Breast feeding in public - Research Paper Example

The process involved has a general rule of defining a question or phenomenon and collecting information about it. It then searches for patterns in the information and give an interim explanation known as hypothesis. The hypothesis is then interpreted and the outcome published. The result of the process is known as a theory (Ziman, 2000). This paper will apply this process to discuss breastfeeding in public. The matter of breastfeeding in public has received arguments both in its favor and against it.

Some jurisdictions forbid it, some do not address it in their laws while others grant legal rights for the workplace and public areas (Hausman, 2003). Incidents have been reported of premises owners or the people present forbidding breastfeeding and harassing those doing it (Hausman, 2003). Cultural prominence in some parts of the world regarding the human breast’s sexuality has risen above its nutritional function. This has driven such communities to create cultural barriers to mothers breastfeeding their children in public.

They claim public breastfeeding is offensive, inappropriate and violates decency policies by exposing people within the vicinity to a mother’s naked parts (Hausman, 2003). An example of such culture is found in the United States. The work environments also do not meet or support the requirements of breastfeeding mothers. The situation is made more complex by lack of national laws that compel employers to offer lactation support (Palmer, 2009). The public, family and mothers have become uncomfortable with the breast’s exposure during breastfeeding.

The hypothesis in this discussion may be that family and partners need to encourage breastfeeding mothers to do it on a need basis, regardless of whether they are in the confines of their homes or in public (Wiessinger, West, & Pitman, 2010). They may also be encouraged to use nursing covers to conceal their breasts. It can be predicted that if mothers and the public uphold the significance of breast milk to an infant, the idea of fighting against public breastfeeding will not arise. The public should acknowledge and appreciate that breastfeeding is the principal purpose of breasts and dissociate them from sexual mentalities (Hausman, 2003).

Therefore, there is nothing inappropriate with seeing them being used for what they were meant to do. Instead, the outcry should be directed to the inappropriate manner in which breasts are used in the commercials of anything from undergarments, to automobiles and fast foods. Breastfeeding in public can then be accepted as a natural action and not indecent. There will be the added advantage of more mothers taking up on breastfeeding, giving rise to healthy generations. This will allow breastfeeding mothers to move out of the house and carry on with other activities and still be able to feed their children whenever and wherever they become hungry (Palmer, 2009).

An infant will not choose where to get hungry, therefore, the mother should not be stopped from breastfeeding. The proposals of other ways to give milk to infants should not be held against lactating mothers. This is because not all infants will take formula milk or drink from a bottle (Hausman, 2003). Furthermore, not all mothers can afford formula milk. These predictions can be tested by experimenting in cultures that view the human