A resource to inspire, inform and empower parents.

A Sickness

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, breastfeeding in public.

You will most likely not have a negative breastfeeding incident in your life. But that means nothing really. You live in a world where this happens and we all suffer the consequences of misogyny. Breastfeeding incidents occur often. Most of them are not reported. (Sound familiar?) Women are left humiliated, frightened and broken. Something is taken from women when this occurs; a sense of safety and innocence. These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern of hatred of women, violence against women, abuse of women, shaming of women. Where porn is a billion dollar industry, where we pay a ton of money to see women take their clothes off, but women are told to cover up and go to the bathroom when breastfeeding their babies. There is a sickness in our society. One rooted in misogyny and double standards. One that hurts women and children everyday. One that must be cured. Cured by speaking up, speaking out, speaking often, making waves, not shutting up, not waiting for it to get better, breastfeeding whenever and wherever, shouting for each other and not giving up ever, ever, ever.

Misogyny Is…

By Abby Theuring, MSW

The longer I work at breastfeeding advocacy and activism the harder it becomes to separate issues surrounding breastfeeding and breastfeeding in public from larger feminist issues. Intrigued by the connection I started reading feminist essays and picked up Rebecca Solnit’s book Men Explain Things to Me. I worked up an appetite to [Read more…]

Tandem Nursing in a Ball Pit

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, tandem nursing in a ball pit

Jack (4.5 years) and I started a game where we fell into the foam pit backwards. Exley (18 months) started to join in. One of the times Exley came over and flopped onto my chest. He pulled at my shirt, Jack saw this and yelled, “boobie time!” They both latched on for about a minute and then I said, “ok, that’s good!” And then we started to play again. [Read more…]

The Double Standard Bar, Part 1: My Body is Not a Crime

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder

The Double Standard Bar, Part 1: My Body Is Not a Crime

I stand here on a beach in Chicago with my shirt off. I am breaking the law. Chicago has a ban on the exposure of female nipples. My male counterparts can expose their nipples at will.

You don’t want to walk to around topless, you say? I don’t either.

THAT IS NOT THE POINT. [Read more…]

IT WAS HER RIGHT TO EAT by guest blogger Paola

My name is Paola and I’m 26. I’m a single mother to my two year old,  Daenerys. We have been nursing since she was three days old and when I saw your post today on Instagram about nursing in public, I felt really excited about that. I do have a blog on Tumblr but I thought I’d write something new about it rather than send you a link to something old. My feelings about it are different now that we’ve done this so long.

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Before I begin about our journey to nursing in public, I think it’s important to note how we started. Daenerys was born with the cord round her neck and they swiftly pried her away to the NICU. A nurse wrongfully recorded she had gone five minutes without breathing and I met my baby two hours after she was born. She had tubes everywhere and I couldn’t hold her. 

[Read more…]

Ivette Ivens Photo Shoot – Try to Stop Me

I am a warrior. I fight for you. I fight for moms, dads and babies. I fight for those who are living slightly against the grain to those who rage against the machine.

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, breastfeeding in public.

Ivette Ivens Photo Shoot – Mama Tribe

We travel in packs. We are a village. We have each other’s backs. You mess with one, you mess with all.

The Badass Breastfeeders of Chicagoland, Abby Theuring

[Read more…]

To the Person Offended By Breastfeeding

By Abby Theuring

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder breastfeeding toddler.

I’ve pretty much heard it all by now. “I’m all for breastfeeding, but… as long as you do it in private, as long as you go to the bathroom, as long as you cover, as long as I don’t have to see it.” “I don’t want my kids/husband to see that.” “That’s so gross.” “Why can’t you just put it in a cup?” And on and on with the stipulations that people love to put on other people’s behavior. [Read more…]

Breastfeeding in Public and Nursing Covers

This might come as a shock, but your body belongs to you. Only you. You are the ultimate authority over your body. Period. Please know this. Please never forget this. [Read more…]

The Sexy Woman Versus The Breastfeeding Mother: A Case Study of Facebook Memes

We’ve all seen those memes that show a breastfeeding mother next to a scantily clad celebrity asking a question such as, “Which one do you think was asked to cover up?” It always seemed like a simple question to me, pointing out the glaring hypocrisy that is life as a woman.

[Read more…]