Time to educate more people about breastfeeding...

Well, I knew I would eventually come by it. Someone was bound to post about it or even create a blog about it, but I shouldn't be surprised to see a fan page created about how some people are disgusted by those of us that breastfeed in public.

Seriously, do you really think we should breastfeed in a public restroom? Have you seen how nasty a public restroom is? People who say such things must not have a problem using public restrooms without a seat cover. It is the same thing. And where should we sit; on a toilet, the floor or should we just stand for 15-30 minutes?

I won't call these people ignorant, because not all who believe this may be ignorant. Some people still view breasts in a sexual nature, and by all means, if they feel they want to, it is all within their rights to do so...as it is within our rights to breastfeed wherever we want to.

I'm excited that a fan page was created to help educate those on breastfeeding. And I think that is what the world needs. We learn in school, as young as the 4th grade (that's how young we were when we first learned, now I believe they do this in the 3rd grade), all about the birds and the bees and where babies come from. We even learn that a baby is fed from their mother's breasts.

Did you know there are laws that protect us from those who feel a baby should publicly starve? Maybe this is a harsh way for me to be putting it. People who find it unacceptable or offensive aren't saying we should starve our babies, only that we should do it in complete seclusion. Here is a link on information regarding each state, updated as of March 2010: National Conference of State Legislatures. For Mississippi alone, the state I live in, here is some information: "Mississippi requires licensed child care facilities to provide breastfeeding mothers with a sanitary place that is not a toilet stall to breastfeed their children or express milk, to provide a refrigerator to store expressed milk, to train staff in the safe and proper storage and handling of human milk, and to display breastfeeding promotion information to the clients of the facility." I find this interesting since I was told by my lactation consultant daycare or childcare centers won't store breastmilk.

Here is more information:
Miss. Code Ann. § 13-5-23 (2006) provides that breastfeeding mothers may be excused from serving as jurors. (SB 2419)
Miss. Code Ann. § 17-25-7/9 (2006) prohibits any ordinance restricting a woman's right to breastfeed and provides that a mother may breastfeed her child in any location she is otherwise authorized to be. (SB 2419)
Miss. Code Ann. § 43-20-31 (2006) requires licensed child care facilities to provide breastfeeding mothers with a sanitary place that is not a toilet stall to breastfeed their children or express milk, to provide a refrigerator to store expressed milk, to train staff in the safe and proper storage and handling of human milk, and to display breastfeeding promotion information to the clients of the facility.
Miss. Code Ann. Ch. 1 § 71-1-55 (2006) prohibits against discrimination towards breastfeeding mothers who use lawful break time to express milk.
Miss. Code Ann. § 97-29-31 and § 97-35-7et seq. (2006) specifies that a woman breastfeeding may not be considered an act of indecent exposure, disorderly conduct, or disturbance of the public space.

These laws are also followed by many other states as well. And for my friends in Washington State:

Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.88.010 (2001) states that the act of breastfeeding or expressing breast milk is not indecent exposure. (HB 1590)
Wash. Rev. Code § 43.70.640 (2001) allows any employer, governmental and private, to use the designation of "infant-friendly" on its promotional materials if the employer follows certain requirements. (2001 Wash. Laws, Chap. 88)
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.30(g) (2009) provides that it is the right of a mother to breastfeed her child in any place of public resort, accommodations, assemblage or amusement. (2009 Wash. Laws, Chap. 164, HB 1596)
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.215 the law states that it is an unfair practice for any person to discriminate against a mother breastfeeding her child in any place of public resort, accommodations, assemblage or amusement.

Here is something I would like to part with you from my fellow bloggers at If Breastfeeding Offends You...
 

So if you feel the need to discriminate against breastfeeding mothers, keep this in mind: we are protected.

And remember: