A young breastfeeding mother in Missouri is fighting over what she says was an unfair comment made by a manager at a local Denny's. As she was nursing her baby, she says a manager told her to cover up. When she said she didn't have a cover, she became embarrassed and quickly left.
The story is making headlines for good reasons. All Tiffany Morgan wanted to do was feed her child and she was made to feel like a common criminal. According to her, no one was even complaining.
Morgan even had a card that stated Missouri's breastfeeding statute. It states that a mother is allowed to breastfeed with as much discretion as possible in any public or private location. Seems clear, no? Um, nope. Actually it's not at all.
What is "as much discretion as possible"? Morgan didn't have a cover but she said she wasn't actively trying to flash anyone. So was she discreet or not? Who decides?
This is the kind of thing that is so ridiculous. A young mom shouldn't have to debate whether or not she is being "discrete" when her baby is hungry. It's a BOOB, people! If you don't like it, look away. For the love of God, it won't bite you.
I will never understand how a mall can be littered with photos of Victoria's Secret models in barely there lingerie, but a breastfeeding mom must be "discreet." Do we really hate babies? Or is it just women's bodies we hate?
We moms SHOULD be sick of this. We should take a stand. "Discretion" should be an etiquette rule, not one that is actually state law. All the state needs to say is that a mom is allowed to breastfeed in public or private. We can take care of the rest.
Most moms know without a law that she shouldn't breastfeed and drive. She knows without a law that she shouldn't breastfeed while in a moving vehicle. So my guess is most women are smart enough not to purposely try to flash a whole restaurant of people their naked upper body.
If that happens, it's because the baby was hungry.
When stories like this happen in restaurants, it's especially galling. Everyone has a right to eat there as they wish except the baby? How does that seem fair? Is a mom just supposed to let her baby scream in hunger so she doesn't discomfit a random person she doesn't even know?
It's insane to think that a mom should feel guilty or bad or wrong for feeding her child. It's hard enough to be a mom in this culture. Are these the "family values" we want to teach?
Shame on any public place that tries to stop a mom from feeding her hungry infant.
Were you ever told not to nurse?
Image via Mothering Touch/Flickr
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Comments 245
Yeah this post is ridiculous. I breast fed in private because i was uncomfortable in front of other just in case there was a slip up and i slipped out! Its just respect. I would feel completely uncomfortable if i was eating, looked up, and saw a woman feeding her baby with out a cover. The last thing i want to see is a possible nipple while eating mexican food. Also, even though breast feeding is special and it IS the way some babies eat, its not for public watch. It should be a special bond between the mother and child, not a peep show for other men and woman and creeps.
GabiLanesMommy - So you are comparing us humans to cows? Cows dont give a crap. Cows live in the NATURE. We do not. We have the abilities to show some respect.
Yes girls run around half naked, and half of you are mentioning crap about a breast being the childs source of food, and it being special and what not...yes its all true. BUT, If your boobs were so natural and not sexual in any way...why do we wear shirts? You mothers that are complaining about it JUST BEING A BOOB need to start walking around with yours hanging out. You would be uncomfortable for sure. If people want to bring up the Bible, then im pretty sure it states something about humans being modest and not have our straight up nipple out, feeding a baby or not. I did breast feed, but like i said before, in private because its supposed to be a private special bond between you AND baby. Not you, billy joe, sammy lou, your pastor, your mailman, the perve getting off, the 6 year old that does understand, the 15 year olds that are laughing and/or puking because they havent been around it. Its just RESPECT to cover up...thats all most of us are saying. Dont just pull your boob out and expect no one to complain. Some people dont even know anything about bf. If you are grown up enough to bf, the you should be mature enough to understand where everyone else is coming from.
Sorry Elizabeth Goold, but a boob is just a boob, everyone has them, including men. People started wearing clothes thousands of years ago to protect ourselves from the elements. It's called progression. As we move forward in society attitudes shift, what was once outdated years ago is now considered acceptable. That's why men can wear jeans hanging past their butt crack and women with body parts flopping out of bras and booty shorts. I might not like it, but it has become acceptable in society and I HAVE to deal with it. I don't get to embarrass them and get them kicked out of a restaurant because they look like a hooker. It is NATURAL to feed a child with a breast. It is UNNATURAL to NOT feed your child when they are hungry. What I want to know is why you think your comfort level is more important than a child's? What makes you so special that you get to eat at a restaurant with your family without something over your head but a child can't? I know the answer, absolutely nothing. If you don't like it leave. No one needs to stay home and hide with their babies. Why? The law is on our side now and you should be mature enough to understand where everyone else is coming from.
People are saying "it's just a boob" yea, it is just a boob but if a man were to pull out his penis to pee people would make a big deal out of it, it's just a penis. You see how stupid that sounds?! Just like nobody wants to see a man exposing himself nobody wants to see a woman exposing herself either. I breastfed my daughter and I plan on breastfeeding the one i have on the way. I made sure to feed her before we left if we were going out to eat and if that wasn't possible then I would take something to cover myself with. If you don't have anything then you can just go and sit in your car and feed your child there because I know pumping is a pain in the ass and I know that my daughter would not take a bottle. Don't be indecent exposing your breasts because guess what?! NOBODY wants to see them. This mom is just throwing a hissy fit and being a damn drama queen. If you choose to breastfeed then be prepared!
Irma-There's a big difference between pulling out a body part that feeds a child and one that passes HUMAN WASTE. What an incredibly ridiculous comparison. And no woman has to sit in a car to feed her child because SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO. She has the right to nurse in public with or without a cover. End of argument.