It seems that there isn’t a day that goes by where we hear about a mom being asked to cover up for breastfeeding in public.
Well, as these vintage photos prove, breastfeeding in public is nothing new and has been going on basically since the start of civilization.
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Take a look at these stunning photos and see breastfeeding in a whole new light.
Yes, women were nursing in public, even in 1910.
So really, by now, public breastfeeding should be considered old news. For whatever reason, we still seem to make a big fuss about it and ask women to cover up.
A German mother breastfeeding her baby outdoors.
A German mother poses for the camera with her baby in this stunning shot. I can’t get over how beautiful this picture is.
Staging a feed-in back in 1981.
These mothers in Toronto, Canada staged a feed-in at a mall after a shop owner asked a nursing mom to cover up.
It looks like women have been fighting for the right to nurse in public for a long time.
In a market in Mexico City, a woman nurses her daughter while selling produce.
This photo was taken in 1968 and is still as beautiful now as it was then. Even though this photo was taken decades ago, it still manages to capture a variety of emotions.
A mother nurses her child in Brazil.
Around the world, breastfeeding in public is a way of life. It’s not uncommon to see moms nursing their babies in a sling while they’re out and about.
In this photo from 1973, actress Barbara Hershey nurses her son.
Even though clothing and styles change, I think any mom who has breastfed will look at this and relate to it.
In this undated photo, we see a mother in Morocco nursing her baby in a sling.
Not only has breastfeeding in public been around forever, but it is universal. Moms all over the world do it every day.
A French mother nurses her baby outdoors in this photo.
This was taken before the age of “brelfies” or posting breastfeeding photos to social media. How the times have changed, eh?
This photo proves that moms have always been multitasking.
I’m sure many modern moms can relate to this photo. Nursing a baby in one arm, and trying to entertain toddlers with the other. Yep, that sounds about right.
This photo was taken back in 1901.
That’s nearly 120 years ago! You can see the woman closest to the foreground is getting ready to nurse her child at a pier in New York City.
An Inuit woman breastfeeds her children in this photo from 1904.
I love how this photo shows an older child nursing as well. We often shame moms for nursing past the age of one, but it is completely normal for toddlers to nurse as well!
A women in Laos nurses her baby in a market.
When the baby needs to eat, it needs to eat. I’ve learned that from my own son.
It would be awesome if other people could understand that nursing moms don’t really get a say on when or where we breastfeed.
Breastfeeding on the go.
A Kikuyu mother breastfeeds her child using a carrier. The Kikuyu people are from Kenya and this photo dates back to 1923.
A young mother nurses her baby outside at a picnic.
This photo was taken in San Fransisco in 1969. The mother looks so clam and peaceful while she breastfeeds her baby outside.
Last Updated on January 9, 2019 by Emily McWilliams
