Should Sesame Street have segments about breastfeeding?

Ashley=) - posted on 01/12/2012

I don't have any issues with kids seeing breast feeding or bottle feeding.Its an every day thing but why go to all the trouble to have to include this in a kids entertainment show.Just leave it to having extra fun entertainment not having a big thing about having a mom feed there baby by breast or bottle.My kids would not care less about"oh mom a baby having a bottle or being breast fed"there waiting for something fun to happen.lol As i can tell you i never noticed any of that when i watched it as a kid.Kids don't or am i wrong.

*Why assume because we don't want it..we have a problem with breast feeding, not all of us do you know.*



My kids know a baby can be breast fed or bottle fed without seeing it on the tv.We raised our children to know both sides of things.We teach them its not a one side thing in life.Many people choose differently on many things.Its okay to choose different.As they have seen for themselves with family members and people out and about.As well as my oldest seeing how her sister was fed both ways.



My oldest when she was 3 told her class when asked what do we give a baby to feed them, she said a bottle of milk or by mommy's milk.You see i feel its very important that we as parents teach our children not leave it to big bird, Elmo and the gang to do it.

I am the primary educator of my children, not tv shows etc.

Rebecca - posted on 01/11/2012

Only if they get really good looking Hollywood starlets to do it....I only want my child watching hot women breastfeed. Plus, it would really get the message out to a huge portion of the population who are now regular SS viewers, you know young dudes who are usually sleeping off their hangovers from the day before.



(Warning-This response is meant to be a joke and I'm in no way saying only hot women should bf in public. However, I do believe that if Katy Perry did a bfing segment, it would pump up the viewership.)

Joy - posted on 01/11/2012

Wow. I can't believe some of you have such problems with allowing your kids to witness breastfeeding! For one thing, the ones who are so against SS having any form of BF on it, you obviously weren't raised with the SS of the 70's or you would see that, like Krista said in her first post, it wasn't forced at all. It was more of a glimpse and there was nothing to it. In fact, I can remember it sparking a conversation between my mother and myself because I asked what the woman was doing. Perhaps that's why I always intended to BF any kids I grew up to have...



To shelter our children so vehemently from something so natural is like saying there is something shameful or negative about it. I mean, I wouldn't want anyone to let their kids stand and GAWK openly at a breast feeding mother, but as long as she's being discreet and not flinging her boob around for all to see, I really don't understand what the harm is in allowing your children to even catch a glimpse of it. In public OR on tv. I'm not saying you're intentionally attaching shame or negativity to it. But in the end, that's what the result is.

Teresa - posted on 01/11/2012

I agree w/ Krista. My girls watched me nurse their brother for 3.25 years and my son nursed for 3.25 years, so breastfeeding is completely natural and not a big deal to them at all. I'd have no problem w/ them seeing it on SS (not that we HAVE SS) or anywhere else.

Becky - posted on 01/11/2012

I think it'd be great. It's never bothered me for my boys to see children being fed!

Vicki - posted on 01/11/2012

Yes they should have breastfeeding. Seseme Street has lots of info about everyday life. When whatshername (I don't watch it that often!) adopted a baby they had lots of info about babies and what they do/like. If they featured a younger baby with it's birth mother it's only natural they show breastfeeding. Not necessarily explicitly or make any big deal, just a normal part of life.



Play school in Australia shows babies being breastfed and bottlefed. A recent 'through the window' bit showed kids playing in a park, Mum and baby on a blanket. The segment was about the kids playing, Mum just happened to be breastfeeding. It wasn't mentioned or shown in any detail, just there.



I don't see it as SS being a 'platform' or anything. It's about showing normal things, the way they show making sandwiches, or using the laundromat, or any number of everyday things the show talks about.

Sherri - posted on 01/11/2012

Yes I step in their line of vision so they don't see it and keep walking. I don't make a big deal over it but I definitely don't want them watching someone breastfeeding either.



Now if it is family or in our home I am fine with it. However, I am not comfortable with them seeing strangers breastfeeding in front of my kids.

Krista - posted on 01/11/2012

Sherri, are you serious??? Even if the woman is mostly covered (which nine times out of ten, is the case)?

Julianne - posted on 01/11/2012

I dont want my child watching bottle feeding babies on sesame st. Its so unnatural, think i may boycott all shows that show bottle feeding babies....LOL

Sherri - posted on 01/11/2012

I don't feel it is something my children need to see or watch Celeste plain and simple as that. I shield them in public from it as well.

Celeste - posted on 01/11/2012

I'm curious as to why some of you have issues with a child seeing breastfeeding, especially if it looks like she's holding a baby and no breast is shown?

Sherri - posted on 01/11/2012

No I personally don't and would boycott Sesame St. if they did. I don't need my children watching someone breastfeeding.

Celeste - posted on 01/11/2012

To me, it's not a big deal to show breastfeeding on SS. It's just a way that babies are fed!

Tam - posted on 01/11/2012

I don't really have any problem with it, but at the same time, I don't think a kid's show should be used as a platform either. I doubt most kids even going to care, to be honest. Seems more like an agenda to me.



I can see more parents getting up in arms over it than anything else. If they want to rerun the original video, then go to town, I say. If they are doing it for some agenda, or even if they aren't, it will still be blown out of proportion.

Ashley=) - posted on 01/11/2012

Its a kids show..why.I am all for promoting b/feeding but for Christ sake not in everything and not on a kids show.Leave the show to entertain kids about kids stuff lol.

Krista - posted on 01/11/2012

I think it would be great and fine. They don't even have to PROMOTE it, per se. Just show it once in awhile as a matter-of-fact, natural thing. That was the beauty about how they showed it in the 70's...it was so unforced, and there wasn't a big agenda behind it. It was just another part of life.

Charley - posted on 01/11/2012

i think not i dont want my 21 month old watchin ss about bf

Kate CP - posted on 01/11/2012

I'm always pro-breastfeeding. I think it's good for kids to see it.