my local city council doesn't support breast feeding moms.

[heygrey]

i'm not going to post the article because, well, it's local and i don't want to get skin-suited by a lurker

the long and short of it is, they won't speak out publicly in support of mom's nursing in public (specifically, local public buildings) because they think it will cost them actual money and they don't want to offend moms who bottle feed. apparently speaking out in support of just FEEDING BABIES when, where, and how a mom chooses also isn't an option.

needless to say, shit is hitting the fan. our local breastfeeding support group is organizing a Feed In at the next council meeting - bottle or breast, come feed your kid! i'm so excited!


@tokenhoser, you have family close-ish, don't you? fly in for a gtg?

[mannah]

This sounds exciting in an annoying are you kidding me kind of way. I would totally go if I was close but I doubt I am given that everywhere around me is very pro nip. Keep us posted if you do go and give em hell!

[nessness]

Offending moms who bottle feed? That's a terrible argument. Were they planning to issue a statement saying women should be able to NIP because it is the superior way to feed your child? Can't they just say, parents should be able to feed their babies however and wherever they choose?

[heygrey]

Mar 14, 2015 4:49:30 GMT -5 mannah said:

This sounds exciting in an annoying are you kidding me kind of way. I would totally go if I was close but I doubt I am given that everywhere around me is very pro nip. Keep us posted if you do go and give em hell!

that's the thing - everywhere around me is very pro-nip too! I have nursed R anywhere and everywhere in this town for the last year with nary a negative comment. if the stupid people on city council had never opened their mouths on the subject everyone would just continue to assume that we live in a pro-feed your baby how you want place.

thankfully, private businesses have already stepped up enmass to say "come feed yor baby HERE!"

[Odonata]

What a lame excuse. How is supporting breastfeeding in public offensive to bottle feeding moms? I bottle feed and I don't need support to do it in public (well, except support that it's my choice to formula feed, but that's a totally different topic).

I'm not sure how this even will cost them actual money either.

[heygrey]

Mar 14, 2015 5:13:09 GMT -5 nessness said:

Offending moms who bottle feed? That's a terrible argument. Were they planning to issue a statement saying women should be able to NIP because it is the superior way to feed your child? Can't they just say, parents should be able to feed their babies however and wherever they choose?

the latter was the proposal that was shot down. a group of nursing students presented the council with the benefits of breastfeeding and asked that they publicly support all manner of feeding babies. their goal was to get public documentation saying "yes you can breastfeed when/where/how you choose," so that no one can harass you or ask you to leave a public building, but in the same breath they are saying "or bottle feed, whatev. just feed your kid."

this is what we've gotten from the preliminary news stories. I'm interested to see if more information comes to light, or if it went down exactly as first reported.

[mannah]

Mar 14, 2015 8:43:46 GMT -5 heygrey said:

Mar 14, 2015 4:49:30 GMT -5 mannah said:

This sounds exciting in an annoying are you kidding me kind of way. I would totally go if I was close but I doubt I am given that everywhere around me is very pro nip. Keep us posted if you do go and give em hell!

that's the thing - everywhere around me is very pro-nip too! I have nursed R anywhere and everywhere in this town for the last year with nary a negative comment. if the stupid people on city council had never opened their mouths on the subject everyone would just continue to assume that we live in a pro-feed your baby how you want place.

thankfully, private businesses have already stepped up enmass to say "come feed yor baby HERE!"

Well that is just dumb then! Talk about the city not being in touch with its residents and businesses! Where are you located if I may ask?

[heygrey]

Mar 14, 2015 8:50:32 GMT -5 mannah said:

Mar 14, 2015 8:43:46 GMT -5 heygrey said:

that's the thing - everywhere around me is very pro-nip too! I have nursed R anywhere and everywhere in this town for the last year with nary a negative comment. if the stupid people on city council had never opened their mouths on the subject everyone would just continue to assume that we live in a pro-feed your baby how you want place.

thankfully, private businesses have already stepped up enmass to say "come feed yor baby HERE!"

Well that is just dumb then! Talk about the city not being in touch with its residents and businesses! Where are you located if I may ask?

British Columbia

[gibbinator]

Is public breastfeeding not protected under provincial laws?

[dancingirl21]

That's just weird. Why can't they just say everyone can feed their baby however they would like in public? Then no one is offended. The answer seems pretty easy to me.

[Deleted]

Let me guess: city council is a bunch of old dudes? Wish I could be there!

[deo]

Mar 14, 2015 10:34:23 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Let me guess: city council is a bunch of old dudes? Wish I could be there!

Nope, I thought they were all old guys too but 2 out of the 6 Councillors are women.      I visit this city often as I have lots of friends and family in the area and have never had any issues with NIP.  

[Deleted]

The thing is: there's never an issue until there's an issue. I've never had an issue, but one mom in my city had a lovely run-in with a teenage lifeguard at a pool I frequent often. And now there are "Breastfeeding Welcome!" stickers everywhere after a re-education program. I don't really see that city council needs an opinion, but civic management does and this is probably the way to do that.

[heygrey]

Mar 14, 2015 11:24:37 GMT -5 deo said:

Mar 14, 2015 10:34:23 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Let me guess: city council is a bunch of old dudes? Wish I could be there!

Nope, I thought they were all old guys too but 2 out of the 6 Councillors are women.      I visit this city often as I have lots of friends and family in the area and have never had any issues with NIP.  

beyond that, one of the women is a public health nurse.

deo, where are you? I only know of one other lady that lives in the area, but I know there are several with family in the area.

[deo]

Mar 14, 2015 11:58:24 GMT -5 heygrey said:

Mar 14, 2015 11:24:37 GMT -5 deo said:

Nope, I thought they were all old guys too but 2 out of the 6 Councillors are women.      I visit this city often as I have lots of friends and family in the area and have never had any issues with NIP.  

beyond that, one of the women is a public health nurse.

deo, where are you? I only know of one other lady that lives in the area, but I know there are several with family in the area.

I live in southern AB right now but I grew up in the Interior and both my family and DH's family still live there. We have cousins & friends in okanagan, so this story has been on my FB feed.

[heygrey]

Mar 14, 2015 9:48:14 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

Is public breastfeeding not protected under provincial laws?

i was going to answer you yesterday and realized i only had random facebook posts telling me "yes" so maybe i should verify myself

but the answer is still yes. in fact, Ontario and British Columbia are the only provinces that specifically outline the rights of breastfeeding mothers in their Human Rights Codes. it's illuded to in every other province and in federal codes, because you can't discriminate on the basis of sex, but we have very specifically written laws about this in BC.

so... lol.