And in other news from the early 1900s…
Reshared post from +Sarah Hill
Mom booted from courtroom for breastfeeding.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/14/natalie-hegedus-courtroom-breastfeeding_n_1089271.html
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Natalie Hegedus, Mom, Kicked Out Of Courtroom For Breastfeeding
Apparently, feeding your child is something to be ashamed of — at least according to one district court judge. Michigan resident and mother of a 5-month-old baby, Natalie Hegedus, was reportedly "cal…
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We must all be saved from the boobies. OH NOES! SAVE US FROM THE BOOBIES!!
You would NOT believe how many women AND MEN I know who think that's "disgusting." I want to decapitate them sometimes.
Disgusting? It's not may favorite thing in the world, but I'm not sure disgusting is the right term.
I don't think it's anyone's favorite thing in the world, but I certainly am not bothered by it… at all. It'd be like telling me I can't hold my husband's hand in public…
I also don't have a problem with it, but your analogy doesn't strike me as apt.
In what way does holding your husbands hand parallel breast feeding?
Simple. natural act that shows affection and is not sexual?
Because it's a pretty natural and not sexual bit of human interaction…
While the relationship of a mother to her child might be reflected in breast feeding, I'm pretty sure that it is not an 'act of affection' but rather an act of feeding a hungry child.
Agreed that neither are sexual acts, but I don't think we should group things as alike by defining what they are not.
If he wouldn't have kicked a woman out for bottle feeding, he shouldn't kick a woman out for breast feeding. Period.
I assure you that feeding your child is an act of affection.
And sometimes it's an act of "Please don't cry in this courtroom and get me in trouble." Oops, that backfired, didn't it?
Wow. I wish I was still breastfeeding just so I could go sit in that courtroom. If it's appropriate to bottle feed, it's appropriate to breast feed. IMO
It appears as though Michigan is one of the few states that doesn't have a law expressly stating that mothers shall not be prohibited from breastfeeding any place (public or private) where the mother it otherwise authorized to be.
That's a shame.
Thats pretty BS. She was being considerate to make sure her baby didn't start crying from hunger during the proceedings.
i would compare it to kicking someone out for eating or drinking. breastfeeding isn't an act of affection. sure it can be, but it's more of an act of NECESSITY.
It's not necessarily an act of necessity when there are alternative methods for feeding a baby. Why does a mother choose to breast-feed over bottle feeding?
Never mind, I see that Erin was making a point about affection, not really asking a question.
We need a /rhetorical tag.
+Erin Leland Are you saying then that a mother who doesn't breast feed their baby shows a lack of affection?
I'm sure you wouldn't, and by extension I don't think it's fair to compare hand holding to breastfeeding. Keep in mind I'm agreeing that it's absurd she got thrown out of the courtroom for breastfeeding.
my necessity comment was referring to the fact that feeding a child = a necessary act. my child has never had formula. i don't consider that an "alternative" method of feeding her, and im not the only breastfeeding mom i know who feels that way. there are a lot of factors to play in this, but the bottom line is that you cant force someone to formula feed, just like you cant force them to breastfeed out of public view.
also, there have been plenty of times that i didn't want to feed her but did because she was hungry. which plays into my "its not always an act of affection" comment. i dont see how feeding your child is an act of affection whatsoever. its parental responsibility. is changing a diaper an act of affection?
+Tim Glaser I'm talking about women who choose to breastfeed, not women who don't. When there are other options available, and a woman presumably has a choice, what is the deciding factor for the woman who DOES breastfeed? You're telling me it's not got anything to do with bonding with the child? Nothing to do with the affection between a mother and her baby? Maybe not at 2AM when mom's trying to sleep, but I think people are just being argumentative to suggest that choosing to breastfeed rather than feed your child from a bottle (and who said "formula?") has absolutely nothing to do with the bond between a mother and a child (i.e. affection).
You don't think it's fair perhaps, because you haven't breastfed a child. It is a perfectly valid comparison on my part. I think that the two things are very much alike. You're quite welcome to disagree with me, but your disagreement doesn't invalidate my view that the two things are morally equivalent.
+Vita Haake, necessity doesn't negate affection. Just because I need to do it doesn't mean that HOW I do it is totally divorced from trying to be close to and nurturing of my child.
I'm pretty sure we're all on the same side here, so I'm not sure why we're splitting hairs.
I am not sure either, +Katey Springle Lempka.
+Erin Leland Bottle fed babies have a higher rate of sickness and obesity. The only reason why women shouldn't breastfeed is if they are on medications that could pass on to the baby or if they are having a more mechanical problem and can't produce enough milk.
Breastfeeding is a neccessity.
While a woman can pump, a baby pulls the milk from the breast more efficiently, so a woman can bottle feed breast milk but the quantity just isn't there.
+Margaret Bailey, I am very well aware of all of the benefits of breastfeeding. I have breastfed both of my daughters. This isn't the point. Whether they should or not isn't the question. I am not sure why you are telling me this…
You said "It's not necessarily an act of necessity when there are alternative methods for feeding a baby. Why does a mother choose to breast-feed over bottle feeding?"
Thats why.
+Erin Leland If there are people on the fence for this issue, and you would like to work towards persuading people, using the analogy that breastfeeding = holding hands is not going to go over.
I'm sure there is a better analogy.
Anyways, sorry to derail the thread. Everyone posting did agree that the court took a ridiculous position in this case. However this just goes to show that even when there is agreement, it is not necessarily complete agreement on all facets.
+Margaret Bailey I don't understand. I said there are other options and you're telling me there aren't?
I think the argument is valid because a court of law isn't likely to defend someone's right to be affectionate in public. But their right to eat, on the other hand…
I know women who HATE breastfeeding but do it for the child's health.
Well, I can't say that the right to be affectionate is at odds with the right to eat.