Looking for laws/rules for breastfeeding in FL and on a Disney Cruise

[LittlePeanut]

DH, DS (almost 3 y/o) and I will be flying down to FL and staying there a couple nights before departing on a 4 night Disney Cruise to the Bahamas.

Anyone know the laws in FL regarding BF?
Anyone know Disney's BF policies?

DS will be 3 in December and only tends to nurse first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening now but I'd like to be prepared and know my rights within the law.

Any help or input would be helpful. Thank you.

LP

[Angelstill]

Florida is very breastfeeding friendly, as is the parks at Disney. I really don't know about the cruise line, but I would assume you will be fin.

[jenmary]

SUMMARY OF ENACTED BREASTFEEDING LEGISLATION
FLORIDA

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.

(from the LLL website)

[1littlebit]

ive been on a lot of cruises.. and i cant imagine anyone having problems with it. I mean even if they did they would probably tell a crew member who would probably think they had lost their mind.

[LittlePeanut]

Sounds good. I'm a little concerned about his age and the fact that the law says "baby" but it sounds like it won't be problem. Thanks for all the quick responses!

LP

[polykow]

When I was going on a vacation at a water park resort with my 2 and a half year old this Summer I sent them an e-mail asking for their breastfeeding policy and they answered me back and were great about it.
I printed out and took it with me just in case someone approached me.
I did not need it. No one batted an eye to my huge toddler nursing on the pool.
I would write and simply ask for it.

[kangaroomum25]

Originally Posted by polykow

When I was going on a vacation at a water park resort with my 2 and a half year old this Summer I sent them an e-mail asking for their breastfeeding policy and they answered me back and were great about it.
I printed out and took it with me just in case someone approached me.
I did not need it. No one batted an eye to my huge toddler nursing on the pool.
I would write and simply ask for it.

That sounds like a great idea, I'd do that.

[LittlePeanut]

Good plan. I'll try that thanks!

LP

[OkiMom]

I don't see Disney having any problem with it. They are very breastfeeding friendly (at least in my experience). Ive nursed my then 16 month old at Disney World before and I got nothing but smiles from the staff. One of the employees that was working a food stand brought me a cup of ice water since it was so hot he didn't want me getting dehydrated.
As for Florida, I again dont' see a problem. I nursed all over the place while I was visiting my In-laws there.

[Sarah W]

Originally Posted by Angelstill

Florida is very breastfeeding friendly, as is the parks at Disney. I really don't know about the cruise line, but I would assume you will be fin.

I BFed several places at Disney and had no issues.

[LittlePeanut]

Well, I received a response. It's not quite as lovely as I'd hoped but it's acceptable. Basically it said that although breastfeeding is allowed on the ship, for the consideration of all their Guests, they ask that I be discreet.

I hate the use of the term discreet as it's so subjective. Discreet to me might mean not perching DS on a table while I remove my top to BF, while others might see a blanket over the baby's head necessary for discreet nursing and others would have me banished to another room or toilet.

Oh well, I guess I'll be the same level of discreet as I usually am and just hope it's not an issue.

Thanks again for all the input and personal experiences

LP

[kangaroomum25]

I think I might ask them to be specific as to what discreet means.

[LittlePeanut]

Originally Posted by kangaroomum25

I think I might ask them to be specific as to what discreet means.

I was tempted (the Lactavist in me) however I figure all I'll get is one person's version of it, kwim? I'm not sure it's worth the bother or me worrying about my discreetness, depending on the answer.

LP

[1littlebit]

i asked my mom (shes a cruise consultant and disney is one of the lines she sells) she said she cant imagine it would be a problem unless you like took your top all the way off in the swimming pool or something. (keep in mind she cant actually imagine why someone on a family cruise line would actually have a problem with a mother nursing her kid)

[polykow]

I would be frustrated by that answer too.
This is the answer I got from the Kalahari Resort when I e-mail them this Summer:

Hello Alexandra,

We are a family friendly resort. Please feel free to feed your child as you normally would in any public situation.

We look forward to your visit.

Regards,
This is my original thread:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...light=kalahari

[lolar2]

The cruise ship would be subject to the laws where it is registered (maybe Liberia?) so you could check on whatever the laws are there.

[LittlePeanut]

Originally Posted by polykow

We are a family friendly resort. Please feel free to feed your child as you normally would in any public situation.

We look forward to your visit.

That's the response I was really hoping for... I : that response!

Originally Posted by lolar2

The cruise ship would be subject to the laws where it is registered (maybe Liberia?) so you could check on whatever the laws are there.

I'll check it out but this makes me worry for some reason.

LP

[LittlePeanut]

Well it seems the boat is registered in the Bahamas. I can't seem t find anything definitive about BF Laws or Protection in the Bahamas. Anyone know?

I don't think I'm prepared to argue this right now but I would love to tackle it when we get back. I'd love to send Disney a letter that encourages them to re-write (or write) their breastfeeding policy to better protect a nursing mom from any possible harrassment or ridicule aboard their ships. I love the response polykow got from the Kalahari Resort and would be thrilled if Disney Cruiselines also adopted such a policy.

LP

[mamajake]

While it makes intuitive sense that a ship would be governed by the laws of the country in which it is registered, I am not sure that is true for all kinds of conduct. International law applies for some purposes while in international waters. Maritime law (which has both international and domestic components) governs much having to do with trade. I have tried to find some law on this (did this research with regard to airplanes which pose a similar problem) and this is a highly specialized area of the law. Remember that in the Gillette case, Delta argued that it was not bound by Vermont law because airplanes are regulated by the FAA and therefore only federal (and not state) law applies. While Gillette won that phase of the case (the commission held that state law applied because the plane was on the ground), this highlights how "what law applies" when not physically in a state or country is vexing - in part because breastfeeding mothers are rarely able to afford the lawyers required to litigate the cases which would help define the law.

So it is probably true that the law of the state or country at which the ship is docked applies while the ship is docked. However, for example, if you are injured on the boat when at sea, you almost certainly don't have to sue under the law of the Bahamas. Throw in here that much of how you are allowed to behave on ticketed travel is governed by the contract you enter into when you buy the ticket (that fine print no one actually reads).

The "discretion" response is obnoxious and unnerving. But to some extent I wonder whether your safety when on the water is the same as when the plane is in the air - they are highly unlikely to toss you into the sea for breastfeeding.

[SparklingGemini]

I can't help you on the cruise info, though that's certainly food for thought but I can tell you about BFing in the parks.

We just got back from two weeks at WDW where I nursed DD numerous times in countless places, attractions and rides.

No one said a negative word and most people smiled at us sweetly.

We nursed on Pirates of the Caribbean, Kilmajaro Safaris, the Nemo Musical, the monorail, the train at the MK, the tram in the parking lot, It's a Small World(thrice!), The Great Movie Ride and others I'm currently forgetting. We also nursed in many of the restaurants including Morocco and Italy in Epcot, and plenty of park benches!

It was FUN!

The one weird thing, to me?

I didn't see a single other nursing mom the entire time we were there! Holy cow!