I just came across this parody made last fall by a group of students at Saint Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S. It’s cute, educational, inspiring and funny — so why am I crying? I don’t know, maybe I’m just hormonal. Or maybe I’m just so happy that today’s generation of parents-to-be seem to really get it.
The video (scroll down to view) is a parody of Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit song “Call Me Maybe,” showing breastfeeding (okay, pseudo-breastfeeding of dolls, which I’m a pro at myself) in various real-life scenarios to expose ingrained hypocrisies and common yet ludicrous reactions.
“My breasts aren’t in your way,” the mantra goes, as we see a young mother nursing at a football game next to cleavage-bared peers; another nursing at the gym, the cause of near outrage from shirtless young men; and yet another mom whose quiet nurturing draws snickering from passersby.
The filmmakers also give us clever imagery showing breastfeeding for what it really is. In one scene, a mother feeds her baby as she heads to the fridge to presumably grab a snack herself (hey, everybody’s gotta eat!). A mother at the gym nurses her baby next to to weightlifting women, a nod to the massive amount of energy and strength it takes to keep a growing human alive with nothing but your body. The final scene reveals what it looks like to co-exist harmoniously with breastfeeders — incidentally, it looks quite a bit like… normal life!
The students are not only non-confrontational by using humor to diffuse uncomfortable attitudes, they’re also forgiving: “Before [my baby] came into my life, I was just like you. Didn’t know what to do when I saw the boob.”
As the parody reminds, “I’m just a mother, feeding my baby.” Oh goodness… here come the waterworks again!
Check out the website and Facebook community page for BaBE (Building a Breastfeeding Environment), the community breastfeeding initiative served by the video’s creators.
And finally, the video:
Mama's Milk, No Chaser 