by Michelle Stein posted in Parenting

Here in the U.S., the vast majority of states have laws in place protecting the rights of breastfeeding mothers. Even so, we still have a long way to go when it comes to normalizing breastfeeding, de-sexualizing it and treating nursing moms with the respect they deserve.
Perhaps we should follow Canada's lead in raising awareness for these issues. The Porcupine Health Unit in Ontario has started placing life-sized cutouts of breastfeeding mamas around the city. Titled simply, "Breastfeeding in Public," this new campaign helps spread the message that all mothers should feel supported when breastfeeding their children. These cutouts feature four local moms and their babes, and they will be popping up in public areas like government buildings, restaurants and businesses.
Women are legally protected when breastfeeding, according to the Ontario Human Rights Commission. But, as we all know, that doesn't necessarily mean attitudes about public breastfeeding match up with these laws. This new campaign is working to change that.
?These life-size cutouts make breastfeeding very real because they are photos of mothers who live here in the community,? said Meagan Potvin, a public health nurse with the Growing Healthy Families Program at the health unit, in a news release. ?They?ll be featured in communities across the north and we?re hoping that they?ll be real conversation starters.?

As a breastfeeding mama myself, I fully supp...