The breastfeeding of a baby by the mother is an important act of nurture that deserves to be encouraged for the interests of both the child and maternal health. Mothers are supposed to breastfeed their babies sparingly to assure them of normal health and proper growth and development. Many organizations such as the WHO, the CDC as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics encourage extended baby breastfeeding as a way of ensuring the health of both the child and the mother and as a way of mitigating public health problems (Ketan & Ketan 2005).
Doctors and medical experts usually state that for the first six months of a baby’s life, he or she should be exclusively fed the mother’s milk. This is because the mother’s milk contains all the nutrients that are required for the baby’s growth and development during this crucial stage of life (Lawrence & Lawrence, 2010). In addition, breastfeeding enables the mother and the baby to establish an unbreakable bond and connection that is actually exhibited throughout the child’s life (Ketan & Ketan 2005). There are no designated times for breastfeeding. For instance, a mother cannot plan to be breastfeeding her baby at particular times of the day and not breastfeeding at other times. Breastfeeding is, in fact, an activity that often occurs or takes place randomly whenever the baby gets hungry.
Unfortunately, mothers have increasingly found themselves unable to conduct this basic act of nurture due to several legal restrictions and hurdles. Mothers sometimes find themselves unable to breastfeed their babies especially when they are in an environment that discourages or completely disallows breastfeeding of babies (Li et al., 2004). This can be equated to denying a baby of its basic right of food. Breastfeeding a baby is a harmless activity that does not encompass any element of indecency as many of the individuals and organizations who oppose breastfeeding, for instance in public places claim. Many mothers in the state of Indiana occasionally find themselves in trouble when they are caught breastfeeding in what are deemed to be “inappropriate places’. Many may even find themselves being publicly embarrassed and being publicly told to leave certain premises when they are caught breastfeeding and are deemed to be engaging in immoral or lewd conduct (Li et al., 2004). This has not only been happening in Indiana but also in other states throughout the country. There has been increased advocacy for new laws that remove some of these restrictive measures of breastfeeding and mothers to be given freedom to breastfeed their babies without any restrictions
It is proposed that a new law be passed in the state of Indian giving all mothers the freedom to breastfeed their babies at any location or place where they are legally allowed or authorized to be. This means that if a mother and a baby are currently in a location that they have the legal authorization to be in, the mother has the right and freedom to breastfeed her baby at any time and the organization or individual who is in charge of the location has no right whatsoever to prohibit the mother from breastfeeding the baby.
It is proposed that the new law also makes it clear that the breastfeeding by a mother or the exposure of the mother’s breast should not be considered as unlawful, indecent, lewd or immoral. It should henceforth be considered as a basic act of nurture that facilitates the attainment of good health to the child, mother and the public in general since this child will be a key member of the public in the future and for him to be useful member of this society, he or she must have good health.
This law shall prohibit any entity or individual from harassing, restricting and penalizing a mother who has breastfed her child. In addition, the law will restrict individuals or entities from requesting mothers to move to different locations to breastfeed the baby if the mother and the baby are authorized to be in that particular location at that particular time. Requesting a mother to move will comprise of law violation.
It is also proposed that a mother who is currently breastfeeding should be excused for state and federal duties that she is obligated to until she has stopped breastfeeding. This includes jury duty. The mother will not be obliged to the mandatory jury duty until it has been established that she is no longer breastfeeding.
At the workplace, it is proposed that mothers be given sufficient break time to express milk for their babies. The employer shall take the initiative of providing an efficient space or setting where the mother can conduct this activity in privacy. No mother shall be denied a break after a sufficient working time to express milk for the baby. Any employer who violates this law can be subjected to a significant legal penalty.
Any individual who goes against the stipulations of this law should be subjected to civil court action, and an applicable fine should be enforced. A mother who makes an official complaint to the district attorney or prosecutor or the state attorney should be listened to, and if viable, court action should be taken against the individual accused of contravening the law.
The departments of children and human services in the state should be at the forefront of developing as well as distributing various material that give information on the rights of a woman to breastfeed her child whether it is in a private or public space. Organizations that particularly feature public accommodation elements should be properly educated on why breastfeeding is an important activity that should never be discouraged.
This proposal is the first step towards improving maternal and should health in the state of Indiana. Many individuals do not realize the benefits that can be accrued from proper breastfeeding. It is not just the baby who benefits but the mother benefits also. This leads to an overall achievement of maternal and child health. The enactment of such a law in one state will without a doubt stimulate or encourage another state to move towards the same direction. It is unimaginable the number of states where mothers and their children have been silently suffering due to restrictions against breastfeeding when the activity is indeed a basic act of nurture that every individual in the society goes through.
For this proposal to grow and become a bill that can be brought before the house, it will require the support of not only mothers who are the main stakeholders but nurses and other health experts throughout the state. Public health organizations as well as women and child welfare organizations should take an active part in supporting this proposal so that it can eventually become law.
References
Ketan, G., & Ketan, S. (2005). American Academy of Pediatrics: Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk. Pediatrics, 115(2), 496-506.
Lawrence, R. A., & Lawrence, R. M. (2010). Breastfeeding: a guide for the medical professional. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Li, R., Hsia, J., Fridinger, F., Hussain, A., Benton-Davis, S., & Grummer-Strawn, L. (2004). Public beliefs about breastfeeding policies in various settings. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 104(7), 1162-1168.
