Posted on 04/21/2005 10:29:27 AM PDT by SmithL
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - A city commission candidate was criticized for breast-feeding her daughter during a public meeting, so 16 other mothers turned up and nursed their children at another gathering as a show of support.
Gabrielle Redfern apologized for offending anyone, but says she won't stop breast-feeding her child when necessary. She had been criticized by some for breast-feeding her 1-year-old daughter, Elsie, during Mayor David Dermer's recent State of the City address.
"Elsie's been coming to public meetings since she was 2 weeks old," said Redfern, who is in her first bid for public office. "I shouldn't have to choose between being a publicly involved citizen and being a good mother."
On Wednesday, 16 women held a "nurse-in" in support of Redfern, breast-feeding their babies at a Miami Beach Commission meeting.
"How is she supposed to raise her child and have a career if she isn't allowed to breast-feed her child when she attends meetings?" said Ellen Sandoval, who came to show her support. "I quit working because I didn't know or have the courage to do what she is doing."
State law says a woman can breast-feed her child anywhere she is otherwise legally allowed to be. But even in a city where topless sunbathing is common, others say there should be limits.
"I think it's a beautiful and natural thing, but there's a time and a place for it," said Joe Fontana, who regularly attends community meetings. "It's distracting. Why inside? Why not step outside to do it?"
"....her 1-year-old daughter, Elsie,..."
Wow. I didnt know one-year olds' still breast fed.
"I quit working because I didn't know or have the courage to do what she is doing."
Not that it would ever occur to you to quit working because that might just be what's BEST FOR YOUR CHILD!!
Men and women everywhere must bow down to the 'Almighty Temporarily Lactating.' *Rolleyes*
I am not a woman, I had my wife do the actual feeding part. ;->
BTW , I didn't mean to imply that he fed "exclusively" on breastmilk that whole time. He ate solid foods at a reasonable age, but he nursed until 3 1/2.
One day he decided he was done, and never went back!
Well, we agreed that my wife would do the actual feeding part. ;->
We had a life just fine, thanks. We called it "parenting".
And a cameo role in "Moms Gone Wild."
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank GAWD it's getting warmer up here in Boston, and the outfits are getting skimpier. It's Perv Season!
The nurses did the same thing to my DIL when she had her first baby...........to the point they made her cry and feel guilty.
Luckily, the nurses at a different hospital didn't push with my first and he was a bad eater. The second 2 came at a different hospital and they did push. But, since I knew what I was doing and more relaxed, they didn't guilt me into anything, I just lied! The first child is so hard for so many reasons, scare tactics work very well.
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