stands firmly strong with my fellow WOMEN!!!
I don’t get it. Who CARES?! I read one article where someone suggested that part of the reason people are having a reaction is because they have a hard time reconciling the idea of mothers as soldiers. Perhaps there is some truth in that. I agree with designhermomma though, the military COULD choose to embrace this and use it that way.
Designhermomma is spot on. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
You are missing a big part of the issue. As a breastfeeding mom of 21mo twins I am all for women nursing when and where they are comfortable. We NEED to normalize breastfeeding.
But I am also a military spouse. For me and many others there is a rub about the uniform and military regulations. When you sign up (VOLUNTEER) you choose to uphold military regulations. The uniform bears weight, honor and respect. I believe nursing deserves these things as well, I’m just not entirely sure they should be in the same space.
Agreed, Sara. You’re volunteering to wearing the uniform under regs, even if the regs are stupid. Which they sort of are.
I’m hearing at the arguments against this photo, and nursing in uniform in general, and have to ask: If a father was to be nurturing to his child in uniform, giving a hug or tending a boo-boo, is that unacceptable? If a mother was to feed her toddler lunch while in uniform, is that kosher?
These mothers are meeting their responsibility as parents while dressed for work, which in no way demeans their profession- UNLESS the critic says that their parenting act is in some way shameful, and that’s a different conversation that needs to be had.
Before this was a factual piece, I was trying to put my opinions on paper and it just seemed like it’d be too overwhelming to have the facts and my own opinions in one place. *BUT* I’ll tell you my take on it. It’ll just be sort of long.
First thing is first: I support breastfeeding. I nursed my little dude through cracked nipples that would provide approximately 50% milk and 50% blood at each feeding. When he cried to let me know he was hungry, I cried because I knew it was going to be awful. But I still did it, because I knew about immunity and fattening up my precious peanut and all the other benefits of breastfeeding. I never thought I’d do it in public, not out of shame regarding public nudity (my boobs saw plenty of air time in college), but because it just felt like such an invasion of the fully-clothed personal space of those around me. But at the first doctor’s visit, when my baby got a vaccine and wouldn’t stop crying in the waiting room, I whipped a plump, available boob out of my shirt so fast that his head was practically spinning on his floppy newborn neck.
So I’ll say it again– I SUPPORT BREASTFEEDING. I support the rights of women to feed their children wherever and whenever they need to, even if it’s in the middle of a crowded theater. There is something intimately beautiful about a mother giving the gift of nourishment and life to a baby, and it shouldn’t be hidden behind blankets and bathroom stall doors and shame.
Militarily, I am the wife of an Air Force major who will be pinning on Lt. Colonel this year. He leaves the baby and me each morning in his uniform to serve our country, giving us a kiss goodbye and leaving us knowing the nation is in good hands. My parents were both Army majors, serving for 20 years each while parenting three children. Each one of us went through PT tests in utero, and were nursed by a mom who wore combat boots. I have so much respect for my mother for being able to be a hardcore, 5’2, blonde G.I. Jane and a nursing mother.
The people arguing for these photos say that a nursing mother is a beautiful, natural thing, and that certainly servicewomen have the right to nurse their babies, despite being soldiers. I 100% agree with this stance.
The people arguing against these photos say that it’s disrespectful to the uniform for women to be nursing, comparing it to defecating or urinating in public while in uniform. I 100% disagree with this stance, and find the comparison of nursing to urinating in public to be morally reprehensible.
My opinion is this: Every woman, civilian or military, should be given the right to breastfeed her child if she so chooses. Being a soldier doesn’t mean you aren’t a mom, and feeding a tiny human with the breasts that were made for such a purpose certainly isn’t disrespectful to anyone or any institution. But–and this is a BIG but–doing a photo shoot in uniform where any portion of you is not actively conforming to the regulations of said uniform is unacceptable. My husband can’t go outside without putting on his hat. Not even to get his cell phone out of his car in the parking lot. His head has to be under the regulated cover, as a point of respect to the uniform and position he holds. Why should breasts be treated any differently? These women aren’t wrong for breastfeeding and being soldiers. Their only transgression in my eyes is modeling their uniform inappropriately, on a military base, for public consumption as a photo shoot.
If you want to be on base and have people taking pictures of you in uniform, then respect the regulations that are associated with the uniform. Otherwise? Boobies out, babies! I’m with you!
Thank you. This is what I meant.
I’ve nursed many times in uniform, just don’t have pictures. Wish I did! I do have a few pictures where I am VERY pregnant in uniform, though. I think this picture is great. It shows that as tough as women can be, they can still be nurturing and motherly.
A few interesting facts to add to this piece are that this photo was done in conjunction with an on base (Fairchild) breastfeeding support group and that, while the Air Force is not endorsing the photo, permission was given for these women to be photographed in uniform and breastfeeding.
I’m a Marine Corps wife and I think that it’s great that the Air Force gave these mom’s permission to be photographed breastfeeding. People are in an uproar that it’s not appropriate behavior while in uniform and that it doesn’t fall in line with regulations, and while I’m all for respecting the uniform, I’m also for challenging rules and regulations that should have no place in our military today.
where are these moms BFing? are they BFing on the clock? can they be responsible for watching their children while also on the clock? (i know little about military life – information is welcome)
if she’s allowed to wear the uniform while off duty, and chooses to BF her child then; i don’t see an issue.
if she’s BFing her child while on duty, i think it can/would/should be an issue. in what other profession, which involves work outside the home, are you allowed to be responsible for your child and BF while on duty?!
Honestly I think the military should be jumping on these pictures and using them to their advantage – like designhermomma said. But then, I’m also too liberal to be in the military…
I just say my hat is totally off to the mother nursing twins!!! Amazing and beautiful. Moms are moms no matter what their career.
I was in the Navy for 4 years, and had my son while in. I ended up at a “pregnancy command” (a shore command that does “busy” work but isn’t too stressful, and can accomadate pregnant servicewomen, don’t get me wrong, what we did was still important and necessary, but it was an environment where the workload wasn’t killer, and could accomadate the many dr appointments and the required 1 1/2 month convalescent leave after baby is born) We didn’t have an area where we could pump milk at first, and it took a lot of pushing from some of our Chiefs and Senior Chiefs to finally get one. Yes, the military can be family friendly (if you have a good support system, and its not hard to find one, I love my military family) but the military absolutely needs to be more open to new mom’s situations, especially breastfeeding. Personal experience has shown me that the military needs to be much more accomodating to bf’ing mothers. Even in the Naval hosptial, the lactation consultant couldn’t care less that my son and I were have serious issues bf’ing, and we ended up giving up on it. I pumped as long as I could on leave, but had to stop, bc there wasn’t an area at work to have the privacy to do so. I think the military has a long way to, but they’re on their way. I’m so proud that being gay is no longer an issue, I have several gay friends that were so scared of being found out as gay that they separated, and the Navy lost some amazingly smart people. If they want to keep the good military women, they need to start listening to the mom’s. We still want to serve, but won’t let our children suffer for it.
Strong women Strong Mamas!! This is a pic we can be proud of – and proud to show our daughters!!
She is out of regulations and looks unprofessional. Considering this is a stage photo op taken specifically for publicity purposes, she should be in uniform to the greatest extent possible. First, she is outdoors, and so should be wearing a hat. Second, the ABU blouse (her top shirt), is always supposed to be buttoned, so she should have pulled up both, or gone inside, where she is allowed to take the ABU blouse off and wear just a t-shirt. Her unprofessional wear of the uniform hurts the image of breastfeeding women in the military. Yes, you can and should be able to breastfeed in uniform. No, doing so does not give you the right to dismiss/ignore the rules and regulations concerning uniform wear.
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