Nurture

A Hmong woman breastfeeding her baby at an outdoor market near the Vietnam-China border. What I find really amazing about this shot is the fact that when we asked to take her portrait, she continued breastfeeding her baby without missing a beat. There was no self consciousness, no sense of embarrassment, no attempt to hide or be ashamed about the act of breastfeeding. She was watching over her vegetable stall while openly breastfeeding in front of hundreds of people who were milling about at this outdoor market.

 

As a physician I think this is exactly how it should be. Breastfeeding should be as natural as breathing, eating, walking, and talking. It is a fact of life, and that is how we should deal with it as a society. No one needs to be offended, and no one needs to hide the fact that they are doing what has been done since our human ancestors first walked the earth. I love the amazing color contrast between her golden yellow outfit and that blue parasol by the way. I couldn't have arranged this scene any better even if I wanted to. Sometimes reality is better than fiction.

Done