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A few New York City commuter got an eyeful last Friday, sharing their subway ride with a rally of nursing mothers and one dedicated politician. A group of so-called "lactivists" rode the city's A train from uptown to Brooklyn last Friday, many of them nursing. Each year, the Breastfeeding Promotion Leadership Committee takes to the rails with their annual "caravan" -- a mass feeding designed to support the rights of women who breast-feed their children.
The BPLC also raises awareness of a breast-feeding "bill of rights" they're pushing to become law. That bill, spearheaded by rally attendee New York Senator Liz Krueger, aims to better educate women about breast-feeding.
Although breast-feeding in public is technically legal, the practice can still draw flak from law enforcement in NYC -- one woman caught a desk summons for breast-feeding on the train in 2004 and another got a "parking" ticket last week for pulling over to nurse.
Advocates want to make the practice more common because legal or not, when a kid's gotta eat, a kid's gotta eat. "Especially in New York, people are on the go all the time, but when a baby's hungry, well, you have to feed the baby," said participating mother Mara Bragg.
And really, considering the fact that most people on public transportation are so engrossed in reading, playing with their cell phones or creepily nodding off, why should anybody have a problem with a mother improving their commute by making a baby stop crying?
More stuff from around the Web:
Baby Wakes Up Just Before Its Funeral (Lemondrop)
Little-known fact about babies: They scream! (amalah)
Jon Gosselin is a "large sociopathic toddler." (MamaPop)
"My kids can pay for their own college." (Babble)
Breast-feeding at ballgames: legal, but still a freakin' pain. (Lemondrop)
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Monday 10 August
By Kathy
The problem is not discretely breast feeding your baby. The problem is women who expose themselves for everyone to see. I breast fed my children too, but was always covered when the need to feed in public arose (which was rare). I was in the middle of Kohls department store and there was a lady there who stood there with everything exposed while she wiped the baby's face and switched breasts. This kind of behavior is what people do NOT want to see.
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Monday 10 August
By Tygrr76
well....i think it should be considered "ok" as long as those women use those cloak cover ups that you wrap around the mothers shoulders and it covers the baby and the unmentionables (remeber to pop it back in before you take that thing off)
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Monday 10 August
By Matt Delbridge
I wish the self centered people on both sides of this artificial debate would get over themselves. The vagina is desighned to receive seman and the breast to pump flued to another mamal. It is neither perverted or anything super special. There are many important factors that determine how a baby grows into an emotionally healthy adult. The baby does not care if the nipple is attached to glass or skin, they just want to feel full.
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Monday 10 August
By lam12sacred
the women do not WANT to expose themselves per se ... the women, who are MOTHERS are attending to the child ( which we all were ONE of ) who is making noise B/C they are unable at his point in their life to VERBALIZE the problem
most Moms who breast feed ... which we are all aware of now ... is NOT only the most natural thing to do ... but the BEST ! thing to do for the child's development,
are usually doing the best they can to be discreet ... there is no reason to stare
it is NOT sexual .. it is NOT degrading ... it IS the way the Creator made us (females) anatomically for the soul purpose of nurturing/bonding with those who are coming in ... like you once did... seriously ... how amazing is it that we are able to do this incredibly beautiful act !! ?
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Tuesday 11 August
By lorraine
in my day we put brest milk in bottles and took it with us, are you to lazy to do that?
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Monday 10 August
By Kris
Nursing babies easily (and almost always) can develop nipple confusion and using bottles along with the breast is VERY discouraged.
Most women nurse 1) because it's EASY and ACCESSABLE and don't WANT to mess with bottles 2) It's fresh, CLEAN and BEST for baby. 3) Plastic nipples are TOXIC. (like someone has to tell you that DUH)
Monday 10 August
By Nikki
Iceman...Janice...
I dare anyone to whistle, whoot, and holler while I'm BFing my DD. My husband will know the shit out of you quicker than you can blink an eye. You ignorate people need to grow the F up, seriously!
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Monday 10 August
By JOANNA
One thiong about CLASS....
You either have it or you don't.
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Monday 10 August
By Ccccciara
Why is this disgusting? it's a natural process this is how mothers are supposed to nurish their baby's! it's beautiful and i clap for mothers who do breastfeed, however some mothers do need to be more considerate use a blanket and all is fine we all need t consider other people regardless the topic.
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Monday 10 August
By Reeeetahhhh!!!
Face it, if every nursing mother was a blonde, long legged, skinny model who breast fed and men and young boys 'had to watch,' I don't think we'd be having this discussion. Women will always be jealous of another woman's 'parts,' so you'll find them complaining whenever another woman is getting the attention.
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Monday 10 August
By mel
i am sorry, i do not want to see those giant cow udders hanging out...cover for gods sake
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Thursday 03 September
By Joel
Cover yourself up if not then you get what you deserve for doing so in public. use your car or a bathroom its simple. I don't want to see it or hear it. try a simple solution when you have to go out into public use forluma I'm sure that doctors can help finding something that is the same to your breast milk. I don't want to be near you on public transit and it will be a cold day in hell before I give up my seat to accomodate something that can be easily resolved. You take on the responsibility of a baby not the public DEAL WITH IT!
Monday 10 August
By Kathrene
I breastfeed all 4 of my children and I was always discreet about exposing my breasts and making others feel uncomfortable. I always went into the dressing rooms and had no problem nursing my babies there. Whenever I was in a situation in a store that there was no dressing room, I picked a private little corner of a place where there weren't many people around and took out a light cloth which covered by breast while my baby nursed. Unfortunately some moms have become outright ridiculous and don't care where they are expose their breasts for all adults and children to see. They make no effort to be discreet about nursing their babies, so yes, they deserve all the negative attentiion they get. Yes, nurse your babies, but let's all be real here, breasts are also used for sexual pleasure!!!!! Therefore, let's be a little discreet here and recognize that although nursing is natural and healthy for our babies, we can't be disrespectufl and ignorant to those around us if we need to nurse our babies in public. Take a moment and look around to see if there's a dressing room, a quiet corner somewhere and sit down and cover up your breasts with a light cloth. Then, relax, and enjoy that special private moment with your infant and not allow it to become a spectacle. From a mom who believes 100% in breastfeeding, but who also respects the public's right not to to be subjected to having breasts exposed in public for all to see.
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Monday 10 August
By eyesofthetragedy
I believe that the topic that many users are discussing is the pure flaunting that one is breast-feeding vs. actually breast-feeding. My wife would breast-feed when necessary until a few weeks after our son was born she stopped producing milk. Several times were in public and it was done tastefully. She would wear a shirt and bra that was easily adjusted for that or designed for that duty without exposing excessively to random strangers. The issue at hand isn't truely about breast-feeding, but about the women who flaunt their breasts, pulling them out completely before they've even removed their child from the stroller and letting one, or sometimes both breasts exposed for several minutes for honestly, no reason. I even at one point saw a woman in a local Kmart breast-feed her roughly five year old son ... Removed her shirt and bra completely and attached her son to her. When asked to cover up some, she started screaming about suing and discrimination. It was clear she was simply looking for a way to make a profit or get attention, which unfortunately she managed to do by the sheer amount of people watching her flail around topless, screaming her head off long after her son was done eating. That is the kind of behaviour that many people are roughly talking about, not the respectfull decent mother who covers up herself and her child because its no one elses business what she's doing, regardless of where she's doing it. Oh, and as for the people who are bashing Luann ... I believe she was using it as an analogy, perhaps a very bad one but the basis is when you have to do something you look for an appropriate place. Unfortunatly there arn't many locations out in the world that offer family style rest rooms or rest areas that are designed for changing, feeding and using the bathroom, etc with small children. I doubt she was comparing taking a leak to feeding your kid ... So open up your minds people and think a bit outside the box and not take everything so literal.
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Monday 10 August
By george t
Women are the best gage of when their children need to eat. If a small group of people appear to be offended, don't look. Other wise stfu
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Monday 10 August
By Cassie
Well first let me say, if a man wants to wink or whistle at a breastfeeding woman, dont be surprised if she calls the cops and claims harassment. Everyone has seen tits. Google and you will see them. No big deal. Would you rather see a little nip or have a screaming baby near by? Either way you assholes complain! Get over it, it will never be illegal. ITS NATURAL! Yes moms should try and cover up but sometimes its not possible. if it offends you, dont look.
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Sunday 23 August
By God
Your proposing a double standard, if you want to whip 'em out we have every right to whoop and hollar all we want, your the one who whipped 'em out, don't try to sit there and call the cops your the one who whipped your teats out, if you don't like it don't do it, but just like its not illegal for you to breastfeed its not illegal for us to make cat calls either, and btw its not harrassment and the cops will just laugh at you, :D like i am right now.
Monday 10 August
By Lin
I'm all for breastfeeding, my daughter breastfed my grandson - but please - do it in private - I have no desire to see your boobs. There is absolutely no reason to have to breastfeed in public - pump your milk and put it in a bottle - you're still breastfeeding your baby and we don't have to look at your overgrown, flabby boobs!
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Friday 28 August
By Marissa
I can't believe how closed-minded people are! Nobody gets offended when people feed their kids formula bottles in public, yet the moment a mother nurses her baby, it's an outrage!!! I have news for you: BREASTS were made to feed babies!!!!!!! If I'm going to be shunned for feeding my baby in public, you better shun all the women who feed their babies formula in public. For what it's worth, I do try to pump if I'm going to a public place. The only place I've nursed is in the homes of family or my own home, but if I'm anywhere but my own home, I use my cover. However, some women can't afford a pump, and why should she buy one just to put other people at ease? She should be able to feed her baby the way she wants when he/she is hungry, just as a formula- feeding mom can. I don't understand what the big deal is. I would MUCH rather see a million nursing mothers in public than one skanky girl walking around, showing half her breast as if it's the sexiest thing in the world. It's not sexy people, it's a food source for innocent babies who just want to be fed when they're hungry. Get over yourselves and your teenager ways of thinking.
Monday 10 August
By mel
don't flatter yourself..believe me i am sure no wants to see that...ew.
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