Hello. I'm the Girl Nextdoor and #iBreastfeed

I am fed up. I often read top Yahoo news stories, and today I came across one that talks about how Selma Blair breastfeeds her child whenever and without hesitation as the need arises. I should be able to insert a big SO WHAT! Matter of fact, it shouldn't be an issue. A few weeks ago it was Beyonce breastfeeding little Ivy.

Well, i'm Milcah. I'm not known by many. My baby is pictured above and he, like all of our four children before, is breastfed. It's been the sole sustenance of his life. It's still his primary source of nutrition, and I wouldn't trade what i've been naturally able to give him for anything. There are times where someone makes a sudden loud noise that scares him. When nothing else seems to comfort him and he's just crying his little heart out wanting some consolation, putting him to my breast does the trick.

I go back in my mind to our first child and the first time I can recall breastfeeding in public. We were living in California, and it was a nice day for a walk. My baby was no more than a few weeks old. We'd stopped at a store and baby started crying because he was ready to eat. I wanted to have him wait for me to be able to get to a place where I could have more privacy, but it was my mom who insisted that I feed him because he's hungry. My baby was hungry, and I had the tools pre-installed on my body to take away those pangs of hunger. I covered him and did what should be able to come naturally for any woman who so chooses to nourish her baby.

I do try to make sure i'm always discreet with it by covering up as I personally feel that's the way any woman should approach breastfeeding. Sadly, though, this isn't even always good enough. I  read a story that a fellow blogger shared where a mom, although covered when breastfeeding, was asked to come back for the business she was trying to take care of because she chose to take care of her baby's needs.

To those making it so taboo, don't you eat when it's time? Are you going to head to a filthy bathroom or otherwise go into hiding when you're ready to eat? Well how can you expect me to punish my little, helpless infant when he's hungry?

It amazes me how women and babies are in essence valued below animals when it comes to breastfeeding. I never read of anyone trying to stop animals, and I don't expect to because breastfeeding is a natural process that is automatically powered on with the birth of a baby. I mean it's ok to expose breasts on the streets, in movies and wherever else, as long as it's not to feed your baby? When will we open our eyes?