Breastfeeding in Public Archives

Products That Can Help You Breastfeed In Public

June 21, 2009

For this month's "carnival," we're tackling the subject of breastfeeding in public. Below, you'll find a collection of posts from different bloggers.

As for me, I breastfed our kids anywhere and everywhere. If they were hungry, they ate. I found a comfortable place to sit, and got down to business. Getting a pedicure? Yes. Shopping for clothes? Check. Dining in a restaurant? Ditto.

I think I was too tired to really care what anyone thought. And I found that with a little practice, it was quite easy to feed discreetly. I never bought a fancy nursing shawl or blanket. I didn't even have a nursing top. I just managed with a nursing bra and whatever else I had with me at the time... my coat, a table napkin. You get the idea.

Nevertheless, I'm always excited to see new products that can facilitate the nursing in public experience. Babies eat around the clock and moms simply can't stay home tethered to the couch all day. So if there's anything that will make the whole thing easier, I'm all for it.

I recently posted a question on this site, as well as Twitter and Facebook, asking people what products they liked for nursing in public. I got some great suggestions, so I'll share them with you here.

Bravado nursing bras and tanks. (I LOVED these bras. It was the only brand I bought).
Motherwear nursing clothes, bras and gowns.
Boob Nursing Shirts.
Hadley Stillwell's fancy clothes for work and getting dressed up.
Japanese Weekend nursing tops, dresses and pajamas.
Glamourmom nursing tanks.
Nursing wraps/blankets from Bebe au Lait, Hooter Hider and Lila Bean.
The Bella Band to cover your stomach and hold your pants up.
The Mobleez Breastfeeding Hat.
A scarf from Mamascarf in the UK.

But in the end, you really have to ask yourself, what's in your budget and what makes you the most at ease. And as my friend Helena wrote to me, "Hm, what makes it easy to feed your child in public...how about a boob? Don't be ashamed, women, you don't need to burkha your baby to accommodate other peoples' ignorance."

Now, for the posts from other bloggers. (sorry for the delay... I still have to insert the links)
* Motherwear: Get kicked off a bus for nursing in public? Here's how to respond
* Breastfeeding 1-2-3: To Cover or Not to Cover
* Breastfeeding Mums: Nursing in Public - What's a Breastfeeding Mother to do?
* Lucy and Ethel Have a Baby: Nursing in Public - Boobs out and Proud
* PhD in Parenting: Would you, could you, nurse in public?
* Dirty Diaper Laundry: Breastfeeding in Public - Talents - I Haz It
* Kim Through the Looking Glass: Here, at the Restaurant?
* Grudgemom: Nursing in a room full of people you know
* Mum Unplugged: Awww, is he sleeping?
* Massachusetts Friends of Midwives: Nursing in Public - Chinatown, the Subway, the Vatican, and more
* Mother Mary's Soapbox: Breastfeeding Oriana
* Tiny Grass: Nursing in Public as an Immigrant
* Mommy News and Views: Breastfeeding in Public
* Stork Stories: Little Old Men...and Nursing in Public
* Chronicles of a Nursing Mom: Why worry about NIP?
* Warm Hearts Happy Family: Breastfeeding and the Summertime
* Blacktating: Thank you for Nursing in Public
* Musings on Mamahood: Nip, No Tuck
* Baby Ready: A Wee NIP in the Park
* Tales of Life with a Girl on the Go: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles - We've breastfed in them all
* Breastfeeding Moms Unite: Nursing in Public - A Fresh Perspective on Nurse-ins
* Never a Dull Moment: Breastfeeding Hats? Yes! Nursing Covers? Uh...not so much
* Hobo Mama: Easy, Discreet way to Nurse a Toddler in Public

Protest Planned Against Denny's Restaurant After Mom in North Carolina Asked to Cover Up While Breastfeeding

February 18, 2009

So, here we are once again. A mom goes to a restaurant. Takes her baby. The baby needs to eat. The mom proceeds to breastfeed. An employee asks the mom to cover up. And the brouhaha begins.

Crystal Everitt was at the Denny's restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina when this very thing happened to her. In fact, when she refused to stop breastfeeding or leave, the police showed up at the restaurant and said she could be arrested for trespassing.

Here's a video interview on the local news with Crystal.
Here's a link to her story about what happened:

Everitt said she told the manager she had the right to breastfeed and thought the incident was over until she saw an Asheville police officer and the manager walking towards her table.

The manager told her she could not stay if she continued breastfeeding, Everitt said.

The officer told her she could be arrested, not for breastfeeding but for refusing to leave the restaurant, she said.

North Carolina law allows breastfeeding in any public or private place where the woman is otherwise authorized to be. But it does not forbid business owners from asking mothers to move or cover up, said Natalie Wilson, professional liaison for the Le Leche League of North Carolina.

So now, Everitt is planning a protest at the restaurant on February 22nd. A breastfeeding advocacy group called First Right is backing Everitt. And there is even a grassroots movement to organize protests at Denny's outside North Carolina.

Here's the link to a Yahoo Chat group about this nurse in.
Here's the North Carolina law about breastfeeding in public.
And laws in every state about breastfeeding in public.

And here's a link to Breastfeeding123 which has Denny's corporate statement in response to this incident.

So here's my take on this: Laws protecting women's right to breastfeed in public are a good start. And a necessary one. But it's just the beginning. And we see this over and over again when moms are harassed for breastfeeding in public. We are still a far cry from a society that truly accepts breastfeeding. We are so conditioned to think of breasts as sexual... boobs are used to sell everything from lingerie (think Victoria's Secret) to restaurants (think Hooters!) to perfume (check out this Calvin Klein commercial with Eva Mendes). But breastfeeding isn't sexual. Don't forget... we're mammals. And mammals breastfeed in order to nourish their young.

So... where does this leave us? In a place where moms like Crystal Everitt need to speak out, to make their voices heard, and ultimately, to protect babies' rights to eat, wherever and whenever they need to.

South Carolina Moms Says Walmart Employees Didn't Let Her Breastfeed in Public

November 12, 2008

Here's the story from a South Carolina TV station:
(You can watch the video too).

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - A Midlands mother called us about something she says happened at a Richland County Wal-Mart.

Heather Silvis says she felt bullied when Wal-Mart associates told her she could not breastfeed her baby in the store on Two Notch Road.

"I sat down on the bench and put the baby on my lap. I had not even began to nursing when supervisor and four Wal-Mart employees who were standing in the area began to tell me 'You can't do that here,'" Silvis said.

Instead, Silvis says employees told her to go into a dressing room.

"Then one of them stood up and pushed my shopping cart with my 21-month-old baby in it and my purse around the corner and I was told, 'If you want to breast feed, you're going to have to go in there.' So I followed my child who was in my shopping cart went into the dressing room and nursed my baby," Silvis said.

Silvis says she wants an apology from Wal-Mart and hopes she and other mothers don't have to face this type of discrimination.

State law does allow mothers to breastfeed in public.

Wal-Mart representatives say the dressing room was offered to Silvis as a courtesy and employees did not mean to offend her.

Take The US Weekly Poll About Breastfeeding

July 27, 2008

Visit US Weekly right now and vote in their poll. They want to know whether you, like actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, would breastfeed your baby in public. My nursing days are over, but I voted "yes." As they say, been there, done that.

Dads and Breastfeeding

February 24, 2008

If you're easily offended, don't watch this video. If, however, you want to see an irreverant take on breastfeeding, you'll get a good chuckle out of this one from the guys at Dad Labs.com.

So there you have it, my addition to the February Breastfeeding Bloggers' Carnival. To see what the other participants have to say, visit these sites:

* Tanya at the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog has some book reviews.
* Stacie at The Twinkies has a joke for us.
* Sinead at Breastfeeding Mums has a story about a pumping multi-tasking disaster.
* Amy at Crunchy Domestic Goddess shares several, shall we say, "titbits."
* Carol at Happy Sad Mama shares why she loves to nurse her toddler.
* Angela at Breastfeeding 1-2-3 has some search terms that lead readers to her site.

Christina Aguilera Talks About Breastfeeding on The Ellen Degeneres Show... Plus... A Breastfeeding Comic Strip

February 21, 2008

Singer Christina Aguilera stopped by the Ellen Degeneres show recently. She has a new baby, and her low cut green dress prompted Ellen to ask Christina if she was nursing. Watch the clip on YouTube.

And now check this out... a comic strip about breastfeeding. Check out Stone Soup's take on breastfeeding in public. Click here.

Good Morning America Story About Breast Feeding in Public

July 15, 2007

My grandmother called me this morning to tell me that GMA did a story today about breastfeeding in public and the challenges that some moms face. Unfortunately, I missed the piece on the TV, but you can read it on line. Click here. From what I've read, it seems like the piece was very pro-breastfeeding in public. So take the time to go to their site and leave a comment with your own opinion. Here's a snippet from the story:

....46 states allow woman to nurse in public or at least exempt them from prosecution.

But, public opinion hasn't caught up with the law. A recent study found 57 percent of Americans said women should not have the right to breast-feed in public. Seventy-two percent said it was inappropriate to show a woman nursing on television.

For many mothers, it may ultimately be a health issue. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies should be breast fed up to one year. It said the health benefits include fewer food allergies and a stronger immune system.

"The longer you breast feed, the better the health benefits, not only for the baby but for the mother," said Baby Talk magazine editor Susan Kane.

Bruce-Low said it is important for more woman and people in general to see mothers nursing in public, calling it a natural thing.

Kane did have some suggestions for woman planning to breast-feed in public:
Use a cover up.
Feel comfortable while breast feeding. There are lots of products on the market that let moms cover up while nursing.
Wear a button-down shirt and nursing bra.
Ask permission if you are a guest.
As a courtesy, when at a private home or party, ask if it's okay if you breast feed.
Stand up for your rights.
Don't be ashamed of feeding your baby. In most cultures, it's considered completely normal.

A Nursing Hat?

June 01, 2007

Here's a new one.... Want to discreetly breastfeed your baby in public? Put one of these hats with an enormous brim on your babe's head. She'll be shaded from the sun and you'll be completely covered.

The MoBoleez hats come with some cute sayings too: "Au lait, s'il vous plait," "Milky Way," or "Time to tweet."

Now, I haven't actually tried one of these hats, but I did sort of concoct my own version last summer. I put my fuschia and white hat on The Bear's head while he was nursing. Of course it didn't stay on. Too big. And he managed to swat it away. Details. So maybe a hat properly sized for a baby will do the trick. Though I must say, I'd love to see what the baby looks like when she stops eating and sits up. Can she even see out from under that brim?!

Thanks to Babble for the "heads up" on this one!

Pennsylvania Nurse In Update

February 26, 2007

Roughly 150 people gathered at a Pennsylvania shopping mall this past weekend to support a mom who was forced to stop breastfeeding her baby in public. Leigh Bellini says a security guard asked her to put a blanket over her baby's head, feed her baby in the bathroom or her car, and even threatened to call the police.

The nurse in got its share of media attention. To watch a new clip from a CBS affiliate, click here. (Make sure you go to the right hand side of the page that pops up to find the link to the video). The piece has an interview with Bellini who says her goal is to get Pennsylvania to enact a law that would protect breastfeeding in public.

Angela at Breastfeeding 123 reports that a Pennsylvania State Senator has introduced a piece of legislation that is moving things in that direction. The Right to Breastfeed Act would allow a mom to breastfeed in any public or private place that she is otherwise allowed to be.

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!!!!!!

Breast Feeding on the Today Show

February 03, 2007

The Editor In Chief of BabyTalk magazine was on the Today Show this past week, talking about the challenges women face when it comes to breastfeeding. Top of the list, of course, breastfeeding anywhere outside of home. To watch the clip, click on this link. To find the video, go to the left hand column, click on "Today Health and Living" and then click on "What is Breastfeeding Etiquette."

Moms...I'm curious to hear from you, how you've handled the challenge of breastfeeding in public. I'm working on that section of my book now. Cramming to get all of my edits done this week. Is there anything you want to see included? Let me know.