In All the Debate About Breastfeeding, Where Is the Support For Mothers? | RH Reality Check

In All the Debate About Breastfeeding, Where Is the Support For Mothers? | RH Reality Check:

[T]he decision to breastfeed (or not), it should be supported. In all the debate about breastfeeding, I feel that it is a personal choice that may or may not work for all mothers; however, it is critical that as a society, we have the policies and infrastructure in place to support those decisions.  

We should not be relegated to a bathroom or closet because society has not deemed it critical to create private nursing or pumping spaces in public locations.  

We should not have to feel the burning judgmental stares because we decide to breastfeed on a plane, or anywhere in public.  

We should not have to hear the banter of folks who are uncomfortable with the idea of mothers continuing to nurse when children are ‘too old.’  

We should not have to hear the denigration of mothers who are unable or uninterested in nursing at all.  

On this mama’s day, we -- as a society -- need to respect and support the decisions that women and families make when raising their children. We also need to serve as advocates for change at the political and societal level so that the U.S. is no longer one of the lowest-scoring industrialized countries to be a mom, with a dismal breastfeeding policy score of ‘poor’ and the only developed country to not guarantee paid parental leave.

(Breaks and bolding added.)

Forget Flowers This Mother's Day: 11 Ways to REALLY Help Mothers | AlterNet

Forget Flowers This Mother's Day: 11 Ways to REALLY Help Mothers  | AlterNet:

The reality is that mothers are not as supported as they should be in this country, and the recent, ongoing war against reproductive rights, unions, and legislation like the Violence Against Women Act have only made things worse.

Below are several ways (among many) that we, as a nation, could do a much better job of supporting mothers.

1. Require paid parental leave.

2. Support workplace flexibility and other leave policies.

3. Address the gender wage gap.

4. Stop trying to roll back access to birth control.

5. Support safe, legal access to abortion.

6. Support unionization.

7. Fight for affordable health care.

8. Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

9. Address cuts to safety net services.

10. Ensure that mothers behind bars are treated with dignity.

11. Celebrate mothers of all stripes, from all backgrounds.

All mothers deserve love and respect, on Mother's Day and every day.