Militant Lactivist

Pink recently got harassed in a restaurant for nursing her daughter Willow, even though she was using a cover. Link Here.

I have to say, she is one of my newest heroes. Since I began this new journey into "lactivism", I have yet to be harassed by anyone about BIP, although I know it happens to other women.

My dream is to live in a country (a world, even!) where breastfeeding is not only tolerated, but normal. Where nobody thinks or looks twice at a woman nursing her child in a restaurant, store, or park. While it's unlikely that this will happen in the next few years as I nurse my daughter, I do hope to see it in my lifetime. I'd like for my daughter to be able to breastfeed her own children anywhere and anytime. Perhaps one day my son will grow up and get married, and I'd like his wife to be able to nourish my grandbabies the way God intended, without fear of getting the stink-eye.


I guess I'm very lucky; I have never been harassed or given a dirty look when nursing in public. While my husband isn't necessarily thrilled about my BIP crusade, he has always been supportive of my decision to breastfeed our children, and he understands that sometimes, babies get hungry while you're at the grocery store or the park. He gets it.

The community we live in is very open-minded and tolerant of public breastfeeding, in my experience. Nobody seems to think twice about it, or if they do they keep their negativity to themselves. I am grateful for that. Now, I want that attitude to be more common. I want women to come out of their homes, breastfeeding their children proudly no matter where they are. In a world so full of fear and hate, why should we hang back and let it control our lives? Why should we allow ourselves to do less than what is absolutely best for our kids, just because we don't want to "offend" somebody? When you really think about it, negative attitudes toward BIP are probably not as common as most women fear. If we just shrug our anxiety away and do what needs to be done, the majority of women will most likely be pleasantly surprised!

That is why I am hosting our local Big Latch On. I want every nursing woman in my community to realize how supportive our neighbors really are! I want us to be a beacon of hope and restored faith in humanity, a sign to other women that YES you can feed your baby here! YES you are doing a good thing, a normal thing, a beautiful thing for your child! That kind of support and caring is what brings communities together and strengthens them.

If you are a nursing mother, I urge you to locate your nearest Big Latch On and join in, or start your own if nobody else in your community is hosting. Even if its just you and a friend or two, your numbers count! Meet in a park, a church, a back yard. Meet on a corner in the middle of town, if you want to!

I'd love to receive some more BIP stories to share on this blog. Pictures are great, too! Show the world you are not afraid to do what is right for your child.