What do you think ladies?

[lilhave]

Breast defense - Female sports fans battle for right to nurse at stadiums

August 10, 2005

Women in favor of public breastfeeding are demanding the right the nurse their infants in the stands at sports arenas, but say they feel pressured to leave their pricey seats and feed their babies in bathrooms or first aid stations.

``They've paid for their seat, they have the right to be in that seat, so they have the right to breastfeed their baby there – that's our understanding of the law,'' said Lezlie Densmore of La Leche League in Massachusetts.

None of the area's three major sports venues have written policies on breastfeeding, creating confusion among mothers over what is allowed.


At Gillette Stadium, a spokesman said women can nurse anywhere. But a security official told a Herald reporter inquiring about the policy that mothers must breastfeed in designated areas.


At Fenway, both a fan service representative and a security official said if a fan finds a nursing mother ``offensive'' it is up to park security to decide whether the mother must go to a more discreet area.


At TD Banknorth Garden, public nursing is handled on a ``case-by-case basis,'' said spokeswoman Courtney McIlhenny.

Dorchester mother Patty Daidone-Hardy said she was told by Gillette Stadium officials on Monday that she could nurse her 3-month-old son in a restroom or other area away from the stands.

She said feeding her baby in a bathroom would be ``unsanitary.''

``Breast milk is my son's only source of nutrition,'' she said. ``I felt like I was committing a crime because I had to nurse my son.''

Gillette spokesman Stacey James said women can breastfeed anywhere in the stadium, including the stands. James said he didn't know why a security officer would tell a caller ``we have family restrooms'' for nursing.

``In the stadium, you can nurse anywhere. If that offended someone, we would be as respectful to all parties as possible,'' James said.

At Fenway, a security official contacted by phone said: ``We wouldn't ask you to leave but we may ask you to go to a more discreet location if someone complained.'' A message left yesterday at the ballpark's media relations office wasn't returned.


But advocates of breastfeeding say any policy that dissuades mothers from nursing in their arena seats plays into negative social attitudes.

``We love naked breasts as long as they are jiggling in front of us for titillation, for sexual excitement and for entertainment,'' said women's rights attorney and former Patriots cheerleader Wendy Murphy. ``But put a naked breast in front of them that is providing nutrition to an infant – and that's too offensive. It's almost laughable.''

Joanne Collins, a Hanover mother who nursed her three children, said women shouldn't be ostracized for breastfeeding.

``I don't care where it is. I don't know why a child should be withheld food because someone else's comfort level is being compromised,'' Collins said.

Massachusetts doesn't have clear-cut laws protecting mothers who want to nurse in public although several bills are pending.

Harvey

[AllIWantIsYourClutch]

Personally, I think it's gross and I don't know why people would want to do it all out in the open like that anyway.

[D.J.]

It's a natural thing. The baby needs some source of nutrition. In other countries, women breast feed in public all the time and nobody makes a big deal. It's completely normal. I don't want to bad mouth anyone but a lot of this is because of the die-hard liberals. In other countries, most of the people are very conservative and take it as it comes. Die-hard liberals fight everything, including making breast feeding illegal. It's sickening, just let the woman breast feed her kid.

[Kazza]

Originally Posted by AllIWantIsYourClutch

Personally, I think it's gross and I don't know why people would want to do it all out in the open like that anyway.

How is breastfeeding gross?
As long as it is done in a non-distracting manner I say go for it!

[Haunted_Armoire]

Originally Posted by D.J.

I don't want to bad mouth anyone but a lot of this is because of the die-hard liberals. In other countries, most of the people are very conservative and take it as it comes. Die-hard liberals fight everything, including making breast feeding illegal. It's sickening, just let the woman breast feed her kid.

I think you have "conservatives" and "liberals" very mixed up. A "liberal" fights for the rights of all people and believes in equality of all people, therefore they would expect a woman to have the freedom to feed her baby discreetly. No one's boobies have to be flying around like milk jugs flying off a truck!

[Mr. Television]

I don't know why they'd want to take an infant to a ballgame anyhow.

[retrochick9]

Originally Posted by I Walk The Line

I don't know why they'd want to take an infant to a ballgame anyhow.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[Haunted_Armoire]

Originally Posted by I Walk The Line

I don't know why they'd want to take an infant to a ballgame anyhow.

It's less annoying than taking them to the movies or to a restaurant.

[AllIWantIsYourClutch]

Originally Posted by Kazza

How is breastfeeding gross?
As long as it is done in a non-distracting manner I say go for it!

What I meant was, I know if I was breastfeeding, I wouldn't want to do it all out in the open at a sporting event. I'd want to go somewhere private.

[D.J.]

Originally Posted by Haunted_Armoire

I think you have "conservatives" and "liberals" very mixed up. A "liberal" fights for the rights of all people and believes in equality of all people, therefore they would expect a woman to have the freedom to feed her baby discreetly. No one's boobies have to be flying around like milk jugs flying off a truck!

Yeah, I mixed the two up. Obviously, I'm not the smartest but o well. I was born to be stupid. But you see my point right? Other countries have no problem with breast feeding.

[Haunted_Armoire]

Originally Posted by D.J.

Other countries have no problem with breast feeding.

Right. People are cool about bodily functions in other countries. We are in such a sexual society here and we see women's boobs used for advertising etc etc. But when a woman wants to use her breasts for what they were put there for, feeding a small human being, she gets flack. Put a bikini top on them: sexy. Put a baby on them: gross and offensive. Makes no sense, does it?

[Hollow]

if it's necessary, it should be allowed as long as it's covered up.

[Kazza]

Originally Posted by I Walk The Line

I don't know why they'd want to take an infant to a ballgame anyhow.

Are people with little children supposed to stay home ? If you pack a bag with enough diapers, formula and extras along with the ability to know when your child have had enough, I don't see why a parent can't enjoy outdoorsy time.

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by Kazza

Are people with little children supposed to stay home ? If you pack a bag with enough diapers, formula and extras along with the ability to know when your child have had enough, I don't see why a parent can't enjoy outdoorsy time.

At a ballgame? How are you supposed to have fun at a ballgame with an infant?

[Haunted_Armoire]

Originally Posted by I Walk The Line

At a ballgame? How are you supposed to have fun at a ballgame with an infant?

Why can't "you"? If a mother is nursing her baby, she has to be available. She may not like the idea of expressing her milk. So she brings the baby to the game. She may have her whole family there with her, too. She shouldn't have to sit home just because she's breastfeeding. This isn't 1894, after all! I bet the billboards at the stadium show more boobies than any new mother nursing would!