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Pennsylvania Nurse In Saturday February 24th

February 22, 2007

A mom and her hungry baby are behind a nurse planned for Saturday in Pennsylvania. Leigh Bellini says she was at a shopping mall, trying to feed her son, when she had a little run in with mall security. She says they told her to cover her baby with a blanket, feed him in the bathroom or sit in her car outside.

PA moms, take note--
Pennsylvania doesn't have a law protecting a woman's right to nurse in public or private. But Philadelphia does have a city ordinance allowing women to breastfeed in public places. A State Representative, however, is pushing two pieces of legislation that could help breastfeeding moms. (via Breastfeeding123)

If you want to go to the nurse in, here are the details:
Center Court at the Berkshire Mall in
Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.
Saturday, February 24th at 1:00p.m.
The nurse in is being sponsored by Mothering And More and Birth Without Boundaries.
Check both of these sites for details about the event.
As for Leigh's story, you can read the whole thing here. In part, she writes:

My husband and I took our 2-year-old daughter and 6 month-old son out for a day of shopping and errands. While at the mall, my son became hungry. I found a bench near an indoor tree and parked my stroller directly in front of me. As discretely as possible I began nursing my son. After about 10 minutes or so I was interrupted by a security guard, who asked me if I could put a blanket over my son and cover up better. I informed him that I did not have a blanket nor would I like him to get me one and also that I had no breast exposed anyway....

Moments later we were confronted by another security guard. I immediately told her that I had no intention on listening to what she had to say. My husband told her that she had to back away from my son and I and speak with him further down the hall. While I continued to feed my son, my husband dealt with this person. She asked why they couldn't provide me with a blanket or buy me a new one. My husband explained to her that we weren't going to use a dirty blanket or use a new one that hadn't been laundered. At this point the first security guard came back to get involved. He asked why I couldn't move the breastfeeding into a more private location like the bathroom. My husband asked him if he liked to eat on a toilet seat in a public bathroom. The security guard replied that I didn't have to sit on a toilet. My husband asked where should she sit, on the floor. The security guard replied that I could stand in the bathroom. My husband laughed and said "obviously you've never breastfed." Then the security guard suggested I go out to my car to breastfeed. IT WAS 30o OUTSIDE!!!!!!