This beautiful exchange

Over the weekend, a nationwide Nurse-In was held at local Applebee’s restaurants. The buzz started when a woman in Kentucky was asked to cover up while feeding her baby in the restaurant. To read about the incident, go HERE. Unfortunately, there was not an organized nurse-in at any of the Applebee’s in Charlotte, so I did not get to participate. But, I would have! I would like to have been there to support other mothers and the right to feed their children in public. And, yes, no one is saying that they can’t nurse in public, the issue is about “covering themselves.” But, if you’ve ever nursed a wiggly baby, you know that they don’t always like to have a blanket over their head when they eat. Try eating with a blanket over your head and see how it works for you!

I tend to be pretty modest when it comes to feeding Lucy in public, so I do use a cover. Actually, I use a “hooter hider” and love it! (Thank you Kerry for getting me hooked!) However, I have seen other mothers nurse their babies in public without covers and they are able to be very discreet and not show any skin at all. And yet, they still tend to be harassed by strangers and accused of being disruptive or indecent in public.

What I would like to know is, what is more offensive, a nursing mother, feeding her baby in the most natural way, or a pre-teen who walks around with half of her boobs hanging out of the top of her shirt? Why aren’t they asked to cover up when in public? What makes that more acceptable?

Since we will be moving to Missouri this fall, I checked the laws on nursing in public. The law states that a woman has the right to nurse her child “with as much discretion as possible” in any public or private area. Most states’ laws go on to exclude nursing in public from indecency laws and protect the woman from being harassed for nursing her baby in any way she chooses. Though, I am glad that Missouri has a law that helps to protect a nursing mom, I’m afraid that it still leaves a lot open to interpretation.

Though I don’t intend to become a “lactivist”, it has caused me to be more aware of my rights as a nursing mother and I feel it is important to defend those rights.

Applebee’s has stated that for those mothers who do not have a blanket with them, that the restaurant will keep some on hand to give to mom’s who choose to nurse while in the restaurant. Maybe I’ll just pass mine on to the nearest pre-teen.