Breastfeeding Mothers Behaving Badly?
Since one of our themes for this month is behavior challenges, I’d like to address a mommy-related issue that was recently in the news…
While visiting one of the Smithsonian museums in DC, a woman was asked to stop breastfeeding her 11-month old daughter in public and sent to the bathroom by a security guard.
According to the story, Noriko Aito did as she was told, but not finding any room in the bathroom to sit, returned, where another guard directed her back to the bathroom and advised her to sit on the toilet.
The mother, understandably upset at this point, left with her family and later filed a complaint against the museum, to which they issued a public apology several days afterward.
In response, some local DC folks staged a 2-hour “nurse-in” at the museum a week later where an estimated 150 nursing mothers and supporters showed up and everyone, museum staff included, had fun spending time with their friends and family, enjoying the art, and of course nursing their babies in public.
“This is not a protest against the Hirshhorn museum. There were laws and policies in place.” said LJ Pelham, organizer of the nurse-in. “This happened because there was a lack of education and awareness. We want to ensure women know their rights and that it doesn’t happen to anybody else again.”
So, despite the fact that there are laws in place in 44 states including DC and our own North Carolina, giving women the right to breastfeed in public, people still are ignorant of these laws, and in some cases still uncomfortable with the whole idea of it. 
Personally I have no problems, as I am still nursing my 21-month old and have had times in the past where I had no choice but to breastfeed in public, but everyone has a right to their own opinion.
And I have definitely agreed with both sides of the argument at certain times in certain situations, as well as nursed on a toilet! I can laugh about that now, but at the time it wasn’t very funny at all!
Weigh in, readers…this is a sensitive issue to everyone and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!
And if anyone wants to read the exact laws in particular states, check them out here.
Wow, this just makes me mad! I try to imagine what I would do in that situation and if a security guard told me I couldn’t breastfeed at the museum, I would have raised h***!
I’m proud of the DC nurse in though, that’s awesome!
Well, this should make people mad.
The sad thing, is that people are really uncomfortable with the whole BF situation. At my job, both the school principal and my supervisor had issues with me BF in my office, behind a locked door, and nobody knew.
After having someone walk in on me after I locked the door to protection (the cleaner), I put a sign up saying I was busy and please do not disturb (in 6 pnt font I said I was BF so the janitors knew). The principal made me take it down and my supervisor supported her request. I was flabbergasted and ANGRY! I spoke my view. Then they had a problem with me washing my supplies in a sink, in a wash bucket, in the health room b/c children could see me doing it sometimes. I was again flabbergasted and ANGRY! It was a HUGE deal about my BF and I received very little support. Despite the laws about not having to use a bathroom to wash/pump, I ended up being forced to do this….I mean, would you wash your supplies for your babie’s food where you wouldn’t make them a meal? Heck no!
But this is a struggle to this day…and yay for advocacy like this!
Hi Mamta and Sue,
It is frustrating that breastfeeding mothers are still being bothered about something that is natural and completely legal! I understand that it may be uncomfortable for some people to watch, but at the same time, it is a mother’s right no matter who doesn’t like it. Hooray for nurse-ins and advocacy!
Sue, I am so sorry that you had to deal with that kind of harassment at your job, and am very happy that you now are your own boss and can pump at your desk with your feet up, haha (:
[...] I have seen a news article that interests and frustrates me all at the same time, so I need to [...]