Whip out those breasts, they’re a source of survival, not shame
Public breastfeeding debate erupts just as new study reveals our three-million-year 'breast is best' strategy
The breastfeeding-in-public debate reared its head again recently when a passenger named Shelby Angel on a KLM flight took to Facebook to complain that she was handed a blanket by a flight attendant to “cover up” while breastfeeding her one-year-old baby.
The Dutch airline, according to The Guardian, responded with its written policy which warns that women may be asked to shield themselves from public view if nursing an infant, because it could offend fellow passengers.
This is a perennial debate in modern times, and simply highlights our bizarre situation as homo sapiens: we are animals with the same instincts as all the other mammals on the planet, but our innate survival strategies are layered over with clothing, social taboos, cultural conflicts and all sorts of gadgets which help or hinder what Mother Nature intended...
This article is reserved for Times Select subscribers.
A subscription gives you full digital access to all Times Select content.
Already subscribed? Simply sign in below.
Questions or problems?
Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.