Right now, we’re in the midst of Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and the first week of August is World Breastfeeding Week. For more than 30 years, hundreds of countries have used this week to talk about breastfeeding and the challenges and obstacles some mothers and babies face. Breastfeeding may seem like the most natural thing in the world to some. But that doesn’t make it easy.
Chardon mom Katie Carlson told News 5, “I think breastfeeding is one of the most challenging experiences that I have ever dealt with.” We first introduced you to Carlson last month when a young pool manager in Willoughby told her she’d have to continue nursing her then 3-month-old baby in the public restroom.
“I felt extremely embarrassed, shocked, and kind of like – ashamed,” she said.
Dr. Lydia Furman is a pediatrician at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital. She’s dedicated her career to supporting women like Carlson and their babies. She told News 5 the law is clear, anywhere you can be in public, you can breastfeed.
“Whether it is a restaurant, a bus, a pool setting, a school. Wherever you are, you can breastfeed. How you cover up is up to you,” she said.
Furman described breastmilk as medicine personalized to your baby.
“The mother’s breastmilk is filled with immunologic goodies, with hormones, even with stem cells, and it is nutritionally perfect for a growing baby.” It helps moms too. Dr. Furman said breastfeeding will reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and type 2 diabetes. She wants to see more women get help to make breastfeeding a success. Ideally, that would include guaranteed paid maternity leave, better access to certified lactation consultants, and public education on how vital breastfeeding is.
“Every drop that you give is a wonderful thing, is a gift, right? So you can’t kick yourself over a missed pumping or a missed feeding because you’re doing everything that you can,” she said.
Carlson said if given a do-over, she would have handled her pool day debacle differently.
“I would have spoken out, like, ‘No, actually, I’m OK right here,’” she said. She’s doing her part to make sure women know their rights. And if anyone doesn’t like it, Furman says they have the right to look away.
“Anyone who tells you that you can’t or that you’re somehow offending them,” she said, “Hey, they need to grow up.”
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