Right to Breastfeed in Public Cards
America just can NOT get it’s act together on breastfeeding. If you don’t do it, you’re a horrible mother who is neglecting your child. If you do breastfeed, you’re a wonderful mother who deserves all the praise in the world, but you absolutely positively must not breastfeed in public or in front of anyone else. That is, unless your child is over 1, in which case you’re an attention whore who is damaging your child’s well-being just so you can flash your boobies in public.
There are plenty of stories of women who have been told they cannot breastfeed their child in a public place. They’ve been told to leave. They’ve been told to cover up. They’ve been told to move into the public restroom (GROSS).
So I shouldn’t have been so terribly surprised that there are cards available for women to hand out to people stating their right to breastfeed in public. And it seemed like a good idea (even if it’s unfortunate).
I couldn’t find a card for Pennsylvania, so I made my own on Vistaprint. It cost me $20 for 250 cards, which is totally worth it if it will prevent some numbskull from trying to throw me out of a restaurant or something.
Here is a list of state breastfeeding laws. There is also a federal law that applies to federal land and buildings.
I haven’t received my cards yet, so I can’t show them to you, but the text on the front is the PA law, and on the back I have the federal law. Hopefully I’ll never need them, but I feel like I’ll be more secure in my right to breastfeed having them with me!
Have you ever been challenged while breastfeeding? How did you handle it?
Jersey Bride 