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?"
For some strange reason I thought that pumps existed and for public situations the breast milk could be given via a bottle. At least that is what they tell me the lactation room is for......
My son was breastfed until he was 3 1/2. He decided on his own to quit.
It's way cheaper than formula.
It's way easier than bottles.
It's more healthy for the kid.
Why the heck not?
Or quit lying about being "distracted" and just cop a good stare.
My neighbor breastfed her son until he was three and a half years old. Isn't that extreme?
I'm surprised that Mr Fontana did not advise the mother to go into the restroom to nurse her baby, as I have heard others say.
And Mr Fontana obviously does not understand about nursing on demand.
The only people who have a problem with this is men. I am a private person and do not want to put on a display, but newborns need to be fed every three hours or they will die. When I was flying alone with my infant with a layover at DFW, I timed it so I wouldn't have to nurse on the plane and planned to nurse at DFW during the layover. There was no place to go. In the women's bathroom there are no chairs to sit in and it is tiring to hold the baby and nurse standing up. I tried to sit on a toilet seat in a stall but the auto flush kept going off, wetting my clothes with spray. Finally, I gave up and went to the gate where I tried to nurse in a chair covered up. Some idiot guys kept coming up behind me to "see what was going on". Just thinking about this makes me mad all over again. I wish the guys that have a "problem" with this would just leave us the h*** alone, go away, give us some privacy.
my mammaries" buttons?
I really don't have a problem with feeding in public. I do have a problem with using children in a protest before they are old enough to consent to being part of a protest. There are ways to protest without exploiting infants.
The one in the middle looks positively anorexic...
I think that many many Americans are really neurotic and confused about the very natural purpose of breasts, and breastfeeding. Nursing isn't something that only animals should be seen doing, it really just could be part of life. If we saw it more often at malls and restaurants and parks, perhaps people wouldn't be sent into such a tiz over it.
That said... being a mommy during a professional meeting is at the very least unprofessional. It would be distracting to have her breastfeeding in a city meeting, as distracting as it would be to have her pretending to listen while she was spooning baby food into the mouth of her child. If she wants to have a job... I'm all for it. But nursing baby, changing diapers and talking baby talk during meetings is selfish distraction.
It never ceases to amaze me how such ninnies can bitch about a mother having to extract a "mammary" to feed her hungry baby.
A "distaction" would be a 10 year old standing up and suckling his mom's fountains.
No, but you shouldn't mix the two.
"For some strange reason I thought that pumps existed and for public situations the breast milk could be given via a bottle."
You've obviously never used a pump...
Wow, talk about economy-sized packaging. The kid would probably feel like he's been shopping at Sam's Wholesale Club or something.
I think 3 1/2 is extreme, but I know many women who breast fed well into the 2nd year.
Pix?
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