Military Moms Photographed Breastfeeding in Uniform: Inappropriate or Harmless?

by SodaHead Living Posted 2012/05/31 16:47:13

Related Topics: Military, Moms, Photograph, Breast-feeding, Breastfeeding, Uniform, Playboy, Baby, Parenting, Doctor, Photo, Life, Campaign

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	Inappropriate	357 votes	22%
	Harmless	1,290 votes	78%

There's something about breastfeeding that seems to get people all riled up. Why? We're not sure. Doctors recommend breastfeeding as the best way to feed your baby for at least the first year of his or her life. But still ... there's something about military moms doing it in uniform that takes the "issue" to the next level.

A photo of two military moms breastfeeding their babies -- part of a local breastfeeding awareness campaign by Mom2Mom of Fairchild Air Force Base -- is supposedly causing an "outrage." We're not really sure who's outraged, but this is the photo in question:

"People are comparing breastfeeding in uniform to urinating and defecating in uniform. They're comparing it to the woman who posed in Playboy in uniform [in 2007]" Crystal Scott, a military spouse and mother of three who launched the group, told Yahoo! Shine. "We never expected it to be like this."

Terran Echegoyen-McCabe, a member of the Air National Guard who was photographed in uniform nursing her 10-month-old twin daughters, defended the pics on the "Today" show. "I'm proud to be wearing a uniform while breastfeeding. I'm proud of the photo and I hope it encourages other women to know they can breastfeed whether they're active duty, guard or civilian," she said. Do you have a problem with the pic?

+55

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Dar 2012/05/31 16:49:14

Harmless

+34
Does wearing a uniform disqualify you from motherhood and all that it encompasses...NO.
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More polls by SodaHead Living

Kozmo to Lilriot 2012/06/03 15:39:35

+1
I don't think this Australopithecus has a grasp on the word nescient (or Reality for that matter). Since he stated he likes oral, let's hope his seed doesn't make a zygote.

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Judge P... to Lilriot 2012/06/05 17:58:00

"The woman was created for the man but the man is born of the woman so neither is independant of the other." That is right out of the word of God! Also, X and Y chromosomes don't apply to the argument because in birds, butterflies and moths, XX is male and XY is female! King Henry divorced several women for not giving him a male child but since the X or Y comes from the XY parent, in humans it is the MAN who determines the gender of the child! (If the man gives his X the child is female and if he gives his Y the child is male! The woman is XX so she can give only one of her X's!) Go figure!

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Bleach ... to Harry B... 2012/06/03 16:47:15

+1
Apgar tests, which evaluate a baby’s health upon birth invented by Virginia Apgar in 1952

Circular saw invented by Tabitha Babbitt in 1812

Dishwasher invented by Josephine Cochran in 1872

Electric hot water heater invented by Ida Forbes in 1917

Elevated railway invented by Mary Walton in 1881

Engine muffler invented by El Dorado Jones in 1917

Fire escape invented by Anna Connelly in 1887

Globes invented by Ellen Fitz in 1875

Ironing board invented by Sarah Boone in 1892

Kevlar, a steel-like fiber used in radial tires, crash helmets, and bulletproof vests invented by Stephanie Kwolek in 1966

Street-cleaning machine invented by Florence Parpart in 1900

Submarine lamp and telescope invented by Sarah Mather in 1845

Windshield wiper invented by Mary Anderson in 1903

..Just sayin'.

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ticker to Bleach ... 2012/06/07 05:59:47

sorry couldn't help but laugh; the dishwasher and ironing board

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Bleach ... to ticker 2012/06/07 10:34:55

touche.

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Judge P... to Harry B... 2012/06/03 17:28:15

+1
From my wife: You sir obviously have shown us the lowest number that an I.Q. can be here today and the only good thing that came out of your mouth was your mother's placenta as you obviously chewed your way out of her birth canal like the alien you are. Men like you give good men bad advertising.

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ticker 2012/06/02 15:14:28 (edited)
Shadow to ticker 2012/06/02 18:08:29

+1
And how have "feminists" done that in this situation?

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ticker to Shadow 2012/06/07 05:55:01
Shadow to ticker 2012/06/14 03:51:44

Whats wrong with "women in combat-arms"? And without breasts,there would be no life. Mothers couldnt feed their children. And yes,women want to be treated as equals,but people like you WONT treat them as equals because you think they're all "whipping their tits out at work". And might I say that "tits" is a very juvinile way of saying it. It's great to know what very mature people like you think.

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ticker to Shadow 2012/06/14 18:54:18

because there is no way a woman can carry a ruck loaded with 7days worth of food and water up a mountain while carrying another 150-200 pounds of gear, ammo and weapons; and yes, I' make her carry the 240B- just like any of her "equals"
fine, "exposing her breasts in the workplace" now are all the over-sensitive people happy?
short biology lesson, BREASTS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH PREGNANCY OR CHILDBIRTH. you also don't need the entire breast to feed your offspring; just the nipple, had breasts never existed women would probably just secrete milk through their skin like the platypus

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ticker to Shadow 2012/06/14 18:56:58

i haven't even asked why the hell you've got your kids at work to begin with yet; you must work for someone A LOT nicer than any boss i've ever had

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Kozmo to ticker 2012/06/02 20:23:42

You missed the joke, it was meant to promote breast-feeding in general. Our Society has become fanatically Puritan when anything sexual. It's a slam-dunk that the Boob is Better the Bottle, but the Formula Companies want moola. They're even strong-arming young mothers in the 3d World to buy (insalubriuos) formula thay can't even afford whereas she is perfectly capable of "manufacuring the local diet with her own body" into milk for the infant at relatively negligible cost.

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Judge P... to Kozmo 2012/06/04 03:21:09

+2
Our society is confusing a woman's breast for sexual reasons (totally uncovered) with a woman's breast for non-sexual reasons (breast feeding).

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ticker to Kozmo 2012/06/07 05:57:50
The Bee Guy 2012/06/02 15:00:13

Harmless

+1
This is far less harmfull then feeding Soy based formula, which contains the equivalent to 4 birth control pills worth of Estrogen n each days feeding. Do you really want to do that to a baby?

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kelly 2012/06/02 14:37:43

Harmless

What is society's fetish with breast feeding?

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m k 2012/06/02 14:21:28

Harmless

No problem

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Kirby 2012/06/02 14:03:05

Harmless

+1
Those who voted inappropriate. Really need to get a life babies get hungry and the don't give a damn what you're wearing ! IDIOTS..

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daniell... to Kirby 2012/06/02 14:48:25

the issue is not about feeding a baby, it is what you can and cant do in a military uniform, our laws state it CAN NOT be done, they broke so many military regulations in taking these photos that i cant even list them here.

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Justin ... to daniell... 2012/06/02 17:23:17

+1
98% of these folks don't get it. Our society. That's the problem.

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Kozmo to Justin ... 2012/06/02 20:37:58

HEAR! HEAR! - Our AUTHORITY has deluded itself so much that it PROMOTES more Problems than it solves à la Hercules vs. the Hydra. Here's an article on Organizational DILBERTopia: http://lornemitchell.com/blog... & one on Societal SEINFELDosis http://blog.humangivens.com/2...

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098765 2012/06/02 13:48:37

Inappropriate

that is the most inapprorpriate and alarming thing i've ever seen

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098765 to 098765 2012/06/02 13:51:11

could do without all the author's slights to conservatively-minded users in every single article, too

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The Bee... to 098765 2012/06/02 15:02:47

+2
I often think it would be better if all authors gave an "other " catagory, and did less to influence the results. Though see my comment above on this issue. Very little to be alarmed about a mother doing what her body was designed to do, feeding her child.

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Kozmo to The Bee... 2012/06/02 20:49:43

In Psychology, Militant Black & White is inherently dangerous (Fanaticism) as is Militant Ambivalence (fence sitting). Looks like most folk are incapable to MODERATE between these two (conceptual extremes). Check out http://www.caetextia.com/ and the 2 links regarding Sociology I put above while supporting Justin

"We have met the Enemy & It is U$" - adapted from Pogo, 1960's cartoon.

"If You're not Part of the Solution, You're Part of the Problem" - please apply a gradient rather than going to extremes please, unlike the poster of the original question.

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mmmholl... to 098765 2012/06/02 23:48:40

+1
It is? The MOST "inapprorpriate and alarming" thing you have ever seen? For real?

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098765 to mmmholl... 2012/06/02 23:52:21

no, not really.

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mmmholl... to 098765 2012/06/03 00:06:16

They why did you say that?

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098765 to mmmholl... 2012/06/03 04:26:33

stop acting like you've never heard of the concept of hyperbole.

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Lilriot to 098765 2012/06/03 02:50:35

Really??More alarming is to think you haven't see much at all, kinda blind are you?

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jeanne Blue 2012/06/02 13:38:23

Harmless

+1
Totally appropriate! Reminds us that we are all in this together and how much it costs to be involved in war. These are all humans being.

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098765 to jeanne ... 2012/06/02 13:52:40

give me a break. smiling, make-up wearing, breastfeeding young mothers are NOT soldiers or "warriors", if it can still be said that those exist. don't give them that much credit.

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daniell... to 098765 2012/06/02 15:08:47

+3
their paychecks are giving them our money to be warriors, they chose to follow the rules they are breaking in this photograph.

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daniellhawk 2012/06/02 13:25:17

Inappropriate

+2
regulations state that a member can not promote a civilian cause while in uniform without orders to do so. If we put breastfeeding moms in a different category from all the rest of the military we put the whole system up to question.

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The Bee... to daniell... 2012/06/02 15:04:10

Right, so mom should be given extended leave to deal with the most important thing she must do, Take care of the next generation. Or better yet, they should not be in the military anyway.

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daniell... to The Bee... 2012/06/02 15:40:50

+2
they are given leave, most guys are also, unless your in a job like i was in and they couldn't allow it, to go home for the birth. once that time is up you have to fulfill the commitment you made to serve. I had several nursing moms under me , and I had to provide a PRIVATE place for them to nurse if they wished. they had to provide the transportation for the child, then go back to work. deployments are a whole different game though, these warriors are stateside and have more leniency. These women will be punished, multiple regulations were broken.

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mmmholl... to daniell... 2012/06/02 22:31:55

Actually if you followed this at all you would know they are not going to be. We are talking natural rights here and if you are going to have women in the military this goes right along with that choice.

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daniell... to mmmholl... 2012/06/25 00:58:54

I am just giving you the regulations. They are open to the public on the internet
http://www.military.com/video...
http://spousebuzz.com/blog/20...
http://www.military.com/daily...
http://www.marlowwhite.com/ar...
http://patdollard.com/2012/06...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/category/s...
http://usmilitary.about.com/o...
http://usmilitary.about.com/o...
also Can't use the uniform to promote a cause/business.

Not appropriate in public.

Letter of reprimand or NJP depending on performance and the airmen's attitude. You want to be an activist while in uniform (especially during your two days a month commitment) you should expect blowback.

I am just giving you the regulations. They are open to the public on the internet
http://www.military.com/video...
http://spousebuzz.com/blog/20...
http://www.military.com/daily...
http://www.marlowwhite.com/ar...
http://patdollard.com/2012/06...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/sub-chapte...
http://www.ucmj.us/category/s...
http://usmilitary.about.com/o...
http://usmilitary.about.com/o...
also Can't use the uniform to promote a cause/business.

Not appropriate in public.

Letter of reprimand or NJP depending on performance and the airmen's attitude. You want to be an activist while in uniform (especially during your two days a month commitment) you should expect blowback.
(more)

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mmmholl... to daniell... 2012/07/03 15:39:45

Your wall of text makes the official response from the military no different. I will take their word and decision, not yours . Hugs!

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