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10 to Twins

By Jessica T

About this blog: I'm a late thirties mother of a ten-year-old and infant twins. My family moved to Menlo Park 6 years ago from Virginia - where I grew up, went to college, got married, had my first born, and got an MBA (in that order). I'm a manag...  (More)

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Changing the world one booby burqa at a time

Uploaded: Dec 16, 2013
Supermodel Giselle Bundchen made headlines last week when she posted this incredible photo of herself multitasking at work.

If you've been reading this blog, you probably know that I don't use a breastfeeding cover. Giselle Bundchen is in my camp. I've been disturbed that using breastfeeding covers has become the norm (at least for many of us mere mortals). My husband brought my attention to the fact that not a single friend has come over and nursed her baby without a cover since I've been on leave with the twins. This wasn't the case when my oldest daughter was a baby.

So, in keeping with my curiosity about why women today feel compelled to wear them, I've been querying my friends about their reasons for using breastfeeding covers. Each of them has claimed her own modesty, but then something amazing happened a few weeks ago.

My friend, we'll call her Jane, had previously nursed with a breastfeeding cover at my house. We had discussed my blog posts and how I felt about them. Then, we were at a seminar several weeks later about Returning to Work. And she miraculously fed her son without a breastfeeding cover surrounded by strangers.

Afterwards, at lunch, I said, "Jane! You breastfed your son without a cover today. I couldn't believe it!"

"I did!" she said. She had discussed the issue recently with a friend who felt, like I did, that they were unnecessary. Jane said, "And it's so much less of a pain, not to use one."

"But," Jane said, "I still use one if there are men around." (But perhaps she wouldn't if they styling her hair and applying her makeup?)

We laughed about it and then Jane said cheerfully, "Jessica T, your blog is changing the world one booby burqa at a time!"

What's your take on Giselle's post?
Local Journalism.
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Comments

Posted by Not feeling it, a resident of Midtown,
on Dec 16, 2013 at 2:25 pm

Ladies please cover up your tatas, especially in public


Posted by JenRed, a resident of Barron Park,
on Dec 16, 2013 at 4:27 pm

LOVE THIS! We need to not be so uptight about breast feeding. There's a reason so many women struggle at first - because we never see it growing up! Mamas should be able to feed their babies in public however they need to. There is nothing to be ashamed of... the only ones who should be ashamed are the people who scowl at breast feeding. Get over it.


Posted by Jay Park, a resident of Jackson Park,
on Dec 16, 2013 at 8:27 pm

Not a big deal.


Posted by Palo Alto Mom, a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis,
on Dec 16, 2013 at 9:53 pm

I honestly don't understand why this is even a topic of discussion. Feeding a baby is natural. Cover up or not, whatever you (and your baby) are comfortable with (babies are surprisingly opinionated once they are a few months old...


Posted by Googler, a resident of Stierlin Estates,
on Dec 17, 2013 at 6:36 am

A super model whipping out her boob in public is one thing I'm all for... a 37-year-old mother of three whipping out her boob is quite something else.


Posted by Jessica T, a Mountain View Online blogger,
on Dec 17, 2013 at 9:08 am

Jessica T is a registered user.

I think the photo of Giselle is refreshing and beautiful.

Fellow Googler - I don't agree that breastfeeding should be a subjective privilege, only reserved for supermodels.

JenRed - Your observation is super interesting - that today women experience challenges breastfeeding because we don't often see it.


Posted by Deb, a resident of Menlo Park,
on Dec 17, 2013 at 11:38 am

Show them tits! It is natural and lovely. As a breast cancer survivor, breasts are a wonderful sight to behold. Our uptight Anglo-Saxon background makes up fear the body, in particular the breasts. Be proud & show those tits.

Deb


Posted by I'm a Mom, a resident of Meadow Park,
on Dec 18, 2013 at 12:39 am

Well she isn't multitasking, everyone else is working on her, making her beautiful. Takes a lot of people. Even the baby is doing the feeding. As an example of self indulgent narcissism it's perfect. Almost a cartoon. It should appear in a psychiatric textbook. Truth is, it made me feel yukky.


Posted by emily, a resident of Downtown North,
on Dec 18, 2013 at 7:09 am

Don't call a cover for breast feeding a "booby burqua." Your trivial matters of modesty for breast feeding (such a first-world problem!) pale in comparison to the controversy of a real burqua and what that garment of clothing means.


Posted by MV Mom, a resident of Shoreline West,
on Dec 18, 2013 at 10:17 am

I'm with Palo Alto Mom and emily.

I'm so sick of seeing the phrase "booby burqua" and I'd really like the blog's author to step down off her soap box.

Moms have it hard enough. Let us feed our babies in the way we feel most comfortable with and in the way we decide is best. If you see a woman giving her 2 month old beer, then get enraged. But just let it be already over the nursing covers.


Posted by stop the madness, a resident of Adobe-Meadows,
on Dec 18, 2013 at 10:27 am

This is clearly an obsession we are not going to be able to affect with gentle urging. Once it was a nice point. This is post 5 or 6 on this topic. It feels like this whole blog is on this topic. Maybe when she goes back to work she will remember that there are more important things happening in the world, including the world of parenting, than this. There are even more important things about nursing than this (supplement with formula? sore nipples? plugged ducts?) There are more important parenting issues (disposable diapers and health/environment? washing cloth diapers versus diaper service? Sleep patterns? Co-sleeping?). Even if you want to be a mommy blogger rather than an engineering manager and working mother, please for the love of God change the channel.


Posted by one trick pony, a resident of Crescent Park,
on Dec 18, 2013 at 10:47 am

I can only wonder that Jessica was invited to write a blog at all, given her narrow interests. Perhaps she has a friend or relative on staff? I would expect at least a few columns devoted to the challenges of caring for twins in addition to the standard new baby/new sibling topics. That might be interesting. But these ongoing rants against women who prefer to cover up in public? Inexplicable, weird, and ultimately a waste of electrons.

I breastfed four babies without cover-ups. So I personally am not a fan, but I don't care if others want to use them, and I can't imagine devoting one post to this topic, much less a half dozen. I agree with stop the madness -- lots to write about, and if Jessica T can't broaden her range, time to give this space to someone with more to discuss.


Posted by been there done that, a resident of Blossom Valley,
on Dec 18, 2013 at 11:16 am

If you need to call it a "booby" burqua, that says it all. It's a breast, for crying out loud. Can't we all just grow up?


Posted by Jessica T, a Mountain View Online blogger,
on Dec 18, 2013 at 1:33 pm

Jessica T is a registered user.

Hello readers,

I posted on this topic again after receiving a comment from a reader with the photo of Giselle: http://mv-voice.com/blogs/p/2013/11/14/further-developments-on-the-booby-burqa---part-iii

I'm actually surprised that there wasn't more interest in discussing the content of the post itself: why supermodels are one of the few professions that don't require working breastfeeding mothers to be hooked up to a pump, what prompted my friend's self-realization, etc...If you've lived on another continent (as I have) where custom requires women to cover up for the purposes of modesty, perhaps you'd understand how jarring it can be to see women in the free world willingly covering themselves up when they are feeding their babies.

But - I get it. You hate this topic. You never want to read about it again. You think that I am pernicious for continuing to post about it. I will gladly move on to another subject...I have lots!


Posted by Hmmm, a resident of East Palo Alto,
on Dec 18, 2013 at 1:59 pm

Hmmm is a registered user.

I'm not interested in the topic, but I understand the importance of its discussion. What I find a bit disturbing are the titles of this & the other blog post. I get the cuteness, but I don't like it. The focus on it is also a bit odd, but I may be missing the necessity to focus so much on it. If you move on & write about other things, I'm happy to revisit your blog!


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