Nursing mom gets unwelcome reception

WFAA TV ^ | April 29, 2005

[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.

[bfree]

Why do you feel we should all "share" your experience?

[tuffydoodle]

"Breasts are sexual when women want them to be and non-sexual when women want them to be. They want it both ways."

For me, and I'm only speaking for myself here, my husband sees my breasts as sexual and my babies think of them as nourishment. I think of them as just a part of my body like anything else. It's not that women WANT it both ways, it just is both ways. If my husband wants to make them sexual, ok, I have to go along with that. If my babies are hungry, I go along with that as well. If it can't be both ways, who gets cut off from what they want?

[ViLaLuz]

"Why do you feel we should all "share" your experience?"

What makes you say that? I never expressed any such idea, nor do I have that desire.

[tuffydoodle]

"No, they're just pointing out holes in the logic. I certainly don't have a problem with breastfeeding in public, but the arguments put forth in this thread have been lame. Saying that something is "natural" is an incredibly weak argument and should be dropped as it does more harm to your position than helps it"

We're going to have to agree to disagree. I think motherbear's logic is sound, you can't equate some pervert masturbating in public with a woman feeding a hungry baby.

[It's me]

No, the reason this is a problem is that 95% of women have no concept about keeping their children on a schedule and a routine.

OH PLEASE!! Do not get me started on a schedule and routine for a baby. You put your baby on your schedule and routine!

I've had five babies, all breastfed, no set schedule!

[It's me]

Feed your babies at home, mothers. Plan YOUR schedules better,...

Now this I agree with. Feed your baby before you go out.

[tuffydoodle]

You're trying to reason with someone who has no children but knows more about taking care of them than any parent here.

I also had 5 kids, all breastfed on demand, per doctor's advice.

[It's me]

That's what I will do, if the situation ever arises.

Ohhhhhhhh!
You've not been in this situation yet.
I see.
Well, that changes everything. Wait 'til you have babies, then you can talk about breasatfeeding schedules.

[bfree]

I was asked by a manager at a mall eye place to go into the restroom to nurse my baby. The restroom only had a toilet inside. I refused. I wondered if that manager ate her own lunch in that restroom.

This makes me feel that way.

[It's me]

Been there, done that.

It sure is easier than putting them on a schedule, isn't it?

I had friends who had very fussy babies on THEIR schedules. ONe finally fed the baby on demand and what a happy baby!
Who'da thunk?

[ViLaLuz]

Well, that's your feeling, bfree, which of course you are entitled to.

[tuffydoodle]

"Now this I agree with. Feed your baby before you go out"

I always did that as well. But having 5 kids, ages 5 to 15 now, I was not always able to be home every 2 hours or so for feeding. School, piano, soccer, volleyball, baseball, etc., keeps me away from home for hours at a time. I think improvising with blankets and clothes made for discrete nursing are a good way for mothers to take care of business without some nosy busybody screaming "there's someone nursing a baby over there! I'm offended, make her leave!"

I'm much more offended by those ultra low hipster jeans that kids wear but I still mind my own business. They want to wear that crap, fine by me, but my kids won't be wearing it.

[It's me]

Ooooooh! I think you and I would get along spledidly!

[Utah Binger]

Cover Up Clips are suspender-style clips used for securing a nursing blanket, breastfeeding bib, or any nursing cover material for breastfeeding privacy and infant protection. Nursing mothers can now breastfeed in public with confidence. Cover Up Clips are great gifts for new moms, baby showers, and are also effective for keeping a breastfeeding blanket in place to provide infant privacy, warmth, wind protection and sunshade. Use your own blanket! Other nursing covers and privacy products are more expensive and lack the versatility that Cover Up Clips offer. Purchase now to start breastfeeding with confidence anywhere in public.

http://www.coverupclips.com/

Patent pending.

[tuffydoodle]

"I had friends who had very fussy babies on THEIR schedules. ONe finally fed the baby on demand and what a happy baby!
Who'da thunk?"

I would much, much rather see a mother nursing a baby than see a hungry, screaming baby and a mother who says "baby has to be on a schedule, I don't care if he's hungry or not!"

[HitmanLV]

Moms who nurse in public need all the obnoxious family and friends in their life to do an 'Intervention' or something. ;-)

[Americalover]

I just do not want to see this when I am eating. It seems most of those stories take place in a restaurant of fast-food place. This is the same to me, as a guy taking a leak in the middle of a food court.

To compare nursing a baby to urinating is about the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Do you know what you were fed as an infant? Let's hope that it didn't contain urine, but considering your brain development it wouldn't surprise me.

[tuffydoodle]

I think that's a wonderful product! Why wasn't that around when I was still having babies?

Did you see my pic of the woman nursing the baby discretely? That's from www.elizabethleedesigns.com. It's a company that sells patterns to make clothes for breastfeeding. I made that shirt in the picture, it worked out great.

[bfree]

Mom fed me at home, maybe you should think of that option.

[tuffydoodle]

ROTFL!!!