If you live in the area, join mothers this Saturday, June 5th, for a nurse-in at the Francis Scott Key Mall in Frederick MD to show support for a local mother who was harassed for nursing her baby near the mall’s children’s area. Two mall employees, and another mall patron, joined in criticizing the mother, asking her to leave the location, implying that she was corrupting the children.
Maryland state law is on the mother’s side. According to the Maryland Department of Family Health and Mental Hygiene:
“A mother has the right to breastfeed wherever she goes with her baby. No particular legislation should be needed to protect the right of mothers to breastfeed in public. However, legislation has been enacted in nearly half of the states in the U.S. (including Maryland) in order to clarify that right, and to provide remedy for mothers told to stop breastfeeding in public. In 2003, Maryland passed legislation regarding breastfeeding in public.
The law states that:
- A mother may breastfeed her child in any public or private location in which the mother and child are authorized to be.
- A person may not restrict or limit the right of a mother to breastfeed her child.
The mother recounts her story, telling of the humiliation she felt after three people, including another mother, told her that breastfeeding her baby in public was wrong.
“On Monday, May 24th, at approximately 10:30am, I was nursing my 3 month old son on a bench in the Francis Scott Key mall near the children’s play area (near Value City and DSW). I had my shirt on and lifted up one side to nurse him. Just the top part of my breast was exposed as I nursed, as my son covered up my stomach and nipple (not that it would matter anyway if I was more exposed). While I was nursing a woman who worked at the mall customer service desk that was nearby came up to me and asked me if I knew that there was a nursing room in the mall. I told her that I was not aware of the nursing room and I continued to nurse. She then asked me if I’d go to the nursing room to nurse. I told her I would not, that I was okay nursing on the bench. She then asked me again to either go to the nursing room or to cover up with a blanket because she was uncomfortable “and there are kids around.” I told her that under MD law I had a right to nurse in any public or private place and that I was not going to either leave to go to the nursing room or put a blanket over my son’s head. I added that if she was uncomfortable, she could cover her head. A mom who was in the play area with her kids then came over and said, “I agree with her – can you please go somewhere else or cover up? My KIDS are here.” I told the mother that I was fully within my rights to remain on the bench and nurse my son. She then replied: “But my son asked me, “Mommy, why is that lady putting her boob in that baby’s mouth?” and I don’t know what to tell him. I told her: “Tell your son that that mom is feeding her baby the way moms have fed their babies for millions of years.” A female security guard came over to me and asked that I either go to the nursing room or cover up with a blanket. I told her that under MD law I had a right to breastfeed in any public or private place. The security guard continued to state, “but this is private property” and I continued to remind her that MD law entitled me to nurse on private property as well. All women eventually left to go complain to the head mall office. I finished nursing about 5 minutes later and then left the mall.
I returned to the mall on Tuesday, May 25th, and dropped off a copy of the MD breastfeeding law (which is linked here: http://fha.maryland.gov/mch/bf_mdlaw.cfm) to the head office. The gentleman in the office told me that a few people complained about me breastfeeding. He said, “I know your rights” but I asked him to advise his employees of the law anyway since obviously they weren’t aware of MD breastfeeding law.”
A Facebook event has been setup to organize the event. If you go, or know others who are going, please tell us about the experience.
It blows my mind that something as prehistorically, innately natural as breastfeeding is shunned in public! I am naturally a very modest person but when my baby was nursing a few years ago, of which he did up until 2 years old (a comfort thing I'm sure) I was like 'fuck you guys', I gotta job to do here!
I have made a conscientious effort not to make anything seem taboo with my kids. You need to be honest with your children...if they wanna know why mommies have boobies...tell em! If they wanna know where mommy's wiener is (an actual question btw), tell em! Maybe we'll be raising normal well adjusted human beings rather than little pervs....
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