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Missing the Target on Breastfeeding

If you've turned on a TV in the past few days or read anything online or in the paper, you know breastfeeding has been making headlines once again. This time they're not talking about the benefits, but rather where and when a woman can feed her child in public. It's all because of what happened at a Target down in Texas. A woman decided to nurse her fussy child in the women's clothing section when a few workers asked her to go to a fitting room to finish. She says some others gave her dirty looks. She tried to explain to them that the law in Texas (and in many other states) allows women to breastfeed in public. She was so mad she called Target headquarters to complain about how she was treated. I read that Target welcomes women to breastfeed in public areas of the store without being made to feel uncomfortable. Target is now going to make sure all of its employees are aware of its policy. In support of her and other breastfeeding moms across the country, many women staged a "nurse-in" at Target stores.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love me some Target shopping, but what these workers did was so not cool. As a breastfeeding mom, it's hard to schedule outings and errands around when you think your child may want to eat or around when you may have a "milkplosion" if you don't let it all out. Like they say, when you gotta go, you gotta go. In this lady's case, her child was hungry, plain and simple. I'm sure if she let her child scream people would have looked at her too because she was "that mom" with "that kid." They would have wondered why she wasn't doing something to keep her kid quiet.

Personally, I don't breastfeed in public because I don't feel comfortable doing it. I like sitting on my couch with my boppy and my baby. I supplement with formula because my baby eats a lot. This also allows me the luxury of being able to pop a bottle in her mouth if we're out and she does get hungry. Women who breastfeed exclusively should be able to do so at any time without feeling like social outcasts or fearing making any man - or woman, for that matter - feel uncomfortable. If the woman was standing in the store wearing a string bikini on the verge of having a Janet Jackson Superbowl wardrobe malfunction I wonder how many male employees would complain. Being the catty species we can be, I'm sure the female workers would still have some comments, myself included ! I feel for this Texas woman who was just being a good mom and really using her breasts for what they were intended. It's just sad that although we've come so far, so many people are still off target when it comes to breastfeeding.

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Comment by wirlwind18 on January 13, 2012 at 4:25pm: I agree my first child wouldnt take a bottle of pumped milk after 6 months old.

Comment by mama0313 on January 13, 2012 at 3:19pm: another thing people don't think about is that not everyone can or wants to pump so they can just plop a bottle in the baby's mouth so as to be more discrete while out and about. no one should have to but i'm just saying that isn't even an option anyways for some moms. so they shouldn't even bring it up. every time i've pumped and given lo the milk she has gotten sick from it. every single time. i have followed all directions and safeties. every time she threw up. i haven't tried in months just too afraid bc it's sucks big time, very scary. it's soooo much easier too for us to just whip it out no need to store, warm, keep track of dates, clean etc. i'm not going through all that and making lo and myself uncomfortable because someone is uncomfortable - don't care, get over it.

Comment by wirlwind18 on January 13, 2012 at 12:16pm: Right!!!

Comment by Lillyans Mommy on January 13, 2012 at 10:34am: This kind of makes me laugh and makes me angery at the same time. I am finding out that there are more and more women brestfeeding and we all know its best for our babies we should all feel empowered. :) People are always talking about getting all natural non-hormone / steroid foods,clothes ect. but they still have a problem with the best natural non-hormone / steroid way we feed our children. they need to look at what what all is in formula and low and behold God bless those familys that just lost their babys from contaminated formula. How many babies have you seen die from drinking breastmilk.

Comment by wirlwind18 on January 13, 2012 at 9:18am: Wished they had a like button on these comments :) You guys are absolutely right. This shouldn't be an issue. However more and more it seems like it is an issue. I read an article about a woman who was on the city bus Ill quote some from the story "

[The driver] bends down to look and see what it was that I was holding, and she sees that I have a child and she says, ’Uh… is that a titty?’ And I’m thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, how vulgar.’ But I said, ‘Yes that is my son, I am feeding my son.’ And she looks at me and says,‘Well, you’re going to have to cover that up.’”

Afrykayn rightly refused, citing a Michigan law that states that “a mother’s breastfeeding of her baby does not under any circumstances constitute nudity,” so the driver parked the bus and waited for the baby to finish feeding. When he did, the driver pulled out, but had security waiting to board the bus at the next stop.

Thankfully they didn’t end up dragging Afrykayn – who had her 3-year-old with her as well as her newborn – off the bus, but the entire trip sounds like a complete nightmare." Ive seen stories like this all the time. Clearly it is an issue and shouldn't be. I once again think every woman has the right to decide how and when they want to feed their child without getting harassed by the public .

. ’”

Comment by Kristina Cappetta on January 13, 2012 at 3:41am: Some people don't even take into the account how painful it can be if you miss a feeding or go too long without
expressing your milk, just sayin' !

Comment by MommaK on January 11, 2012 at 5:14pm: I exclusively breastfeed my 6 month old daughter. When we are out in public I just whip it out and feed her. Nursing cover-up or blanket doesn't work for us- it makes bf very frustrating and difficult so I don't bother with it... I do try to keep my nipple covered as I'm moving my breast from my bra to her mouth, but I have large breasts and that isn't always easy (especially if she is REALLY hungry lol). I figure if someone doesn't want to see it they can look away. If it makes someone uncomfortable or embarrassed, that is their problem, not mine! My only concern is making sure my baby is taken care of, and I do that in the most instinctive and natural way possible- breastfeeding!! It's what nature intended, and it is so sad that it's even an issue! People need to get over their sexual insecurities (because I think that's what it boils down to-->sexuality) They are breasts, we all have them! When we have a baby then our breasts have a job to do! It's pretty plain and simple.

Comment by Leilani on January 11, 2012 at 2:39pm: Every mom and baby combination is not always the same so we have to find out what works for us and our baby and go for it. The law has kindly made it legal to accommodate all nursing mothers and hungry babies. What's good is that we have our babies' best interest in mind.

My mom and her generation (it seems) were onward and upward professional women who valued their independence in every way including by formula feeding their babies. Sure that worked for her but she (and her generation?) has no concept that BF is normal, natural and now proven what is best for our newest generation.

Every time I feed my LO in public or at my mom's I feel like I'm doing the right thing for me and my baby but also feel bad-ass, like I am changing public perception of what is socially acceptable. Nurse on mommas!

Comment by MYmomMY on January 11, 2012 at 12:09pm: I have nursed my son in Target - in fact I think it was the first public place I did it - and no one complained.

Seems to me that Target's company policy is right on track, but no company has control over what every single one of their employees will do on a case by case basis. The employees who gave this mom a hard time were wrong, and the company dealt with it. No need for the public outcry.

I nursed my son in plenty of public places and had braced myself to stand up for his right to eat when people complained, but I never had to. All of my experiences with public breastfeeding were positive ones. I know I'm lucky. I never tried to hide, I just found whatever chair or bench was available and used it. And I kept my promise to myself to never feed him in a bathroom stall!

Comment by AKWeighall on January 10, 2012 at 9:19pm: I used to call those nursing rooms "the isolation booth". I hated that I had to be banished just to feed my baby. Now that I have five kids there is no way I'm dragging all of them in the bathroom or dressing room while I feed the baby. I don't care what people think anymore, I just bring my cover-up and nurse wherever I am!

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