Breastfeeding on the Go?

Earlier tonight, I came across this photo of a woman breastfeeding her child while riding sidesaddle on what appears to be a scooter or possibly a motorcycle. My first thought (because I speak sarcasm so fluently that even my unfiltered thoughts to myself are sarcastic) was, “I know breastfeeding protects children from so many things, but traffic accidents are not one of them.”

With a bit of Googling, I discovered that worldwide, breastfeeding on the go like this seems to be somewhat of an accepted practice. Here are some more photos of moms nursing their babies on a motorcycle, a moped, a motorbike taxi, and on a sofa in the back of a pick-up truck?!?

While I applaud them for breastfeeding (Nursing does protect both and mom and babe from so many things. See below.), in my five-point-harness, rear-facing world, moms and with no helmets nursing children also without helmets while hanging onto the back of moving vehicles seems very dangerous ... kind of like when my grandfather let me ride standing next to him in the front seat of his pick-up truck or when my brother and I rode in the back of my dad’s pick-up truck . . .different times, different worlds.

Image Source: Breastfeeding on a moving bike by Wayne Method

Image Source: Man on the Lam

Image Source: Busy Mother breastfeeding child in a motorcycle taxi full of groceries in Manila Philippines by SnapChris.com

Image Source: http://blog.bummis.com/2012/09/breastfeeding-stories-by-guest-blogger.html

No matter where I first find an image, I usually try to use Google Image Search to find the original source and the full story. As it turns out this image is not as crazy as it first seemed.  It looks like that truck is driving, tailgate down, with mama in the back nursing on a matching couch.  I was totally wondering if that sofa was mounted to the truck bed somehow or if they might go flying off the back of the truck at any moment.  As it turns out, that's crunchy and committed, breastfeeding mama, Mariah and baby Achilles, grandson to the owner of Bummi's Cloth Diapers, taking a nursing break on moving day. Go, Mama, Go! You rock! 

And now more about the protection and benefits that breastfeeding really does afford to babies:

...and the protection and benefits that breastfeeding really does afford to toddlers:

... and the protection and benefits that breastfeeding affords to babies, mothers, and our planet:

 

Circumcision Someecards

Because sometimes sarcasm, irony and snarky comments really get the point across, here's a collection of some of my favorite someecards and other similar cards about circumcision.  

If you've noticed me posting a lot lately about circumcision, 

it's because it's Genital Integrity Awareness Week.

I made this one :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have another someecard about Circumcision that you really like?
Please share a link in the comments.  
Want to make your own?  
Check out: http://www.someecards.com/usercards/create

Image Sources: Wholenetwork.org, Facebook.com/IntactPA, SavingSons.org, Someecards.com, Facebook.com/MamasMilkies

Circumcision & Foreskin: Did You Know?

 

Circumcision: Did you know?

• No medical organization in the world, not even the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recommends infant male circumcision.
• At least 117 baby boys die from circumcision each year in the United States. (Death can occur from only 2.3 ounces of blood loss.)
• You can watch a video of circumcision being performed on YouTube.  This will allow you to see the actual procedure first.
• It's easier to care for a baby's intact penis than a circumcised one.  Don't retract the foreskin, just wipe the outside only -- like cleaning a finger.
• Infant Circumcision removes a male's right to decide for himself whether no he wants to be circumcised.
• Circumcision is medically unnecessary, risky, and extremely painful (even with anesthetic).

 

The Foreskin: Did You Know?

• The majority of men in the world have a foreskin, and the rate of circumcision in the United States continues to fall each year  :-)
• The male foreskin has more concentrated, specialized nerve endings than anywhere else in the human body. 
• The foreskin needs no special care or cleaning.  Up until puberty (or later) the foreskin is fused to the penis and doesn't not need to be retracted to be cleaned.
• The foreskin has important roles in sexual function and is the most sensitive part of the penis.
• The card (graphic) above is equivalent in size to the amount of tissue missing from an adult's penis after circumcision. It represents 1/3 to 1/2 of the skin covering the normal penis (about 15 square inches or about the size of an index card).  That's a whole lot of sensitive skin to be senselessly cutting off.

Source: WholeNetwork.org

March 26th -April 1st, 2013 is Genital Integrity Awareness Week.

Please consider sharing the information above with those who may not know.

Circumcision is Not a Parenting Choice

Source: DrMomma.org

"We Are Moms. We've made choices and maybe a few mistake. 
But we love and respect our children, every part of them. 
Our children have the right to bodily integrity.  
Circumcision is NOT a parenting choice."

Your child's body belongs solely to him or her. You do not own your child. Children are their own individual beings who deserve the same rights that should be afforded to all human beings. No rights of yours, parenting, religious or otherwise, should  ever supersede your child's rights to keep his or her body completely intact.  If your child, chooses to be circumcised as an adult that is his or her right, but as a parent you should never make that choice for your offspring.

March 26th -April 1st, 2013 is Genital Integrity Awareness Week.

Please consider sharing the information above with those who may not know.

The Autism/Vaccine Connection

The CDC Now Admits 1 in 50 School Children with Autism . . .

One in Fifty!!! That's 2% of all American Children!

It's Time to Stop Ignoring the Vaccine Connection!

Sources: Health Impact News and VacTruth.com