The Air Force has released photos of the recently approved long- and short-sleeve breastfeeding undershirts that nursing mothers can wear with their utility uniforms.
The T-shirts will be sand colored when worn with the Airman Battle Uniform, and tan when worn with the Operational Camouflage Pattern uniform, according to Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, released July 13. It will be tucked in, unless worn with the maternity uniform, and airmen wearing the breastfeeding undershirt are not supposed to take off their ABU or OCP coat, unless in a designated lactation room.
The policy change was pushed forward by Tech. Sgt. Natalia Wood, the 20th Maintenance Group unit deployment manager, after she read about the Army approving shirts designed to make breastfeeding easier, according to an Air Force release.
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“I’m trying to normalize breastfeeding, not for me, but for all future generations,” said Wood. “I was thinking more about everyone behind me. I just feel like we are the leader in securing our skies, but when it comes to this, we’re lagging behind. I’m just trying to bring us up to speed, where we do support women who are breastfeeding and we do provide spaces (for nursing and pumping).”
