"You Know? That's Nice"

Big Bird said these words to Buffy Sainte-Marie in a 1977 (or so) Sesame Street segment about breastfeeding. In the clip, Sainte-Marie is seen nursing her son, Cody, while Big Bird asks her about it. In what seems impossible for children's television programming today, Sainte-Marie tells Big Bird, "I am feeding the baby. See, he is drinking from my breast."



I recently emailed Buffy Sainte-Marie about this segment to inquire how it was conceived and received.

Buffy first recounted how she came to be a semi-regular cast member on Sesame Street. Originally approached by the show to do a typical celebrity spot, Buffy declined but not before asking whether they had ever done any Native American programming. Sesame Street was instantly intrigued and so began their partnership.

When Buffy became pregnant, however, she assumed that Sesame Street may no longer be willing to have her on the show but, in fact, they were excited to feature a family and a baby. From then on, segments that included Buffy's son, Cody, were commonplace.

The breastfeeding segment idea was initially proposed by Buffy.

I proposed to Sesame Street that we do a segment about breastfeeding. I thought they might think it too controversial, but they were all for it. They were always eager for real input from people who knew stuff first hand. ...They were just tops. [Buffy Sainte-Marie via email, October 7, 2008]

Part of her motivation to propose the idea was her own breastfeeding experience. She recalls waking up in the hospital after giving birth to Cody and saw a big basket of infant formula and other gift items. "My doctor knew a world about formulas, but he'd never studied breast feeding in med school" recalls Buffy.

Since the Sesame Street segment seemed so progressive to me, I was very curious to learn if any backlash occurred once it aired. In further emails with Buffy, she informed me that she received very good feedback..and continues to receive great feedback from parents everywhere.

Reactions to the breastfeeding segment were very mild. Throughout the years I've received lots of nice comments, especially from parents. I didn't receive negative mail and the only weird comment I ever saw was quite recently when somebody online mentioned it in a tilillation sense. Takes all kinds, I guess. [Buffy Sainte-Marie via email, October 8, 2008]

I am struck by my own reactions to the segment. I can not imagine any contemporary children's program that would air a segment on breastfeeding, and I am dismayed that I find Buffy's Sesame Street segment so unbelievable.

Are there enough images of babies nursing these days? Do young children get a normalized view of breastfeeding in books and videos geared towards them? Are children and teens exposed to non-stigmatized, non-sexualized images of breastfeeding? Do they learn this in sex ed?

I searched the classic video section of Sesame Street's current website but did not find the Buffy breastfeeding video among their archives. I have since sent an email to Sesame Workshop - the non-profit educational organization behind Sesame Street - to learn what their current perspective on that segment is and wondered whether they would air something like this again. Should I hear back, I will post a new entry by way of update.

Until then, I'd suggest contacting the producers of children's programming that you and the children in your lives watch with suggestions to include breastfeeding as a normal, healthy, and loving way to feed our children.

Peace!