Thursday, October 27, 2005

My vote for most ridiculous product

Normally I'm all about discovering and sharing great new products, but every so often I come across someone's idea of a "brilliant" idea that strikes me as simply ridiculous. Now, I'm a fan of whimsy--in small doses--but I have no time for silly. And is there any other word to describe these breast-feeding burkas A.K.A. "nursing cover-ups?"

Touted as the modest woman's solution to public nursing, I cannot believe that a baby head's held against his mother's chest would garner more attention than a three-foot span of fake Pucci fabric knotted around the woman's neck like an oversized lobster bib. Aesthetics aside (momentarily) I admit I have no personal experience with these contraptions, and perhaps they come with an instructional video, but does this look like it's going to make anyone's life easier? I needed three hands and a convex mirror to figure out the breastfeeding thing. I can't imagine the contortions required to do it undercover and besides, isn't it really hot under there?

My guess is if a woman's uncomfortable breastfeeding in public (count me in) she'll go to great lengths to organize her day so she's in a quiet place at the right time And doesn't that really make this bib, er, nursing cover-up completely useless?