With Idaho and Utah passing bills legalizing breastfeeding in their respective jurisdictions, the natural act of providing sustenance by a mother to her own child outside the confines of her home or away from the general population has only now, in 2018, been accepted by all 50 states.
Over the years, acceptance for the practice has been divided, with half of the public viewing breastfeeding in public as taboo, and law enforcement, on some occasions, citing mothers for public indecency when called in on a complaint. With this new development being most welcome, its approval did not come without resistance.
In Utah, Republican Congressman Curt Webb protested during a hearing that the exposure could lead to immodesty. “This seems to say you don’t have to cover up at all,” the representative told the Salt Lake Tribune. “I’m not comfortable with that, I’m just not.”
Part of the reason why it took so long to legalize breastfeeding in public is the lack of representatives in state legislature who understand and sympathize with its importance to the welfare of mothers: women.
Although state legislature being dominated by men all these years has made the journey to legalization a lengthy one, not all men in congress are unsympathetic to the plight of mothers, as exemplified by Idaho Republican Rep. and bill sponsor Paul Amador who is a father to a 5-month-old son.
“Personally, I find it disappointing that we’re in 2018 and we still haven’t passed this law in Idaho. I think we can take a proactive stance here through legislation to promote the natural bond and health benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child. I also believe the health and nutritional choices of our families are best left as decisions for our families, not our government.”
Numerous research material suggest that fear of judgment discourages mothers from breastfeeding in public places thus, with this legislative milestone protecting the right of women to feed her infant formalized, the benefits of breastfeeding on infant health and nutrition can now be secured.
