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Breastfeeding prudes, beware. There is a beanie in town designed to help moms who want to "discreetly" breastfeed. And yes, this beanie looks like a boob. It's the perfect antidote to those who say a woman ought to cover up when she feeds her baby. But I would never use it in a million years.
The genius handmade "beanie" is a skin-tone matching circle with a pink, pointed "nipple." It covers the boobs, but it looks like ... a boob. And while it flies in the face of all those people who insist that breastfeeding moms need to cover up in public, it feels a little "lactivist" for my taste. Even though I completely support a woman's right to breastfeed in whatever manner and wherever her baby will take it, I will say that I was reticent about breastfeeding in public myself.
I would never have the balls (boobs?) to use these hats myself. The fact is, I was that mom who voluntarily fed her baby in the bathroom sometimes and I don't feel too badly about it.
I nursed my first baby until she was a year old and my second until he was nearly 3. I loved nursing and would happily have continued with my first past one year. But I never did it uncovered in public.
Of course my desire to stay covered wasn't a judgement on moms who don't. I say more power to you, sisters! But it was me. I am also not comfortable on topless beaches or in any other kind of public topless situation.
The fact is, I was a little shocked by my friends who were willing to pull it out. I didn't judge them, but I was sometimes surprised. I remember the first time I went out with a group of moms to lunch when my daughter was seven weeks old. One mom pulled up her shirt and sat there completely topless nursing her baby.
No one batted an eyelash, but I was a bit surprised. I just hadn't seen someone do it so openly, and yet I was really impressed. But for myself, I always kept covered, kicked all the men out of the room, and sought privacy.
The truth is, it's a personal choice and a personal matter. Babies and moms have the right to feed or be fed the way that works for their families. So if a little beanie hat serves as a reminder of that, then more power to the Etsy creators who made them! But I would never use it. You have to admit, this would make you do a double-take in public, no? I guess the haters totally had it coming.
Would you use this hat?
Image via Etsy
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
