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Hooter hiders cause controversy
Filed under: Your Pregnancy, Media, Mommy Musts
Recent distribution of a line of nursing covers in Vancouver has stirred up quite a bit of controversy, according to this article."Hooter Hiders" are special cover-ups that allow nursing mothers to feed their babies in public while remaining fully shielded from the public and allowing Mom a clear view of her baby. It's causing fierce debate between breastfeeding advocates who believe that such a product returns women to "the dark ages" with the unspoken suggestion that it's not appropriate to breastfeed without cover.
Proponents for the product argue that some women are uncomfortable with their breast partially exposed in public, and they should be able to have access to whatever products make them happy. Some also say that the public should not be subjected to "a dinner plate sized nipple" (I know, I know.)
As a breastfeeding Mother, I'm fine with products like this. I do wish they'd chosen a slightly more dignified name, however. Hooter Hiders just reminds me of orange shorts and owls.
Anyway, I am not comfortable nursing in public, for my own reasons, and I think my preference to cover up is my business. If I want to wear a gigantic 10 foot tent to conceal my breasts, so be it. I also fully support women who want to breastfeed completely exposed in the middle of a restaurant if they're comfortable with it.
What do you think? Do products like this nursing cover send a message that public breastfeeding is distasteful? Or should they be encouraged for the comfort of the general public?
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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 2)
5-22-2006 @ 7:07AM
knit_tgz said...The name IS stupid, and I find it a bit offensive.
My perspective may be different, as I live in Southern Europe, where it is not considered so offensive to expose one's breasts or nipples in certain contexts (as sunbathing or breastfeeding). Here, if a woman is breastfeeding in public (which is unfortunately becoming less usual with the abrupt birth rate decline and the expansion of bottle-feeding), no-one cares if she exposes her breasts or not. Some women do not like to expose their breasts, and they usually bring nice handkerchiefs (sometimes even embroidered ones) or classic fabric diapers (sometimes embroidered, also, which can double as a sun-protection for the baby) and cover their breasts with them. Other women simply take their breast out in public and feed the child. And other women (more shy ones, maybe) go to the bathroom or the "diaper-change station" (which exists in larger shopping centers) and feed the child there.
People are different, and breastfeeding women are different. I don't believe people should impose covering on breastfeeding mothers (they are not flashing their breasts, they are feeding a child. Context is everything), but if the mother is shy, she may want some covering. I would never use it (too much encumbrance), but I understand.
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5-22-2006 @ 8:59AM
Jen said...I'm with you. I just don't feel comfortable exposing my breasts in public. If others do, that's their business, but I think it's wrong for bf advocates to make judgements about what is right and wrong for other people.
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5-22-2006 @ 1:50PM
Nina said...I love this product...I prefer to cover up when I'm in public and nursing, but I don't begrudge the woman who doesn't. It's actually called "Bebe au lait", but they still sell it also under the "Hooter Hiders" name because many of their customers liked the "fun" name. I think they explain the story on their website http://www.bebeaulait.com/index.html It's so much better than draping a blanket over your shoulder or having a poncho like thing because you can still see the baby while you're nursing.
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5-22-2006 @ 7:40PM
Leah said...Kristin, you alreayd know what side of the debate I'm coming from--the non-mother side--but I agree with you that women who don't want to be all out there for everyone to see should have the option to cover up without OTHER mothers getting up in their faces for being "backward." Mommywars = sad sad sad. That said, I do think there should be some common courtesty applied to when and where is an appropriate time to breastfeed. If a mother is on a park bench or in a mall or somewhere there's a flow of traffic and plenty of room for boobphobics to avert their gaze, by all means, feed away. But in a restaurant where other people are eating and they've already selected a table and there are only so many other places to look? Bad. Unless you are in a back booth and no one can see you. And breastfeeding in a movie when everyone can hear the suck suck suck? Please don't. I'm all for empowerment and options and people doing what they need to do to be happy, but in breastfeeding as in everything else, we should all remember to be polite.
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5-22-2006 @ 11:14PM
The Mommy Blawger said...While I generally opt for being modest, I think this product is a bit of an overkill in order to cover, say, 1/2 inch of nipple and a small bit of tummy.
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5-23-2006 @ 8:49AM
Judy said...While I say that anything that makes a breastfeeding mom comfortable nursing out in public is fine by me, this cover-up SCREAMS "I'm breastfeeding". A well designed nursing top covers you up just as well, and most people thing you're just holding a sleeping baby.
If you're worried about flashing nipple for the short time it takes for the baby to latch on, I have someone (hubby or friend) stand in front of me or I turn away or position the stroller in front of me. I've never had a problem nursing my baby in public (coming up on 1 year old now) nor have I ever noticed any other mother "letting it all hang out".
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5-23-2006 @ 12:41PM
Sara said...I think that if a coverup product increases the liklihood of breastfeeding, then it's not an altogether bad thing. I understand the criticism in theory, but really...
One thing I struggled with was not having my breast exposed, but the rest of my body. I was more uncomfortable with my post-baby belly blowing in the breeze and this type of product helps with that.
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