were my rights violated? /nursing at the dentist - Page 2

[LilMomma83]

I would have just had DH and baby follow me back to my appointment and whenever baby was hungry if it wasn't in the middle of something I would have fed him.

[earthmama369]

I think it's a great letter -- very calm and reasonable while stating what happened clearly -- and I hope you get a satisfactory answer in return. I'm sorry you and your baby had to go through that.

[kcstar]

The one time I took a roommate to low-income medical care, the place was very crowded, understaffed, and there was a LONG wait. It isn't right and it isn't fair, but at this point that is the situation I would prepare for next time there is need.

Telling you the wrong time is definitely an issue. We've had that same issue even with insurance-paid medical care.

I don't understand not letting your husband back to see you during the appointment. When DH and I have had our back-to-back appointments, we've been allowed to visit each other - ESPECIALLY because we trade off caring for DS.

I know it's different for an infant, but I don't think I would have told the dentist "I have to stop and feed my baby right now" while the dentist was in the middle of a procedure. But in the "dead time" situation where the hygienist has finished and you're waiting for the dentist to review the x-rays and come talk to you, I certainly would have BFed, and gone to get DH and baby if they weren't in the room.

[boobs4milk]

Originally Posted by Parker'smommy

Wellllll, you are incorrect on a few points of the law. THe law does NOT state that you can breastfeed your baby any place that *YOU* are authorized to be. It is that you can breastfeed your baby any place that *the baby* is authorized to be. Does that make sense? For example, a baby is NOT authorized to be in a bar. SO, you have no legal right to breastfeed your child there because a child is not allowed to be in their legally, breastfeeding or not.


In your case, if the baby is not authorized to be in the back dentist's office or if no additional people (regardless of age) are allowed in the back dentist's office than he can say, "no, you cannot bring your baby back here to breastfeed" BUT...your baby IS allowed and authorized to be in the waiting room so you could have breastfed her there.

BUT....a dentist is not legally bound to allow you time to breastfeed during your appt. I mean, he can't stop you from walking into the waiting room and feeding your baby, but he doesn't have to keep your appt either.

You should still write a letter to the office because it upset you and really, it sounds like it wouldn't have been a big deal to give you a few minutes to breastfeed your baby in the waiting room, but don't include the part where you wrote that you can legally breastfeed wherever you are authorized to be, because that is incorrect.

in my state, breastfeeding is protected anywhere i am authorized to be. if i were in a bar, breastfeeding my baby is legally protected. the bar owner would not be remiss for asking me to leave because i had a minor in there, but he/she would be for asking me to leave because i was breastfeeding or denying my right to breastfeed.

a bar and a dentists office are two very different places, imho.

[CrunchyGina]

Originally Posted by boobs4milk

in my state, breastfeeding is protected anywhere i am authorized to be. if i were in a bar, breastfeeding my baby is legally protected. the bar owner would not be remiss for asking me to leave because i had a minor in there, but he/she would be for asking me to leave because i was breastfeeding or denying my right to breastfeed.

a bar and a dentists office are two very different places, imho.

Are you in the same state as the OP?

[Climbing Rose]

nak

The thing is that I *also* asked if I could run out to the waiting room to nurse and they said NO.

I totally could not see DH (he was behind doors, around corners and a hallway or two) to communicate with him.

Letters are now snail-mailed to 12+ people: board of directors, head of departments, etc...

Just waiting now.

I would do it all different if I could go back...

[Mandynee22]

Originally Posted by Irishmommy

I've always had extra kids in the rooms - siblings of the patient, foster kids of ours,my kids when I'm the patient, etc. I had fillings replaced with dd2 sleeping on my chest, she was a couple of months old at the time. The assitant held her while I got the needle (I hate needles) then she was on me. I've also bf both girls back there, no problems.

My 3 yr old stayed with me in the room during my last cleaning too. He did leave a couple times to get a different toy from the waiting room and came back. I think it helps that it's a reg dental office though and the asst and the dentist have small children themselves. A clinic would be larger, I would imagine.
OP- Does your state have medicaid and dental ins? Maybe you could qualify if they do and it would give you a larger selection of where to be seen?

[boobs4milk]

Originally Posted by CrunchyGina

Are you in the same state as the OP?

no, i'm in a different state. i did find this, though.

http://www.breastfeedingwa.org/wa_leg

[luv-my-boys]

Originally Posted by Love

nak

The thing is that I *also* asked if I could run out to the waiting room to nurse and they said NO.

...

You see I didnt get that from your original letter. I got that they kept you waiting while your baby was crying out of hunger. That would have totally peeved me off...them telling me no while my child screamed out of hunger in the waiting room. that really shows a lack of basic human compassion.

[CrunchyGina]

Originally Posted by boobs4milk

no, i'm in a different state. i did find this, though.

http://www.breastfeedingwa.org/wa_leg

2009 Wash. Laws, Chap. 164 (HB 1596) provides that it is the right of a mother to breastfeed her child in any place of public resort, accommodations, assemblage, or amusement.

I guess it depends on how you interpret it, but a doctor's exam room probably doesn't fall under that since it's not a public place.

[SwanMom]

Seems like any place I can be (I live in WA, too) is a place of public resort, accommodations, assemblage, or amusement. If the public is allowed into a dentist's office (even though it's not an open house, they do treat the public), I think it has to abide by the laws that apply to places of public resort, accommodations, assemblage, or amusement.

And, OP, there was a time when I was willing to follow the rules like you did, but now there's no way I would not go to the waiting room & nurse my screaming babe. What are they going to do about it? I have rights, and my baby has rights, and I refuse to leave them at the door when I (a paying customer) go to the dentist (or any medical professional).

[Climbing Rose]

:smack

i think i referenced the wrong law in the letter. i just noticed when i pull up the one i talked about in the letter, it is about prostitution or something.

great. i must have messed up the numbers or something....

this toothache (meds, lack of sleep, pain) is really messing with me today.

[Climbing Rose]

on the bright side, i am now being treated by my regular dentist's endodontic specialist. both my dentist and the endodontic specialist are awesome, kind, super pro-breastfeeding, etc.

i nursed in both exam chairs during downtimes, and dd charmed them all.

(i had a complicated apicoectomy and it is sore today.)

[triana1326]

Not sure if this would work for you, but IME, I've never asked permission to breastfeed at any medical/dental appointment. I've only asked if they were comfortable if I did so in front of them. To me, it's not their permission to give. Of course, if they did express discomfort in breastfeeding, I'd ask if I could move to another room - but none ever said they were uncomfortable with it. Sorry to read about your experience - I'd be upset too!