breastfeeding in public

[whunter]

This is a serious topic thread.
Several relatives have been humiliated, harassed, assaulted, and arrested over this issue..



Breastfeeding and the law
http://www.007b.com/breastfeeding_public.php

Breastfeeding Laws
http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14389

Breastfeeding in Public Is a Basic Civil Right
http://womensenews.org/story/reproductive-health/020807/breastfeeding-in-public-basic-civil-right

Breastfeeding in public
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breastfeeding_in_public

breastfeeding in public
http://consumerist.com/2010/11/nursing-mom-dunkin-donuts-staff-called-the-police-on-me.html

Breastfeeding in public around the world
http://www.007b.com/public-breastfeeding-world.php

Breast-Feeding in Public: Natural or Indecent?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/claire-bidwell-smith/breast-feeding-in-public_b_278433.html



TSA slapped my wrist...reprimanded for nursing
http://soulfulnoel.blogspot.com/2010/10/tsa-slapped-my-wristreprimanded-for.html

TSA harasses mother about breast milk
http://boingboing.net/2010/11/29/tsa-harasses-mother.html

Just When You Thought it Was Safe to Travel with Breast Milk: The TSA Targets Mothers
http://www.sustainablemothering.com/tag/tsa/

[ashedd]

Seems a little ridiculous to me.

What next? Farting in public will be land you in jail? It's bad enough you can't take a nice evening walk around the block with a beer in your hand.

I really don't have too much trouble with breast feeding in public. It's a natural thing and as long as it's done modestly without making a big deal out of it, I'm not really bothered by it.

Compared to what I saw this morning it is NOTHING! I was in the back, non smoking room in a local family restaurant this morning. There was a middle age couple with a tiny baby, aparantly their own, but possibly their grand child. With them were two elderly couples assumedly grand parents of the infant.

I was the only person in the medium size dining room besides this group. They had finished their breakfast and visiting loudly. No problem. Then they stopped talking. The assumed Father of the infant had the baby on the restaurant table changing it's diaper.

I and my wife have done our share of diaper changing and it doesn't bother me in the least, but THINK ABOUT THE SANITATION ISSUE!!! I think that the assumed grand parents stopped talking because they were in the same state of shock that I was. Just as I think I've seen everything something like this comes along.

The family left as my food was set in front of me. When the young lady came to bus and clean the table I told her that she might want to get some sanitizer for that table because someone had changed a diaper on that table. She was just as shocked as I was.

Modesty is one thing. Public health hazards are another.

[whunter]

Originally Posted by LarryBible

I really don't have too much trouble with breast feeding in public. It's a natural thing and as long as it's done modestly without making a big deal out of it, I'm not really bothered by it.

Compared to what I saw this morning it is NOTHING! I was in the back, non smoking room in a local family restaurant this morning. There was a middle age couple with a tiny baby, apparently their own, but possibly their grand child. With them were two elderly couples (assumed) grand parents of the infant.

I was the only person in the medium size dining room besides this group. They had finished their breakfast and visiting loudly. No problem. Then they stopped talking. The assumed Father of the infant had the baby on the restaurant table changing it's diaper.

I and my wife have done our share of diaper changing and it doesn't bother me in the least, but THINK ABOUT THE SANITATION ISSUE!!! I think that the assumed grand parents stopped talking because they were in the same state of shock that I was. Just as I think I've seen everything something like this comes along.

The family left as my food was set in front of me. When the young lady came to bus and clean the table I told her that she might want to get some sanitizer for that table because someone had changed a diaper on that table. She was just as shocked as I was.

Modesty is one thing. Public health hazards are another.

Logical common sense issue.

We quickly learned which restaurants had diaper changing stations in the restrooms, and made a list..

Weekly meeting to trade baby tips.
Our favorite cheap restaurant.
First time we went there with five other family's having one or more infants, one of the group let everyone use their full size van with a home made changing station.
The restaurant owner asked about the trips to the van?
Before the next meeting they added two changing stations for the group = boosted business 12% to this day.

[kerry]

The whole idea of feeding your farts to your kid in public or private is pretty disgusting.

[The Clk Man]

If it's necessary yes, if it's just to get attention and cause an uproar, then NO.

[mgburg]

I'm sorry. I saw EXACTLY THE SAME THING at a MickyD's in Madison recently. I checked my receipt, made sure they had a phone # on it, then went out to my car and called and talked with the manager about what was going on. (The family was still in the restaurant and I didn't think I was calm enough to have a "person-to-person/one-on-one" with the manager being a referee.)

(Small sidebar here...)
My own sister has 12 kids (Yep, don't get started on me...it's her decision!) and NEVER had she even considered changing a single one out in the open. Hell, the smell alone would be budget-busting, down-right nasty. I can't even look at a cat-box without urping in my own throat. As for her breast-feeding, she did that w/all 12...but she was VERY MODEST and unless you were actually looking to see why SHE was all-of-a-sudden-quite...you'd never know she was BF'ng...

But changing diapers on a dining table in public?

(Steering back to topic...)
Long story short...I watched and listened from my car as "said family" decided to leave 'cause the manager had something to say about their "practice" with their little tyke.

My guess is that the Mom/Dad were about mid-later 20s with modest income (probably $40s) and they didn't look like they were doing too bad. It's just the manners that seems to be lacking.

That and common sense.

I can't imagine everyone's nose in that family being THAT PLUGGED UP!!!

[Angel]

Guys - there is a big difference between Breastfeeding and changing diapers- I liked the topic better as the OP put it.

If you are a Bfeeding woman and dont put a cover on - shame on you- your immodesty makes other Bfeeding moms look bad- If you want attention get a job at a strip club- otherwise put a blanket or jacket over your booby and dont screw it up for the rest of 'us'. (you'll want a blanket later for the next mess your child makes.

It carries a lot of weight (with me) that no physician/pediatrician group advocates formula Over breast milk when all other things are equal. The last part of that statement is the gotcha though.

Iv'e never seen a reason to get worked up over this - if the business owner kicks you out for feeding, leave, then blast his name all over the internet so none of the other breastfeeding moms patronize his/her business - its how the game works.

-Husband of a Breastfeeder

[shoe]

From some one that has never had children of my own I think breast feeding is one of the most natural things we humans do. Why on earth would some one have an issue with this in public or otherwise. This country is rapidly becoming too politically correct and people need to chill out. I have notice breast feeding women on many occasions and even without a cover it was hard to tell what was happening. Now the changing a diaper on a restraunt table is another issue all together!! There are too many restrooms with changing tables for that to happen.

I agree with shoe. It is one of the most basic and natural things done by humans.

We raised two children and both were breast fed for a few weeks.
My wife is WAAAaayyy too modest to do this in public.

[layback40]

Next they will want to make cattle farmers put up fences so people cant see calves feeding on cows?

Time for the idiots of the world to get a life!!

There are regularly women breast feeding their babies in public over here. what is the issue?
I would be more concerned for them being subjected to some depraved individual staring at them & making them feel uncomfortable.
Its the best start a child can get in life. Far better than bottle feeding.

[KarTek]

Originally Posted by layback40

There are regularly women breast feeding their babies in public over here. what is the issue?
I would be more concerned for them being subjected to some depraved individual staring at them & making them feel uncomfortable.
Its the best start a child can get in life. Far better than bottle feeding.

You guys also have the Aussie 2 piece bathing suit: A hat and a bottom! So no worries, eh?

Any way, I'm not concerned with breast feeding in public as long as it's discreet.

[whunter]

http://www.google.com/search?q=having+a+baby&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1&rlz=#hl=en&sugexp=ldymls&pq=having%20a%20baby&xhr=t&q=breastfeeding+in+public&cp=16&qe=YnJlYXN0IGZlZWRpbmcgaQ&qesig=aHFaPA7XLbZm7FAn7TA6-w&pkc=AFgZ2tnJ-HCM4CvnRZ0uJksSqpaP66vSLFVCqiJ30vVpZNXIsc_G7ZD0AprmyXvcK-hsk2XhcKrAOEhZKZ843YLmDxJjvh6xZg&pf=p&sclient=psy&safe=off&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&source=hp&aq=0s&aqi=&aql=&oq=breast+feeding+i&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=49bdb39a15d213e5&biw=1260&bih=859

[Botnst]

Thanks for keeping us abreast of this perky topic.

[smiffy6four]

Originally Posted by ashedd

Seems a little ridiculous to me.

What next? Farting in public will be land you in jail? It's bad enough you can't take a nice evening walk around the block with a beer in your hand.

It's legal in England