Sesame Street Breastfeeding: Moms Push To Bring Nursing Back To TV Show

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"before "sesame street" was hosting the likes of katy perry, michelle obama and emma stone, the acclaimed children's television show was home to other more frequent guest stars -- breastfeeding moms." full article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/05/sesame-street-breastfeeding_n_1187086.html

it thought this was interesting. i didn't know that they addressed the subject so casually on the show in the past. it is sad that they have to sign a petition to allow it now, nearly 40 years after it was first on the show.

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Specializes in LTC.

Thanks for sharing. I think it is so important for children to see women breastfeeding and know it is normal/natural. I grew up seeing women breastfeed and until I was an adult, I honestly thought everyone breastfed their baby at least for a couple months. I didn't realize there were women who made a conscious decision not to breastfeed at all. When I was pregnant with my first baby, I was taken aback a little when people would ask me if I was going to breastfeed. I would think "Of course I am, how else am I going to feed the baby?"

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Specializes in ICU.

I disagree, children don't need to be educated on breast feeding. There is no need to put it on a kids show. Nothing wrong with breastfeeding, but it's preschool learning and the last time I checked preschoolers don't need to see breastfeeding. They can get the normal natural education when they are ready for sex ed.

And as for the above poster, yes, women make the choice not to breastfeed. What's so shocking? It isn't for everyone. Some women find it uncomfortable or their lifestyle doesn't support it.. My friend chose not and she has 2 healthy beautiful children. I couldn't for technical reasons. So, be a little more open-minded to those who choose not to breast feed, then maybe people will be a little more open minded to those who do, in public.

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Specializes in LTC.

I wasn't trying to say it's wrong for women to chose not to breastfeed, I had just never encountered anyone who didn't even try it so I was kind of surprised to learn that people don't do it for at least the first few weeks. I never knew anyone who went straight to formula right from birth.

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Specializes in ICU.

many, many people do, actually.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I disagree, children don't need to be educated on breast feeding. There is no need to put it on a kids show. Nothing wrong with breastfeeding, but it's preschool learning and the last time I checked preschoolers don't need to see breastfeeding. They can get the normal natural education when they are ready for sex ed.

And as for the above poster, yes, women make the choice not to breastfeed. What's so shocking? It isn't for everyone. Some women find it uncomfortable or their lifestyle doesn't support it.. My friend chose not and she has 2 healthy beautiful children. I couldn't for technical reasons. So, be a little more open-minded to those who choose not to breast feed, then maybe people will be a little more open minded to those who do, in public.

You deserve 10,000 "likes" for this post.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I wasn't trying to say it's wrong for women to chose not to breastfeed, I had just never encountered anyone who didn't even try it so I was kind of surprised to learn that people don't do it for at least the first few weeks. I never knew anyone who went straight to formula right from birth.

Whether or not someone chooses to breastfeed falls into the realm of "None of my business."

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I would have to say that the reactions to breastfeeding appearing on Sesame Street are extremely negative. Some people that posted comments on Huffington Post were throwing around the "Ew, it's disgusting" argument. They show many babies on the show and apparently up until the early '90s they would show women both breast and bottle-feed. Now it is only bottles. I actually liked the clip they had of the woman breastfeeding and when asked about feeding the baby, she said that she also bottle fed.

I don't think that breastfeeding belongs in sex ed because that implies that breastfeeding is sexual in nature. If you are arguing that child-rearing subjects are for older adults anyways, well I can't buy that because we sell baby dolls to 2-year-olds.

I haven't seen much hate from breastfeeding moms to those that bottle feed, but their has been a huge ****storm surrounding anything that has to do with breastfeeding. I had a 4-year-old stumble into a room I was breastfeeding in and she told me I was gross and that my baby needed a bottle (She was a pretty rude kid). The friend that followed her had my back and insisted it was right because her brother was fed that way.(At least someone had my back lol)

The reason I would want to see it on Sesame Street is mainly because people are uncomfortable with it. Sesame Street has always been about teaching kids the most important things. Whether that be people you meet, where vegetables come from, or how some women feed their babies doesn't matter, it is all very important stuff!

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i think that the 'sesame street age' is precisely when these children should be introduced to breast fdg.

it is at this time that their brain is vigorously developing...

and so, this rapid development combined with their coexisting innocence, would seemingly 'program' them into being tolerant, flexible, and less judgmental adults.

if they waited til the age for sex education, most of these kids have already been exposed to the societal depiction of a woman's sexuality.

at a very young age, is the ideal time to teach...through words and actions.

they're not going to know to be embarrassed by a breastfeeding woman.

i've always been a huge proponent of sesame street.

they educate our children appropriately, on many different levels.

i cannot find one legitimate reason not to bring back the breast...

and what they were truly created for.

and i'm pretty darned sure they weren't created as a means of exploitation.

leslie

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Specializes in Oncology, Clinical research.

That's wonderful. I really wish we'd see spots like that today. I don't have a problem with people formula feeding if that's what they need to do, but I hate the cultural implication that formula is somehow the normal method to feed a baby and breastfeeding is weird.

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Specializes in ICU.
Whether or not someone chooses to breastfeed falls into the realm of "None of my business."

Yes, yes, yes. Which is why neither has to be shown to kids of sesame street age. It's a personal decision that can be addressed when they are ready to bear children.

Sex ed isn't only sex ed, it's health and about the human body. It also teaches of pregnancy. But I take it back, they can be educated on it when they are ready to bear kids. Then make a decision for themselves.

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Specializes in LTC.

Not trying to be snarky, but just wondering if those who think it is inappropriate to teach preschoolers about breastfeeding also think it is inappropriate to teach them about bottle feeding too? They are just two different ways that babies can be feed. My 3 year old knows that babies get milk either from their mom or from a bottle. She sees me breastfeeding her younger sister and wanted to know why the baby was sucking on me. I told her babies get special milk from their mommies or from a bottle. I think explaining it to her that way was perfectly age appropriate.

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