Whenever humanity appears to be making progress towards equality for everyone, there's always a certain issue that crops up to remind us that - actually - we're still pretty far away from it. And this week, the issue is breastfeeding.
It's weird to think that something which people have been doing literally since the dawn of our existence is looked upon with so much disgust - especially when it's one of the main reasons we exist at all - but breastfeeding has always and continues to be regarded with contempt by a lot of people.
Women have been given dirty looks for it, banned from doing it in certain stores and public areas, and even kicked off of airplanes for just trying to feed their kids.
So, when Jessica Alba shared a picture of herself breastfeeding her youngest child, one-month-old Hayes, she conveyed an important message.
Pointing out her "tired eyes", the Sin City actress showed that even the most badass women get worn out by motherhood, and that breastfeeding is one of the harder parts of welcoming a new baby into the world.
Thankfully, Target is a company that is working to normalize breastfeeding, and their handbook actually has a section on how to treat breastfeeding mothers:
"Guests may openly breastfeed in our stores or ask where they can go to breastfeed their child. When this happens, remember these points:
"Target's policy supports breastfeeding in any area of our stores, including our fitting rooms, even if others are waiting.
"If you see a guest breastfeeding in our stores, do not approach her.
"If she approaches and asks you for a location to breastfeed, offer the fitting room (do not offer the restroom as an option)."
However, other companies aren't as welcoming, meaning that many new mothers have to retreat to the bathroom in order to feed their baby, or risk ticking everyone off when the little one starts to have a crying fit.
In an interview with Elle last year, Alba spoke about how she manages taking care of her children as well as being an actress and a businesswoman:
"My kids are my priority, and I do feel like having happy kids allows me to be present in other parts of my life. If they weren’t happy and healthy, I don’t think I’d have the capacity to do anything else. That really opens me up so I can have my company and focus on that when I’m there, and when I do get the opportunity to do something in entertainment, I can be open to that stuff [too]. It’s just time management. No two days are the same, and, you know, you just have to try to prioritize, as much as possible, the family time."
For any new mother, breastfeeding is a difficult thing to adjust to. Not only does it take a physical toll on a person's body, it can also be mentally and emotionally difficult if a woman is always forced into a restroom to feed her child, or - worse - if she has to do it out in the open and receives negative looks and comments from others.
By posting about her own experiences on Instagram, though, Jessica Alba has proven that it is a normal thing to do, and it's also a pretty difficult thing too. So, rather than being kept out of sight or punished for simply doing their jobs as mothers, women who choose to breastfeed should be commended and looked after.
