A Tennessee mother is threatened with arrest for breastfeeding in a courthouse hallway.



This shocked me. I am including a video link to this story. Watch it and tell me what you think.
Do you think moms should hide to breastfeed - would you complain?


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/vp/25372815#25372815

Well- this kinda seems like you have to look at it from both sides.

Yes breastfeeding in public is fine, but I think having something to be fully covered to be sure that no one can see anything is appropriate. They have large blankets and hooter hiders- If people were complaining about seeing her breast then there could have been more exposer then the mom says there was.

We have seen a mom breastfeeding out in public- with just shirt coverage and my 3 year old asked me what she was doing with her boob.

I can see where the officer was coming from with saying their are inmates in the halls. I would not feel comfortable standing there with minimal coverage knowing that these inmates - whether sex offender, child abuser, or just a traffic offender- could see me.

Threatening arrest was not right- but she also should have just a little bit better judgment being in a place that full of criminals for the most part.

Let me start by saying I did not watch the clip for this particular incident, but I'm with Melissa in seeing both sides of this argument in general.

I have no problem in the world with women breast feeding in public if it's done respectfully and discreetly. I agree that at that point the breast is not a sexual object but a means of nourishment.

That being said, I do have a problem with women who think that because they are nursing they should be able to expose their breasts whenever, wherever and however they want to.

An example...My husband walked in to our daughters daycare class and one of the other mothers proceeded to just pull her breast out completely bare and start nursing. This was an open classroom where there were other children and parents coming in and out. She used no blanket, no cover up, nothing. To say that my husband (and others) were uncomfortable in the situation is an understatment!

On the other hand, we were recently at a resort when my husband starting talking to a friend of ours. Only after three or four minutes of conversation did he even realize she had been nursing her baby the entire time. She had covered herself in a very discreet manner. Neither my husband, myself, the new mother or anyone else that I know of was made uncomfortable in that situation.

I think it's about both sides respecting the other.

I agree with both of you ladies. When I was nursing I didn't hide out to do it, but I made sure I had the proper coverage.

I hope and like to think that most people did not know I was nursing either, due to being modestly covered. Nursing is natural and wonderful, but also private.

I think it is disrespectful to nurse in public and not take care to be discreet.

I think what shocked me the most about this story was the fact the lady was threatened with arrest. I mean come on!

I grew up next door (so as a small child) to a lady that breastfeed openly in front of everyone. Would just lift her shirt and go for it. I supose I thought this was normal. You go with what you know I guess.

Looking back, (giggle, giggle) I think my mom did get mad when my dad was outside and had to be near the fence of that paticular neighbor. So yes, I think it made her very uncomfortable.


When I was breastfeeding Ryan, I can remember being in Outback one time and I gave an order to a waitress that later told me she had no idea I had been breastfeeding. For me, that was my choice. I liked being discreet.

For some reason, I think American's are less open and intuned to our bodies. Nudity is much more open and accepted in most places around the world. (please dont think I am advocating nudity, lol, just discussing my experiences)

While I lived in Germany it would be nothing to see billboards and advertisements with bare breasts showing. This SHOCKED this Polk County girl, lol, when I first was confronted with this. And of course nude statues/paintings/art abound in Europe and around the world. Not as common here stateside.

From the sounds of the story it seems as it they threatened arrest because they asked her several times to move to a different location or to stop breastfeeding and she refused. If she was exposed in a public place and was offending people as the report says it seems almost like indecent exposure. I understand there are laws that say she can breastfeed- but she was in a hall that prisoners are transported- if the prison was a sex offender and they was to look that could get them into major trouble.
I do not think they were discriminating because she was breastfeeding- I feel they were just looking out for her best interest and since she refused to do as the officer asked then they said they would arrest her. If she was just standing in the hall and they asked her to move and she refused it would be the same thing-

I watched the video from Shawn's attached link and if the mom breastfed as she did in the video, I see nothing wrong with it.

Now, I'll also add that there is nothing wrong with breastfeeding - period. I breastfed ours anyplace we needed to. Few people even knew I was when I was, as in Shawn's experience. The only ones who knew were those who practiced breastfeeding, too, and even our own children now can point out those mommies who breastfeed as it is a natural comfortable thing for them.

However, that said, this was a courthouse where inmates were being brought in and out of court. Anyone working in the legal system with inmates realizes that there is potential trouble, even violence from inmates, especially where women are concerned. They cross lines normal, rational citizens may not even be aware of.

There are "decency codes" and "conduct codes" in jails and prisons for a reason - the safety of everyone. If this officer of the court approached this woman for her safety and the welfare of her baby then that is another story.

I think he just dealt with it poorly. He should have explained it better and showed her a nice quiet office - not a janitorial room - she could breastfeed in, especially seeing she was on the floor to begin with.

I am all for standing up for what you believe in, especially when it concerns children and feeding your baby, but I think she is taking offense where none was intended. Again, I just think he handled it poorly is all.

He should never have threatened her in the way she claims and if he couldn't help her see her safety and that of her baby was in jeopardy, he should have quietly gotten someone else and looked into an acceptable location.