Churches and nursing - Page 2

[ashleyhaugh]

i usually went to the nursery, simply because it was more comfortable. we can only nurse in the football hold, which is awkward with nothing to balance baby on, and the nursery had rockers and a boppy, lol. i would have been more than welcome to nurse in the service, or anywhere else for that matter. i never understood not nursing in church, it makes no sense

people can be so weird sometimes, lol

[SwanMom]

I just wanted to point out that even though the Mass law exempts churches, there is nothing saying women can't nurse in church there. It just means that the church can ask you to cover or whatever without being fined.

If I lived in/visited Massachusetts, I would nurse in church if I needed to. If someone said anything, I would probably ask if there was an anti-breastfeeding policy in place and if there was, I probably wouldn't go to the church anymore.

[riverscout]

Originally Posted by Charmie981

But, I just wanted other people's take on whether churches are exempt or not, because if they are, that's gonna really bug me! And the fact that MA's law exempts them is just disgusting, too, IMO.

Yeah it does kinda stink in a way that they are exempt, but there is good reason the gov't stays out of church business.

[KBecks]

No, I wouldn't think the church or any private enterprise is exempt.

[Da WIC Lady]

Originally Posted by Poogles0213

Well, what about this part: "No child care facility shall discriminate based on race, color, creed, disability, as defined in R.S. 51:2232(11), national origin ancestry or whether a child is being breast-fed. However, this shall not restrict the hiring or admission policies of a church or religious organization"

I can't quite tell. It would be helpful to ask someone who speaks legalese to be absolutely sure

You left off the part after the comma... "However, this shall not restrict the hiring or admission policies of a church or religious organization, which may give preference in hiring or admission to members of the church or denomination. "

It's only saying that they can exclude those outside of their church or denomination in the hiring of staff or admission of children to their care program, not that they can discriminate on the basis of breastfeeding alone.

[Da WIC Lady]

Originally Posted by riverscout

r.s. 14:106 is an obscenity law for anyone who is wondering

I had fun reading that last summer when I stayed in LA for a few months. Made me realize how the unofficial state motto ("Show us your tata's" ) didn't necessarily correlate to being tolerant to showing a little of the same flesh while feeding your baby. Who knew the law could be such salacious reading! DH was born and raised in LA and it really gave me some insight into the local culture by reading the obscenity law. Makes you look at your neighbors in a different light. I wish that every state had such great pro-breastfeeding laws on the books. VA has one about pumping at work, but it's only applies to businesses between 5 and 15 people and is not often referenced in the BF law summaries.

[llamalluv]

Originally Posted by Charmie981

No, no one really feeds bottles during the service. And it's not an issue of during service, it WAS an issue of "anywhere but the nursing mother's area." But, it's really not an issue (now). I had a chat with my good friend and breastfeeding mother of soon-to-be six who is also the pastor's wife. Someone "complained" about my nursing in the nursery (there's supposed to be a no non-nursery workers in the nursery policy, so I WAS in violation of that). Without thinking or really talking about the implications, the default reaction to that complaint was "nursing mothers should use the nursing mother's area," which miffed me on so many levels and my friend/pastor's wife totally agrees, so obviously the church needs a policy so that everyone (particularly the nursery coordinator who made and/or received the complaint in the first place) can have the same, bfing friendly answer.

My take on it is "it's the law" so the party line should be "asking a nursing mother to the nursing mother's room is discrimination/segregation." But she thinks that legally churches are exempt and the policy should be pretty much the same but not mention the law because the law doesn't apply to churches. It's really a very small difference, given that the "other people" were trying to implement something that is not acceptable and would have me leaving the church in no time. But, I just wanted other people's take on whether churches are exempt or not, because if they are, that's gonna really bug me! And the fact that MA's law exempts them is just disgusting, too, IMO.

Does anyone pass Cheerios to their toddler then? Cheerios and bottles are very common at the congregation I worship with.

[mamajake]

The key is finding the statutory definition of "place of public accommodation, resort, or amusement" which can be found in the definitions section relating to the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights of which "§2247.1. Breastfeeding; discriminatory practices prohibited" is a part. It is:

Section 51:2231 (10) Place of public accommodation, resort, or amusement" means any place, store, or other establishment, either licensed or unlicensed, which supplies goods or services to the general public or which solicits or accepts the patronage or trade of the general public, or which is supported directly or indirectly by government funds. However, a bona fide private club is not a place of public accommodation, resort, or amusement if its policies are determined solely by its members and its facilities or services are available only to its members and their bona fide guests.


Doesn't look to me like a house of worship is encompassed by this definition so this public breastfeeding law does not apply to houses of worship.

[Da WIC Lady]

A church is a place that provides services to the general public. Sunday services being the most common, followed by Wednseday evening services depending on the denomination. And I don't know about you, but I've gotten a lot of amusuement in church. Not often, mind you, but it happens.

[mamajake]

Originally Posted by Da WIC Lady

A church is a place that provides services to the general public. Sunday services being the most common, followed by Wednseday evening services depending on the denomination. And I don't know about you, but I've gotten a lot of amusuement in church. Not often, mind you, but it happens.

I think the statutory definition requires that you are buying/selling goods and services. If someone dug around LA case law, there is probably a case on it.