Through loads of personal research, and countless hours logged in forums, mothering communities, facebook groups, pouring over articles, stories, and news sources, we have discovered that other women aren't so lucky. Almost every other day it seems (in the U.S. alone) that some poor mother is being harassed or discriminated against, in spite of state laws, by medical professionals, in restaurants and stores, by friends and family, and even celebrities and public officials.
For me, this falls under the category of just one more thing that society has perverted and corrupted to the point of mass stupidity. As Catholic men, we need to be prepared, educated, compassionate and supportive of the women in our lives, especially when it comes to nursing. First so we show them that we are there to learn and grow too. Second, so that we are prepared to defend the honor and God given right and duty of these women (and children) when the waiter asks them to "feed their child in the bathroom," gross! You eat in the bathroom, and to have the appropriate response when the on-call physician tells her that she will ultimately "suffocate your child."
I have said this in a previous post and I will probably repeat it again but, someday each and every one of us will have to give account to God for the souls he has entrusted to our care, As men of faith, that should include our spouses. My decision to support my wife on this subject boils down to two things;
1. Mutual respect: I wouldn't be where I am today without her efforts, it is my obligation to help her navigate as well.
2. Faith. this is the big one, and we try to (admittedly failing from time to time) govern and dictate all of our life's decisions on Faith, Tradition and Church teaching.
As my wife so often affirms, "If it was good enough for Mary and Jesus, it is good enough for me and my children." I know that is overly simplified, however it did the trick for me and ultimately garnered my support. Of course Mary would have nursed Jesus, they didn't have similac 2000+ years ago! Even he world's oldest-known image of Mary depicts her nursing the Infant Jesus, in the Catacomb of Priscilla, in Rome. Also she often likes to reflect on the fact that God, being outside time, could have picked anywhere, or any-when He wanted to be the bet time and place for His son to be made flesh and he picked a time and place where according to Jewish Law (to my understanding) that breastfeeding is halachically encouraged, especially for the first two years of life. Up to the age of two, if a child has ceased nursing, he may resume breastfeeding even if he has only nursed for a few months or has never nursed. Above the age of two and until the child's fourth birthday (or if the child particularly needs it, the fifth birthday), nursing may be continued (but not initiated); however, anytime a healthy child above the age of two does not wish to nurse for 72 hours, breastfeeding may not be resumed. Expressed breastmilk is kosher even for older children or adults.Pope Pius XII urged Catholic mothers, if at all possible, to nourish their children themselves "And so you will make it your special care in the treatment of your child to observe the prescriptions of a perfect hygiene, so that when it comes to the use of reason its bodily organs and faculties will be healthy and robust and free from distorted tendencies. This is the reason why, except where it is quite impossible, it is most desirable that the mother should feed her child at her own breast. Who shall say what mysterious influences are exerted upon the growth of that little creature by the mother upon whom it depends entirely for its development!"
And in another encyclical stated "It is a sorrow and a shame to have to mention and confess that even among Catholics, false doctrines on the dignity of woman, on marriage and the family, on conjugal fidelity and divorce, even on life and death, have stealthily infiltrated souls, and like gnawing worms have attacked the roots of the Christian family and of the Christian ideals of womanhood."
In ~Pope John Paul the II Address On Breastfeeding he says, “…[Breastfeeding] benefits the child and helps to create the closeness and maternal bonding so necessary for healthy child development. So human and natural is this bond that the Psalms use the image of the infant at its mother’s breast as a picture of God’s care for man…therefore the theme is of interest to the Church, called as she is to concern herself with the sanctity of life and of the family."
There are dozens of reference to nursing in scripture, here are a couple of passages;
"That you may suck, and be filled with the breasts of her consolations: that you may milk out, and flow with delights, from the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord: Behold I will bring upon her as it were a river of peace... which you shall suck; you shall be carried at the breasts, end upon the knees they shall caress you."
~Isaias 66:11-12 DRV
"And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck."
~Luke 11:27 DRV
"As newborn babes, desire the rational milk without guile, that thereby you may grow unto salvation: If so be you have tasted that the Lord is sweet."
~1Peter 2:2-3
Further the Family is the "Domestic Church" From the beginning, the Church was formed from believers "and their whole household." New believers wanted their family to be saved (Acts 18:8 DRV).
In our modern world (often hostile to religion), religious families are extremely important centers of living faith. They are "domestic churches" in which the parents are the first heralds of faith. In the home, father, mother, and children exercise their baptismal priesthood in a privileged way. The home is the first school of the Christian life where all learn love, repeated forgiveness, and prayerful worship. In the Domestic Church, the Father, as head of the family, represents the Head of the Church, which is Jesus. As such, it is my responsibility to be their support and guidance and to help shepherd them spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The Mother represents the Church Herself, the Bride of Christ, and as such it is her responsibility to provide us with nourishment and strength, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. As a Husband and Father I want my family to learn and practice this wholeheartedly, and what better way to do so than by encouraging, and supporting what Our Blessed Mother knew what was good enough for her child, what Popes and Tradition support, and what Sacred Scripture affirms is part of God the Creator's plan for all men, women and children, and applying this plan applies to every area of our lives? God's plan includes conception, childbirth and the nurturing of babies.
- Paul Kemp Jr.
- Devoted Husband, Loving Father,Hockey Fanatic, Passionate Catholic.
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