What would your ideal NIP state?

[Sanveann]

I'm interested in strengthening Michigan's NIP law (which currently just states that breastfeeding isn't considered public nudity). A guy I used to date is a lobbyist, and when I asked him who I should talk to, he mentioned it to our local representative, who's a new mom. I'm supposed to call one of her "people" and chat with him.

So, what would your ideal law say?

[SallyN]

I'd go over to the LLL website section that links/lists the laws by state.

Though for what it's worth, we're pretty happy with Illinois (though we don't have any protection for incarcerated breastfeeding mothers... check on NY for that (and one other state... Oregon? sorry can't recall.)

[tbone_kneegrabber]

allowed to do it anywhere, even with full breast nipple showing (i like when the word nipple is in the law ) If you are discriminated against you can sue. Businesses, etc, who discriminate (ask you to leave, cover or harrass you) can be ticketed.

[IlluminatedAttic]

Originally Posted by tbone_kneegrabber

allowed to do it anywhere, even with full breast nipple showing (i like when the word nipple is in the law ) If you are discriminated against you can sue. Businesses, etc, who discriminate (ask you to leave, cover or harrass you) can be ticketed.

and fined!

[*MamaJen*]

Yeah, if I had a few minutes with a state rep staffer to discuss my ideal NIP law, I would ask for some sort of enforcement clause saying that businesses can be fined or people can sue. Texas has laws permitting NIP, but no provisions for enforcing them, and they really lack teeth.
Good luck. Be prepared, be professional, and be concise.

[butterfly_mommy]

This is what our rights are in Ontario
"you have the right to breastfeed a child in a public area. No one should prevent you from nursing your child simply because you are in a public area. They should not ask you to "cover up", disturb you, or ask you to move to another area that is more "discreet"."
this is from the Ontario Human Rights Commission website

http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/issues/preg...ndex_html/view

I really like how it says child instead of infant

[Sanveann]

I just saw that in Scotland, you can be fined 2,500 pounds (about $5,000) for asking a mom to stop nursing or to go elsewhere!

[Unoppressed MAMA Q]

Anyone who harasses a mother/baby dyad has to go to an introductory biology class, ten sessions of therapy and spend six weekends cleaning said mother/baby dyad's home. Must attend a panel of nursing mothers who have dealt with harassment, and look them all in the face, and explain what they did, and listen while the mothers explain how that makes them feel inside.


Then write an essay and read it on public radio about what they learned from the whole thing.

[Zadee]

Originally Posted by Unoppressed MAMA Q

Anyone who harasses a mother/baby dyad has to go to an introductory biology class, ten sessions of therapy and spend six weekends cleaning said mother/baby dyad's home. Must attend a panel of nursing mothers who have dealt with harassment, and look them all in the face, and explain what they did, and listen while the mothers explain how that makes them feel inside.


Then write an essay and read it on public radio about what they learned from the whole thing.

And weed my garden!

[Koloe]

MN has fairly decent laws. A few years back my mother was explaining a problem they were having in her church's daycare and my sister and I are like - umm, that's illegal. Basically they were not letting a daycare worker nurse her infant in the infant room. So we helped our Mother find the relevant information to take back to the board and they also went after the MN Health Department that was saying a mother could not nurse in the infant room because BM was a bio-hazard. When shown the state laws, the Health Department people were surprised. Heavens forbid they keep track of the laws (and generally good nutritional practices) that should pertain to all infants in a day care sitting before making up their own rules. But that just goes to show you that you can have good protections up, but if people don't read them you will still run into problems.

[*MamaJen*]

Any updates, Alexis?

[Sanveann]

No, unfortunately I still haven't heard back from the guy I was supposed to talk to at the rep's office. I'm going to try to give him a call again tomorrow.

[Belle]

My ideal breastfeeding laws would be these:

1. Protection from indecency laws
2. Ability to nurse anywhere mom and baby are permitted to be
3. Protection from harrasment while nursing, possible fines for harrassing nursing mothers.
4. Exception from Jury duty for breastfeeding mothers
5. Freedom from employment discrimination while breastfeeding.
6. Requirements that employers provide a clean, private, area to pump and time to do it.
7. Tax benefits to employers that not only do #6 as required by law, but also set up lactation rooms with pumps, fridges, and access to lactation consultants.

ETA:8. Opps I forgot about the formula bags. Get rid of them and make sure that every woman has a visit from an IBCLC covered by insurance.