Any mother who has attempted to nurse their baby in public at some point can probably make the same statement with regards to the looks they get and the attitudes that they are faced with – most people are often misguided in their thoughts about breastfeeding. Even those who decide to use a breast pump such as Medela Style or an Avent pump or Ameda Pump at work can experience the demeaning glances of their coworkers, as if they are somehow violating the personal space and comfort of others. The development and popularity of commercial formula has gradually caused it to be seen as the ‘standard’ for feeding infants. Naturally, people will form their own opinions on the matter, even if they are uneducated. The result is a lot of public misconceptions, that breastfeeding is the inferior choice.

Though it has recently gained greater acceptance among more progressively minded social circles, women who decide to breastfeed or use a Medela breast pump (for instance) in public still face the disgusted and uncomfortable stares from onlookers. Society has changed over the decades, drifting away from the “mommy stays at home” mentality to the point where mothers are regularly expected to make their newborn another addition to the schedule, albeit a large addition. The formula feeding method fits in perfectly with this way of thought. Supporters usually point out its advantages over breastfeeding that make it easier and more convenient.

First of all, anyone can feed an infant with a bottle. A mother doesn’t have to be attached to their infant at all hours of the day, and has the freedom to work, go out, and socialize without the constant need to feed. Babysitters can effectively provide all the baby’s food needs in the absence of the mother, something that simply isn’t possible when the child needs nursing every few hours. For women who desire the freedom to have a life after childbirth, but at the same time, provide their baby with the health and developmental benefits of breast milk, pumping breast milk with devices such as the Medela Advanced or the Avent Isis Pump has become a very viable and healthy option.

However, using breast pumps doesn’t come without negative social pressures either. When people see a woman using a device that looks like it should be in a science fiction movie on her breasts in public or the workplace, many can’t help but feel uncomfortable and disconcerted. Coworkers may feel violated by what they see as an unnecessarily loud milk machine. Such feelings may or may not be appropriately warranted, but can be derived from a much deeper societal idea.

It is no secret that the media has objectified the female body. We are taught what orifices are sexual and which are publicly acceptable by what we see on television and read on the Internet. One of the most under-discussed issues, however, is the sexualizing of female breasts. It is the reason that people are uncomfortable at the sight of a woman using a breast pump. The immediate thought when a woman exposes her breast is a sexual one, which onlookers immediately deem ‘inappropriate,’ and therefore, are not accepting of the woman’s action.

A combination of trying to conform to the scheduled requirements of living and working in modern society, as well the negative impressions of her peers, can lead a woman to second guess naturally breastfeeding in favor of formula, even if it is against their conscience.

Even though it is completely natural, and widely encouraged by healthcare organizations and professionals, breastfeeding is associated with so many fabricated ideas that the common person without direct experience can base their view on the issue on conceptions that are often misleading or totally false. The result is an underlying social pressure on woman to conform to the speed and technology of society and feed their baby with formula.