Breastfeeding in public

AlphaGam1019 · #1 11-22-2003, 04:36 PM

Quote:

SALT LAKE CITY - Burger King adopted a corporate policy Friday allowing women to breast-feed their babies in restaurants — a day before a threatened "nurse-in" at the fast-food chain's facilities.

The new policy says Burger King welcomes mothers who wish to breast-feed their children.

"We want to be a family friendly place," said Rob Doughty, vice president for strategic communications for Miami-based Burger King. "We want to be responsive to our customers, and didn't know this was a big issue. Unfortunately in Utah, it went directly to the press, and we didn't have a chance to take a look at it."

He said 20 states, including Utah, allow breast-feeding in public.

A furor erupted Nov. 8, when a customer at a suburban Salt Lake City franchise complained about a woman breast-feeding her baby. An employee then allegedly asked the nursing mother, Catherine Geary, to either go to the bathroom to breast-feed or leave.

Under the new policy, employees are told: "If a customer complains about a mother who is breast-feeding, kindly explain that breast-feeding is permitted in the restaurant and suggest to that customer that he or she relocate to another section of the restaurant."

"That's all we asked them for," Geary said Friday. "At least employees will be aware of how to handle a situation more discreetly."

Plans for a nurse-in at Burger Kings on Saturday have been circulated in an unsigned e-mail sent to members of La Leche League, an international group that promotes breast-feeding.

Doughty said Burger King's new policy had been in the works and wasn't timed to defuse the threatened protest.

This article got me thinking-- do you think it's appropriate for women to breastfeed in public?

My bf and I were at California pizza kitchen for lunch this summer. We sat in the table next to a lady who decided to breastfeed her baby while we were eating our meal. She didn't bother to cover up AT ALL.

bethany1982 · #2 11-22-2003, 04:47 PM

Cover up and let the little one go for it.

PhiPsiRuss · #3 11-22-2003, 04:53 PM

<<< feeling like a little one

Quote:

Originally posted by bethany1982
Cover up and let the little one go for it.

KillarneyRose · #4 11-22-2003, 04:54 PM

I don't personally think I would feel comfortable breastfeeding in a public place (both my girls were bottle babies), but I have no problem with women who do so long as they keep covered. If I don't have to look at the woman's booby it's fine with me.

carnation · #5 11-22-2003, 06:03 PM

I nursed all 8 biological babies and one of the adopted ones and there is NO way I'd have exposed myself in public! These women say it's a natural function and no one should be offended but pooping is one too and do we see pooping in restaurants? Or poop-ins?

ajuhdg · #6 11-22-2003, 06:27 PM

Carnation, you've got me laughing my booty off! I had to read it to my grandmother (who breastfed all 13 of her children). She found it pretty funny too! We agree that as long as you're discreet, there shouldn't be a problem! I'll have that decision to make for myself in about four weeks! YIKES! THanks for the laugh!

aj

juniorgrrl · #7 11-22-2003, 06:30 PM

I'm not a fan of it one bit. Especially when women do it in church. I see that a lot from the granola-y, holier than thou "all 15 of my children were concieved through natural family planning - and they ewre all planned, I swear" types.

bethany1982 · #8 11-22-2003, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by juniorgrrl
I'm not a fan of it one bit. Especially when women do it in church. I see that a lot from the granola-y, holier than thou "all 15 of my children were concieved through natural family planning - and they ewre all planned, I swear" types.

Now that's funny!

MereMere21 · #9 11-22-2003, 08:24 PM

I don't personally have a problem with it but maybe that is because I'm a mom myself. I agree you should be discreet about it, not just whip out your boob whenever and wherever (ie: driving your car)

Munchkin03 · #10 11-22-2003, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MereMere21
I don't personally have a problem with it but maybe that is because I'm a mom myself. I agree you should be discreet about it, not just whip out your boob whenever and wherever (ie: driving your car)

I have no problem with it--and I'm not a mom!

Like so much else in life, discretion is key. Most run-ins I've had with breastfeeding have been discreet.

#11 11-22-2003, 11:19 PM

I'm thankful that 90% of my run-ins with breastfeeding mothers have been discreet ones. The other 10% simply have no common sense...have some dignity at least!

I think a mother should have the right to breastfeed wherever she wants. She shouldn't have to excuse herself to go to the bathroom and do it. If normal people don't eat their meals in a bathroom, then why should babies?