We'd asked you readers whether or not you support the breastfeeding campaign.
THANK YOU for your feedback.
- Part 1: 'I support breastfeeding but..'
- Part 2: 'It is embarassing to have men stare at our breasts'
- Part 3: 'Breastfeeding campaign should not stop'
- Part 4: 'Women must breastfeed without fear, shame'
Presenting the final set of responses we received from you.
Model Gisele Bundchen had sent a powerful message by sharing this image of her breastfeeding her child while getting ready for a shoot.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Gisele Bundchen/Instagram
I wish to express my view that breastfeeding is very natural and must be supported by everyone.
At the same time it is important and pertinent to note that the mother should not be made uncomfortable by her surroundings specially people (not only men) staring at her bare chest.
A better way to do it in public would be just to cover enough so as not to show the skin and feel confident and comfortable.
Also I would like to highlight, that we must educate ourselves as men and our sons to be sensible and sensitive enough to give the mother space if she wants to breastfeed in public.
Why cant we be responsible enough to turn away from her than ask her to cover up?
Won't that be a better way to honour a woman and a mother?
--Rohit Jain, Nagpur
I support breastfeeding.
However, as far as creating awareness is concerned, it's rather made to look so concerning and is unnecessarily being debated.
Why do I say, unnecessary, is because, maintaining undisputed sanctity of such as this campaign by dignity in modesty is sanity
This is a classic case of how such divine subjects are made unnecessarily susceptible, by any act, that creates a snob or taboo, instead.
These campaigns can or should show mother breastfeeding but by covering the breasts or else it will be subjected to paraphrasing, the very purpose of this campaign.
The purpose being, creating right awareness, in all mothers and stakeholders, be them uneducated or educated, modern or desi, rural or urbane. They must breastfeed for the established medical benefits of this God's natural gift.
--Sudhir
It is futile to deny the undeniable, let alone ignore!
Breast milk is the life of the child, upon which each of us depended, savored and grew up.
I support the initiative but not with such an exposure!
The portrayed image is not only an insult to motherhood, but equally degrading the dignity of breastfeeding.
A serene picture of a mother covering her breasts -- as most mothers do even if they are alone -- would have equally, if not more powerfully, communicated the same message.
Now the battle is lost even before it began and the purpose is largely defeated!
--Jis Pettayil, 38 France
Greetings from North-eastern India!
In many rural societies in our part of India it is common to encounter mothers breastfeeding babies.
In fact it is a natural thing to do.
So we fail to understand what the fuss is about.
--N Borah, Guwahati, Assam
