Duggar and me
Modesty swim outfits from Wholesome Wear
What do Michelle Duggar of 19 Kids and Counting, Vancouver artist Kate Hansen and a journalism student in Toronto have in common? Breastfeeding!
One of my guilty pleasures is watching the show 19 Kids and Counting on TLC. It’s the one about the conservative Christian family that keeps having kids. For now, they’ve got 19.
At first, it was like watching a train wreck over and over and over. Crash. The women and girls are completely covered up. Crash. All those kids schooled at home. Their Internet use (information access) carefully monitored. Crash. Here they go visiting the Creation Museum.
It’s a total superiority fix for a lifetime, left wing Torontonian such as myself.
Then the train got on track and to my surprise, I started to pay attention. Michelle Duggar, the mother, and Jim Bob Duggar, the father, are so calm, despite having an army of children at home. Someone, be it a parent or an older sibling, is always carrying a baby. Michelle Duggar breastfeeds each one. They’re gentle parents. All the kids play instruments. Are they attached parents? Others think so.
The Duggar women and girls wear modesty swimwear. The suits have bright colours around the neck area to focus attention away from the body. They wear more clothes to go swimming than some people may wear to work but Michelle Duggar breastfeeds in public.
It’s amazing what she does. She’s got the baby hanging on to her with a nursing pillow. She covers herself up, and walks around, going about her day with her youngest child suckling away.
I’m not the only mother who thought it was interesting. In the online breastfeeding forum world, there was a mini explosion about it.
There’s something empowering about an otherwise modest woman who breastfeeds so publicly. It makes it easier for the rest of us.
I don’t think it matters that Michelle Duggar is completely covered up. It’s her choice.
Even today, Facebook continues to censor breastfeeding images. A Vancouver artist and mother, Kate Hansen, had her art work depicting breastfeeding mothers removed several times. Then, she got a message saying the images violated Facebook’s terms of use.
Facebook did this a few years ago, but with actual pictures of breastfeeding women. This time, they’re offended by art work. As the Toronto Star’s Antonia Zerbisias said, even the Vatican doesn’t have a problem with artwork of Mary nursing baby Jesus.
It shows there’s still stigma surrounding breastfeeding.
But if Michelle Duggar can breastfeed in public. Really, it means anyone can.
You can listen to Kate Hansen’s story on a CBC radio’s The Story From Here April 21 podcast.
extremely well-written!
I think that it is oh so vitally important to breast-feed. I am not a parent, but I do want kids some day. More “advertising” needs to be done on breastfeeding. Even at the end of formula commercials, there’s a disclaimer that breast feeding is best for your baby. I dated a guy, and we were talking about marriage and kids (we’re now separated) and I told him my views on breast-feeding (immunity, bonding, financially responsible, helps you lose baby weight quicker, etc) His response? His mom didn’t breast-feed him, so we wouldn’t breast-feed OUR kids! His children shouldn’t have a better head-start than he did? You see why I’m single now?!? Fantabulous site, well organized, awesome topic, so well written. You’re very talented! KUDOS!