A breastfeeding mom in Georgia is furious at chain restaurant Applebee's after she says a manager told her that she could either stop feeding her 20-month-old son or she could go into the bathroom to do so. The altercation became ugly and both sides called the police.
In fact, Dawn Holland was in the right. Georgia has laws which allow mothers to nurse anywhere, so the officer who responded to the call didn't even file an incident report. Good on him. But bad, bad, bad on the manager. Seriously, what is the problem with a nursing mom needing to feed her child? And why on Earth do people still think breastfeeding in the bathroom is normal?
One of the first rules of living in the animal kingdom is don't poop where you eat. Duh.
These stories just get more and more ridiculous. It's just a BOOB, people. Look away if it bothers you so much.
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A restaurant like Applebee's that bills itself as good for families ought to be better acquainted with the state breastfeeding laws. If a breast is really so offensive, then maybe the law would be different. Diners who don't want to see a baby eating could ask to be moved. Or THEY could take their meal in the bathroom? How about that?
Oh wait. No one would even consider asking an adult to eat in the restroom. So why should a baby?
I have been a nursing mom and I can say that sitting on a toilet in a lonely public restroom was depressing. Sitting at my table, under a nursing cover, holding my baby, and talking to my husband was a much more pleasant experience for everyone. Sure, I had a cover. But not all moms can use one. And that's OK, too.
Babies need to eat. And boobs are where they get their food. The next time you find yourself in a chain restaurant thinking about ways to hurt new mothers or offended by the suggestion that we are, indeed, mammals who suckle our young, I have an idea. Take your chicken quesadillas and go to the bathroom. Shut the stall door.
Now you can't see anyone!
Have you ever fed your baby in the bathroom?
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Comments 57
I worked at an Applebees in south Georgia. They don't even have changing tables in the bathrooms. idk how they ever claim to be family friendly.
funny because applebees has been very awesome with me and i bf all the time there, my man helps cover me up then we get on with dinner. quit trying to be a hero your making it worse
I don't think it is right at all to expect a woman to breastfeed her child in the bathroom(no matter how old the child is, who are any of you to decide when she weens her child off her breast). Cats won't even eat their food if it is too close to their litter box!!(yes, cat lady here) I used to feel very uncomfortable when I'd see women breastfeeding in public but then one day I finally realized that that was my problem and I needed to grow up and get over it. In my opinion, its pretty immature to not be able to be around some one breastfeeding. It is so very easy to just look away. By the way, I'm not a mother yet so this is all coming from a childless female.
Kaitlyn Smith - I completely agree with everything except the part about no longer eating at Applebee's. I already efuse to eat there after knowing people that worked there in 2 different states and the horror stories they told me about the food was enough to turn me off the place forever.