Atlanta area city bans breastfeeding toddlers in public - Page 5

[mamajking100]

Thanks for posting the article...come on GA, get with the times. It is one of my homes got GA on my mind but would not want it to be ILEAGAL to have baby on my breast!

[Turquesa]

h

This passage (from the article linked by the PP) is what ultimately matters.  Honestly, from what the buzz that I’m hearing, this guy began by making a somewhat ignorant mistake and, when confronted, got more aggressive in defending the city’s actions.  *IF* this scenario true, I really hope that he can swallow that lump of pride and do what’s right for women and babies.  I also hope that a nurse-in doesn’t backfire and make him even more combative.   

"We are now crafting an amendment to this ordinance to try to nullify some of these conflicts," Parker said.

[AboutPediatrics]

Originally Posted by Asiago 

Update from Channel 11 news:

http://www.11alive.com/rss/article/191748/3/Breastfeeding-brouhaha-in-Forest-Park

The sad thing about this article, even though it sounds like they are going to change the law in Forest Park, is that the Forest Park City Manager stated that they used 'the exact breastfeeding wording that already exists in DeKalb County and City of Griffin public indecency ordinances.'

Since only 28 states (Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming) have laws that exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws, that wouldn't be surprising, but after Forest Park, it might be time to look at these other places and at these other states.

[philomom]

Edited because I don't like Fbook.
Edited by philomom - 5/24/11 at 8:04am

[philomom]

Found one slide show already. Should be more available shortly as the we get to the noon news hour in Georgia.

http://www.wsbtv.com/slideshow/news/27991397/detail.html

[eelownes]

I am not sure if you really can enforce such a law or ban. It is perfectly normal to breastfeed a toddler, it is America that stopped that practice in the 1940's and 1950's. What a shame for Atlanta to have such ignorant leaders. 

[philomom]

Here's some local coverage of the nurse in!

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/news/27987658/detail.html

[Fireflyskies]

I'm curious why anyone would still be BF a 3 year old child.... buuuut, It's true, trying to make up new laws regarding BF will just make things harder down the road for mothers than need to nurse, wherever they are. I'm sure it will be changed back soon! They can't do that to state and federal law.

[Asiago]

I received an email reply from Tammy Fuller, who is the state WIC breastfeeding coodinator for Georgia Dept. of Community Health (Division of Public Health). She is working with the WIC attorney and other state officials on the matter. Thank goodness for her effort and all others putting forth the effort on this matter.

 

[Janeen]

Originally Posted by Fireflyskies 

I'm curious why anyone would still be BF a 3 year old child.... buuuut, It's true, trying to make up new laws regarding BF will just make things harder down the road for mothers than need to nurse, wherever they are. I'm sure it will be changed back soon! They can't do that to state and federal law.

Because some parents believe in letting the child decide when she/he is done with nursing. I nursed my daughter past the age of four. It definitely wasn't my original plan but shortly after she turned 2, we decided to move to South Korea and I didn't want to push her to wean at such a transitional time. Ending up not having much of a choice two years later though when I returned to the US to have my second daughter but by then, she was able to go without it.

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by Fireflyskies 

I'm curious why anyone would still be BF a 3 year old child.... buuuut, It's true, trying to make up new laws regarding BF will just make things harder down the road for mothers than need to nurse, wherever they are. I'm sure it will be changed back soon! They can't do that to state and federal law.

Welcome to MDC! I'm so glad you asked about nursing an older child. I used to wonder why as well, until I researched it more and actually saw nursing toddlers and children (thank you nursing moms!). Then I realized that moms nurse older children because it is normal - as humans we are built to nurse into childhood. Have a look at this great kellymom handout to learn more about breastfeeding past infancy.

[KempsMama]

Originally Posted by Fireflyskies 

I'm curious why anyone would still be BF a 3 year old child.... buuuut, It's true, trying to make up new laws regarding BF will just make things harder down the road for mothers than need to nurse, wherever they are. I'm sure it will be changed back soon! They can't do that to state and federal law.

There are a lot of good reasons to nurse a three year old.  Here is a summary of just some of them.  I encourage you to read some on child led weaning and breastfeeding beyond infancy.  http://www.lightparty.com/Health/10ReasonsToBreastfeed.html 

[PatioGardener]

Great photos in the news articles, Mamas! Well done! Wish we could have been there.

[HappyMommy2]

Privacy Reminder: This thread is FEATURED ON FACEBOOK.

[philomom]

I'm not happy to know that this is on the Fbook.


Could someone copy just my links to the news coverage and re-post them? Then, I will edit my posts. Thanks you.

I did not give MDC permission to post my thoughts and ideas on the Fbook!
Edited by philomom - 5/23/11 at 4:31pm

[KempsMama]

Seriously?  This is an open forum.  Anyone, anywhere around the world with internet access can read it.   I'm getting more frustrated by the self appointed privacy police than by the threas being featured on Facebook. 

[philomom]

Originally Posted by KempsMama 

Seriously?  This is an open forum.  Anyone, anywhere around the world with internet access can read it.   I'm getting more frustrated by the self appointed privacy police than by the threas being featured on Facebook. 

This opinion of yours is not shared by all of us here at MDC. Some ladies were positively ill last night to know that MDC had so blatantly posted threads to Fbook without warning. And now we have the policy changed.

[hildare]

i know this is off topic but that's exactly why i do not use a psuedonym that can be tied in any way to me in real life and i don't use the same info on my facebook pages as on mdc

MAD PROPS to my georgia sisters and brothers!!!!!!!!  i wish i could have been there too.  i did call the official in question, though. 

one lesson here-- the press sure does love a nurse-in.  ;)

<3

[goddessjulia]

I didn't know about the FB thing either. anyway, updates I've heard:

turnout for the nurse-in was great-- over 200! it was the top news story at lunch hour locally! I really enjoyed hearing "lactivism" and "nurse-in" get introduced to the ATL news vocab

also, to add to the convo, I'll repeat what I wrote on a friend's FB page: the focus of the original ordinance was public nudity. the wording provided an exemption for mothers bf'ing children "under the age of 2." inadvertently or not, this left nursing a child age 2 and up (not 3 and up) equal to public nudity and other public lewdness the ordinance was meant to address. very importantly, this conflicts with GA state law. people may have any and all opinions about parenting decisions-- and they do!-- but this discriminates against those who choose continued breastfeeding over formula, pacifiers, whatever. any person can think anything they like about my extended breastfeeding and child-led weaning, but legislation that discriminates against my choice to do so is a civil rights issue.

and, I will repeat what someone else said earlier: Forest Park is NOT Atlanta, just so no one is confused  it's south of atlanta, not even the same county. not that it isn't indicative of pervasive general ignorance that can be found all over, but it's not the same city. and the nurse-in really showed that there are plenty of lactivists (and babywearers, and cloth diaperers!) all around!

[little birds]

I'm so happy the nurse in had such a great turnout. My kiddos woke up and after nursing, dressing, breakfast, we couldn't make it there on time. However, I think the group may be planning action in some of the other counties that have similar ordinances, one of which is mine (boo!), so maybe there will be a next time! I would have enjoyed spending time with all those mamas in support of such an important issue.