Posted on 04/30/2005 5:56:16 AM PDT by tuffydoodle
Nursing mom gets unwelcome reception
FW mall says security firm made a mistake
10:37 PM CDT on Friday, April 29, 2005
By KARIN KELLY / WFAA-TV
For many mothers, breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world.
But it turned into an embarassing situation that angered a North Texas woman this week after she said a mall security guard harassed her.
Adrian Sparks was shopping at Hulen Mall Thursday, and decided to discreetly nurse her eight-month-old baby under a blanket in the food court.
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Karin Kelly reports "The security guard came over and asked me to stop, and either go to the restroom or to leave," Sparks said.
The guard told Sparks a food court customer had complained, even though Sparks was covered with a blanket.
"I told him it was perfectly legal for me to nurse my child," Sparks said. "And that they sell clothes more revealing that what I was doing right here."
Of course, it is legal - but soon another manager approached.
"He said, 'well those rules don't apply because we're a private facility,'" she recalled.
Friends who breastfeed have rushed in for support.
"The human race wouldn't exist without breast milk," said nursing mom Rachel Tarbutton.
Some are members of La Leche League, an organization that supports mother's milk for health and bonding benefits..
"To know that she is getting everything she needs from me, from my body, is (important)," Sparks said.
Mall officials said the incident was not normal procedure, and that t heir new security company made a mistake.
"That is not a Hulen Mall policy," said manager Kevin Davies. " We support what she was doing, we support moms and all of our customers, and feel badly this occurred."
That's not all that reassuring for Sparks, though.
"I don't think I'll ever be able to shop there again, because I was just so upset about it," she said.
I've breast-fed three (including twins!) and I have the same attitude. I never once found it necessary to breast-feed in public. And I took my babies everywhere with me. Some people just don't care that they offend people. It's the attitude of the "me generation".
One of my friends is a militant breastfeeder. She refuses to use a blanket or any kind of cover. In her mind a naked breast isn't really naked if there's a baby attached to it. To be honest, after five kids her breasts now resemmble something out of National Geographic and it's not the most pleasant sight in the world... Interestingly enough we've gotten more angry looks from other women than men who usually just look away.
If it's done discreetly enough that I don't notice it - let me explain this slowly - I DON'T MIND IT. I'd still always prefer that you do it in your house, along with most other things naked body parts are used for, but by definition, if I don't notice, you are being discreet enough not to make me notice. Duh.
If it's done in a way so as to make me notice, like one poster's neighbor who announces that she's about to pop a boob, I VERY MUCH MIND IT.
What part of that needs further explaining?
Hey Mabel, is MLC your sister by chance? ;)
Good for you, MLC. I was starting to think it was absolutely impossible to do anything but breast-feed on demand, the way this thread is tending.
See, that's nasty.
Carefull...you're not smart or mature enough to patronize me....considering that you run around in make believe constumes....
Babysitting is not being responsible for children and is not a substitute for parenting.
You should realize that the first step of getting out of a hole is to stop digging.
You are rapidly moving from ignorance to arrogant stupidity by insisting that you have better parenting skills than real parents!
"Absent large-scale statistical studies, of which on this topic I suspect there will be a lack, anecdotal evidence is all we have to go on.
Further, since this is a matter of opinion and not "fact," anecdotal evidence is all that is relevant.
So bring it on, mama. You're just mad that I don't celebrate the glory of motherhood because I don't want to see hoots in public."
Yes, that's exactly it, I'm just mad that you don't want to see my breasts.
Look, you're obviously all excited about the prospect of having a "flame war" on this topic. I'm not. Have a great day reveling in your ability to say stupid things just to get under the skin of people who have to actually deal with reality. Buh-bye.
And yet, with all those babies, I have never seen a woman breast feed in public. Imagine that.
Oh, and I don't have children, so I get out. A lot.
Sounds like you are the one making excuses because your wife made you accommodate her demands of doing it in public even though you tried desperately to reason with her.
Then maybe the moms should put the needs of their babies FIRST and stay at home and feed them. It's a no-brainer, really. By the way, how do you feel about those moms who change diapers on chairs and sofas at malls? Just natural, right?
Mine did.
I'm doing a fabulous job patronizing you. Ergo, I must be smart and mature enough.
If the parents are out of the house, the babysitter is doing the parenting.
(For the record, that's not a "make-believe" costume. It's a real one. It's in the closet right now. If you were here, you could touch it and see it and everything.)
I don't see anywhere that I "insist" that my "parenting skills are better than" those of "real parents" (since your grammar needed fixing).
My favorites are the women (for some reason, I've never seen a man do this) who change the baby on a fast-food table, then leave the dirty diaper in the middle of the table.
Bet they're militant breast-feeders too.
Deep breath . . . all but two of the breastfed babies I've been closely acquainted with, so by my count at the moment that's 19 of 21, did routine perfectly, because their parents were rigorous about it.
The other two fed on demand.
Udder nonsense!
I went through all this 15-20 year ago, long before it was 'fashionable'.
And my kids were the ones that old people came over to and praised for their manners and behavior when eating in public. They weren't spoiled then, aren't now, so don't even go there.
Obviously there are some women who get a thrill of exposing themselves or of shoving it in people's faces.
And then there are those (like you??) who are easily offended.
Women's breasts have been equated with sex since the days of Abraham and Sarah.
I doubt it!
She's a lib, so she wouldn't be caught dead here.
MLC is a perfect example that the militant feminazis, having lost the war for the hearts and minds of women with their lesbian agenda and baby-killing-abortions are now incrementally taking over child-rearing to thrust their agenda. Just you watch. It's all mommy-focused and making the child bend to the will of mommy going to the dry cleaners (which was the funniest thing I read all day, and that includes the runaway bride threads).
Actually, there are plenty of "parents" who aren't good at it as evidenced by the news. Having a child doesn't automatically qualify a person for "parent of the year" awards. I've known quite a few parents who lack basic common sense.
The fact that you would allow a tiny infant to scream with hunger because he didn't conform to some stupid schedule is really quite sad.
My family isn't big on rigid schedules, but I have been told my children are very well-behaved in public, and do very well at school.
The other day some woman asked if she could change her toddler on a chair in my store. She got all upset when I suggested the changing area in the public restrooms. She complained about them being dirty. I said that I had to go out to my car to change mine because restrooms didn't have changing tables in those days. She left in a huff. LOL!
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