Busch Gardens Incident UPDATED post 16

[Thursday Girl]

NAK

I was nursing in the katonga show busch gardens tampa, front row. i was asked to go the the back of the theatre. i refused. the supervisor who ordered the action taken was unhelpful and sort of rude. complained at guest services and had a better reponse. waiting to see what action is taken.

Depending on their reaction a n
"nusre in, breast out" might be in order. Of course we could do it anyways and just not get the media involved.

I am very annoyed as this happened in front of my daughters, i don't want them thinking BF is something others find offensive and such. This is not the first time an amusement park has harassed me on this issue.

(plus i am feeling a bit over sensitive right now since yesterday a woman yelled at her daughter not to look in my diretion, and when the girl didn't turn her head the mother covered her eyes, all from my breastfeeding....in the dairy aisle)

[smeep]

Avert your eyes! A woman is giving her human baby *gasp* HUMAN MILK - from her BREAST! Now let's go get some milk from a cow's udder.



On a more serious note, good for you standing your ground, mama! Keep us updated!

[kheppner]

I'm so sorry for your experience and that you're other daughter had to witness the negative attitude. Having said that, I actually nursed by toddler all over Busch Gardens and got some filthy looks from the old tourists but no employes said a word to me. We did not go to any of the shows, my DD has sensory issues. We also nursed all over Lowry Park with no problems. I'm completely happy to meet you at Busch Gardens. My DD is not discrete at all

BTW, I think we met at the last LLL meeting...

[Abismommy]

Ohh I am in Orlando I have nursed at Universal Studios, Disney World, and Sea World with no issues. Although I feel really sorry for the ignorant employee that dare approach me and ask me to go else where. It makes me sick that people can be so awful to others. I mean gasp..oh noes look it's a bewb!!! Come on! I see more boob walking through theme parks than I do when I see someone nursing Have you seen some of the shirts that some ladies wear? Yet that's fine?! It makes me soo sooooo ANGRY!
Now I have gotten many rude comments from others that NIP..I mean ahem. Most of the time I choose not too cover. It's FL in the summer time it's too fricken hot to cover a wee ones head. DH does not care at all that I don't cover, we just think that if they don't wanna see it they can cover their heads..or eat on a toilet insead.
Ohh wow..sorry for babbling!

[Thursday Girl]

yeah I have nursed all over Busch Gardens with my other daughter, I have nursed at Lowry Park zoo, Universal (did have one incident there but they took care of it properly), Disney, Sea World.

Kate I remember meeting you.

We'll keep you all updated.

[nerdymom]

Wow, that lady would have offended me too! But reading how you wrote it made me lol. Sorry.

I'm glad the customer service was more understanding.

[slinginhipmama]

I'm in Melbourne (not too far) so I'd definitely help with a nurse-in!!!!

[TiredX2]

This was in Florida? I hope they have a pretty good applogy coming because there is really no legal excuse for what they did.

From LLL:

http://www.llli.org/Law/Bills14.html

Florida led the nation by enacting the first comprehensive breastfeeding legislation in the United States. The legislation not only exempted breastfeeding from criminal statutes, but created a new law that stated this important and basic act of nurture must be encouraged in the interests of maternal and child health. Finally, it provides for a breast-feeding encouragement policy for facilities providing maternity services and newborn infant care.

Fla. Stat. Ann. § 383.015
1993 Fl. ALS 4; 1993 Fla. Laws ch. 4; 1993 Fla. HB 231

The breast feeding of a baby is an important and basic act of nurture which must be encouraged in the interests of maternal and child health and family values. A mother may breast feed her baby in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether or not the nipple of the mother's breast is covered during or incidental to the breast feeding.

Fla. Stat. 800.02, 800.03, 800.04

Statute language omitted. These statutes exclude breastfeeding from various sexual offenses, from the definition of an unnatural and lascivious act.

Fla. Stat. § 827.071 (Child abuse statute)

(g) "Sexual conduct" means ... A mother’s breastfeeding of her baby does not under any circumstances constitute "sexual conduct."

Fla .Stat. §383.016, , 383.016, 383.311, and 363.318
Section 383.016 of the Florida Statutes, provides for a breast-feeding encouragement policy for facilities providing maternity services and newborn infant care and authorizing use of "baby-friendly" designation. Sections 383.016, 383.311, and 363.318 of the Florida Statutes relating to breast feeding, administration of maternal and child health programs, education for birth center clients, and postpartum care for birth center clients, requiring encouragement of breastfeeding.

So, they specifically say "public AND private" and even go so far to say that it cannot be considered sexual or nudity (even with the nipple).

Busch Gardens. Please keep us posted.

[AbbieB]

Yikes! I have never had any problem at any of the Florida BG parks. I'm sorry you had a negative experience.

I have nursed in the Katonga show so many times over the last 4 years. At one point it was where we headed so we could have a nice long nursing session in the AC and semi darkness. I've nursed both my 3 year old (at the time) and my baby. I usually sit in the first few rows (under the butterflies and bubbles).

We were thinking of going this coming weekend. Guess where I'm going to sit and nurse.

Please keep us updated.

[lsumom08]

ooooooh, i live in tampa, and we've been talking about taking dude to see the giraffes. guess who's gonna NIP?!?!

i'm happy to read of other mamas in my area. i've been a bit lonely here!

[MaryJaneLouise]

Courtney, have you contacted Firstright.org? They can help you write letters, etc. to protest your treatment. Also, they like to keep track of all incidents of bfing discrmination.

[Maggirayne]

Go public, get the media. The more times we can say, hey, here's another documented case of a mom being harassed when there is a law present, will help other states get more teeth to their laws, IMO.

Of course, I'm pretty new to the lactivism scene. It sounds like you've got several moms close enough to help you organize and plan, so you wouldn't be doing it alone.

[bbrandonsmom]

It is good to see more Floridians I've not had a problem nip at any of the parks yet. I've nip at Tampa Aquarium, Lowrey park zoo, and Sea World. I always see at least 1 or 2 nip moms at the zoo.
Talk about offensive though. Part of me would want to ask the woman at the store what was wrong with human milk?
It is hot here in the summer. I don't know what I'd do w/o my solerveil sling.

[kalisis]

I think before we all jump on the nurse-in bandwagon, we should see what the response is.

Also as a pp suggested, I think it would be a great idea to contact firstright.

OP, I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm glad you took it up the chain of command - please keep us posted.

[Thursday Girl]

well they were s upposed to call me this week. i haven't heard from them yet. I do have 3 vociemails. so hopefully one is from them, otherwise i feel like maybe they are hoping this will just blow over.

[Thursday Girl]

Nak

okay checked my messages, not a single call from Busch Gardens. I am thinking that they don't really care, which honestly even though they were nice at the desk, they didn't seem like they were really taking it seriously. this just seems to prove it.

i guess we should start planning for a nurse in and contact some media. I am going to chexk out that site firstright and get some help with letters, and then I guess contact TBO and the tribune. Which news station though?

sadly I am horrible at planning but i will do my best you know inbetween activities, and three kids.

SOOO if you want o join, let me know and let other people know. Let's try to get a decent sized group up.

your thoughts, should we nurse outside so we can get more moms invovled, or inside the katonga show? or have the nurse in outside get moms who don't have passes, and then after awhile head inside to nurse at the show, or vice versa.

thoughts and ideas are welcome and appreciated. My stomache is all butterflies just thinking about it.

[kalisis]

You've heard nothing from Busch Gardens? Have you contacted their corporate offices? The manager of that specific park? Or you're just waiting to hear back from someone at guest services?

I would say, if it were me, I'd call corporate first thing tomorrow and ask to speak with someone about it immediately. What specifically are you wanting Busch Gardens to do? Apologize? Change their policies? I'd get clear on your expectations so you can be firm and explain in detail what you would like.

I'm of the nurse-ins should be a last resort camp though.

FirstRight is a good resource for contacting through correspondence and going up the chain of command. They will be glad to help you and maybe we can get a form letter set up so that moms can just copy and paste.

[OkiMom]

Id contact their corporate headquarters as well. If Im not mistaken the same place owns both Bursh Gardens and Seaworld. I have nursed at Seaworld before and I had no problems. No one bugged me at all, I think the person you talked to overstepped their bounds.

[Thursday Girl]

yeah i am going to contact them again, i know what i want and honestly don't want to have a nurse in, b/c i don't want to have to talk to media or anything. just want to have some people lined up if we need to.

[UUMom]

Originally Posted by bbrandonsmom

It is good to see more Floridians I've not had a problem nip at any of the parks yet. I've nip at Tampa Aquarium, Lowrey park zoo, and Sea World. I always see at least 1 or 2 nip moms at the zoo.
Talk about offensive though. Part of me would want to ask the woman at the store what was wrong with human milk?
It is hot here in the summer. I don't know what I'd do w/o my solerveil sling.

I've nursed in all of those places a million times, and not just babies! (None of mine weaned before 3, & one much later lol) lol And not even in a sling. Let's hope it was just one odd person, because over the years, I've seen lots of NIP in n all of these parks. (I esp heart Lowry Zoo)