Persuasive Speech Outline Title: Breastfeeding in Public General Purpose: To persuade the audience to not be critical of mothers nursing

in public. Specific Purpose: To persuade the audience that mothers breast feeding in public should not be criticized, if anything we should be commending them for doing what is most beneficial to their child. Introduction: Attention Getter: (picture of dog nursing her puppies) What does everyone think when they see something like this? If youre anything like me its probably something along the lines of, aw, look at the cute dog and all of those adorable little puppies! Most people dont think twice about the fact that that dog is nursing all 14 of those cute little puppies. So what is the difference between seeing this and (change to next slide of air force women and baby) this? Now to me, I see something similar, a caring mother, doing what is right for her very sweet baby, but many of you probably recognize this photo from the harsh criticism that followed in 2012 after two women had pictures of themselves taken while nursing their babies in uniform. Topic Reveal/credibility statement: After extensive research on the topic of breastfeeding I am here today to hopefully make you more comfortable with mothers who nurse their babies in public, and most importantly to persuade you that instead of criticizing these women, we should be commending them. Thesis Statement: Breastfeeding is one of the most natural functions of a womens body, it has numerous benefits for both the mother and baby, it is for these reasons and more that we should give nursing mothers the respect they deserve. Preview of Main Points: I hope to help gain your respect of nursing mothers by first addressing the argument that breastfeeding is a sexual act, second we will look at some of the laws that are already in place concerning nursing in public, and third we will look the numerous benefits of breastfeeding to both the mother and the child, all in hopes that you will come to the conclusion that breastfeeding is simply something nature intended to happen and therefore that nursing in public is not such a big deal. (Transition: so let me start off by addressing the sexual connotation that comes along with breast feeding)

Body of the Speech: A. Main point one: Dettwlyer 1995, In most cultures around the world, breasts hold no sexual connotations for either men or women. Sexual behavior does not involve the breasts, which are perceived as existing for the sole purpose of feeding children. 1.Subpoint: If more women nursed their babies in public, onlookers would become desensitized and it would no longer be viewed as sexual, similar to trends involving swimwear. When the bikini was first invented and worn, it was outlawed, but as swim wear became gradually more revealing people became desensitized, and now women can wear a bikini without criticism. Not breastfeeding in public is actually counterproductive, making it seem like a big deal, when it is really only natural.

2. Many then may also argue that if nursing is a natural thing, then sex is too, so why dont people have sex everywhere? Well there is a key difference between the two, there is no physical need to have sex at one certain time, but when a women is nursing her child, if she stops nursing all together for some time she runs the risk of her milk drying up, and if her baby is crying because its hungry, there isnt much else the mother can do than feed it, regardless of the place or time. i. People may also then say, well if you are going to do it, cover yourself up, but according to Nancy Soloman, the author of Breast Feeding in Public is a Basic Civil Right, What most people do not realize is that many infants cannot eat while covered up and a nursing mother should not be made to feel embarrassed for feeding her child. (transition: Now that I have presented you with the details as to why breastfeeding is not sexual, lets look at some laws concerning breastfeeding in public) (change slide) B. When people who do not feel comfortable with breastfeeding see a mother nursing in public they will often tell her to go somewhere else, but there are only 2 states that have laws requiring public facilities to have somewhere that nursing moms can go to feed their babies, other than a restroom. People complain all the time that they dont want to go to the bathroom in public restrooms because they are so dirty, but yet if you are in any of the other 48 states that do not have laws in place about having somewhere for breast feeding moms to go, you are leaving her only option as somewhere like this nasty bathroom. Would you want to take your dinner and eat in there? 1. (change slide) As we just discussed there are only two states that have laws requiring public facilities to have somewhere other than a bathroom to nurse their baby, but according to The National Conference of State Legislators 45 states have laws that protect mothers who nurse in public, meaning that by law, nothing can be done against a mother from nursing her baby in public. i. The sad part about this is though is that yes a mother cant get in legal trouble for nursing her baby, but none of these laws protect a mother from the criticizing looks and comments that many get for simply doing whats right for their baby. (transition: after seeing the laws that are in place that protect breastfeeding mothers, lets look at the reasons that those laws were put in place, lets take a look at the benefits of breastfeeding) C. Many people dont know that breastfeeding has benefits for not only the child, but for the mother. 1. Some of these benefits for the mother include, a reduced risk of postpartum hemorrhaging, breastfeeding burns between 200-400 calories per day, stronger bones, and a reduced risk of osteoporosis, a reduced risk of both ovarian and breast cancer, and the hormone oxytocin is released when a mother nurses her baby which helps to prevent postpartum depression.

2. Babies who are breastfed are also given many developmental benefits such as they grow more rapidly in the first 2-3 months of age, and breastfeeding helps aid proper jaw development. 3. Along with the developmental benefits breastfed babies also have a lower risk of, childhood leukemia and other cancers, diabetes, respiratory illness, bacterial and viral infections, asthma, allergies, obesity, meningitis, and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). (transition: with all of the benefits that breastfeeding provides, to me it seems that it is nothing but natural, and something that we should most definently be commending women for instead of criticizing.) (change slide) Conclusion: Today we have came to the conclusion that breastfeeding is not sexual, it is natural, we have looked at some of the current laws that are in place to protect moms who breastfeed in public, and we have also looked at the benefits that breast feeding provides for both the mother and her child. After being presented with these ideas I hope that next time you see a mother nursing her baby you look at her with respect, keep any negative thoughts to yourself and help to make her feel comfortable for doing what is right for both herself and her baby, you have to understand, that ultimately, mothers are going to give their child any chance in the world to have a good life, so why would she not nurse her baby?

Works Cited

Puppies Nursing. 2011. Photograph. http://breastfeeding.blog.motherwear.comWeb. 17 Oct 2013. Military criticizes breastfeeding moms in uniform. 2012. Photograph. n.p. Web. 17 Oct 2013. <www.dailydot.com>. Solomon, Nancy. "Breast Feeding in Public is a Basic Civil Right." WeNews. (2002): n. page. Web. 17 Oct. 2013. 2013. Photograph. www.reddit.com Web. 17 Oct 2013. "http://www.ncsl.org." NCSL National Confrence of State Legislatures. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct 2013. Dremer, Alica. A Well-Kept Secret, Breastfeeding Benifits to Mother. 18. 2001. Bonyata, Kelly. Avarage Growth Patterns of Brestfed Babies. 2011. "Public Media." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct 2013. Solomon, Nancy. Breastfeeding in Public is a Basic Civil Right. 2002.