Breastfeeding in public places raises as many questions as debates in societies where this practice is stripped of its natural character to thus display a sexualized image. An image which, wrongly, is confronted with the scandal of supporters of “good morals” and values of respectable origin such as modesty or civic-mindedness but who immediately become outbid. Here is Reka Nyari’s reaction which ignores the disapprovals. This mother breastfeeds her daughter with the sweet name of Ilo and does not use a bottle at all. This is good Ilo swears by the breast. Reka has often been perceived as the woman who uses a seductive “stratagem” for ill-intentioned purposes which aim to extricate men from their partners, wives or wives. This is how, knowingly, the American decided to pose naked while breastfeeding her daughter in an edifying photo at the cost of potential future remarks.
“Perhaps the most obnoxious person was a woman who sat in front of us with her boyfriend on the plane we were taking to Budapest, Hungary. She called me ‘disgusting’ before bombarding me with degrading words. She thought I was trying to steal her man by breastfeeding my daughter while the plane was landing,” says the woman. There is nothing more natural than breastfeeding and Reka does not fail to point this out at the same time as she is irritated by the association of this maternal act with perversion. The photographer is one of those who choose to breastfeed their children beyond the age of one and thus defends all mothers who wish to do the same.
On her Instagram account she posts photos of her breastfeeding to raise awareness about the benefits of lactation while describing her typical days with her daughter. The complainers were part of the desired target. Reka calls herself an “activist”. Understand by this, an activist in favor of breastfeeding. “Looking back, it was my way of challenging societal norms. I was waiting for someone to start complaining about me so I could take the opportunity to inform them,” she said. The older her daughter gets, the less the mother is tolerated, whether by strangers, family or even friends. Those around him are clearly shocked, disturbed and see selfishness in his action.
And although she may have considered changing this habit when her daughter turned one, there was plenty of evidence to support the benefits of her practice. “Talking with accomplished and experienced pediatricians sealed the deal. I wasn’t pushing for extension. I let my daughter decide, making sure I knew how she felt and if she still wanted breast milk.” She invites all mothers who hide to breastfeed to review their perception of things and to speak about it publicly so that the practice ultimately becomes more acceptable. At the same time, she challenges her detractors by comparing their possible research against her own which supports her remarks.
