The Ever Present Breastfeeding Debate

I was reading some posts at Blogging Baby today. I was reading the post called "Boobs on Parade...breastfeeding or marketing?" and I followed the links to this very clever post on the BabyCenter Message Boards. I thought this was very clever and really shows the struggle for breastfeeding mothers. Why is it that our society has not problem looking at women flash their breasts all over magazines, the internet, and tv and yet they raise a ruckus when a mother exercises her PROTECTED right to feed her baby in public. You see far more skin on those magazine covers than you ever do when I woman is nursing her baby and yet it is the nursing mother who is offensive. GOOD GRIEF!!

I was able to nurse Caleb for four months and then he just decided he preferred the bottle. I am so happy for that time. I am one of those mothers who are just modest enough to not really want to nurse in public. I would usually go out to my car or find a back room to nurse him. That was my choice though. I support and respect women who have no problem nursing their babies completely in public. I support their right to nurse in public 100%. I am not the only who supports this. So, does the state of Georgia. In 2002 , the Georgia Legislature passed this law:

Ga. Act No. 922 (2002) changes the previous law, § 31-1-9, and inserts the phrase: "The breast-feeding of a baby is an important and basic act of nurture which should be encouraged in the interests of maternal and child health. A mother may breast-feed her baby in any location where the mother and baby are otherwise authorized to be." (S.B. 221)

I guess the law is one thing but people's opinion is much harder to change. I just wish it wouldn't be that way. What can I do? I can't change the entire country's opinion but I know that I can support mothers as I see them and speak up for a woman's right to nurse her baby whenever and wherever she feels is needed. I can also speak about the benefits of breastfeeding your baby and that far outweighs other people's opinions. Who really matters here anyway? That's right, the BABY.