My eyes teared up reading the accounts a service member had defending his babies rights to breastfeed not just at a post thrift shop where he and his wife volunteered but also at Boy Scouts of America, where they both gave of their time to support the organization they cared for, till they realized the organization didn’t want Mom around breastfeeding her babies any place, even under a blanket in public. The Dad stood up for her then as he had before in the military but in the end, the family was forced out. More here:
Dad Stands Up to Boy Scouts of America to Defend Breastfeeding Wife and Baby
That family is very brave, the father risked so much when he was in the military to defend his child’s basic right to simply eat when it needed to and his wife’s right to feed baby where ever they happen to be at the time. It sounds like he paid dearly for it too. Our society is so broken and twisted from what the boy scouts treat boys to how grown men react to breasts when they would hardly bat an eye lash at a firing gun.
One of the things that strikes me as wrong (there are many here of course) is that the mother covered up with blankets when she nursed. That is not a legal requirement and heck, many can’t nurse that way as baby will refuse to eat. I know my babies did. I wonder what the leaders of boy scouts would do if they ever had to actually research and explain to the the troops about breastfeeding?
One thing I know for sure, our son will never be a boy scout, they don’t have high enough morals for our family.
My father and brother were both in the scouts. I would go on camp outs with them, and have really been around the scouts my entire life. But their group was pretty awesome, and we never had any issues like this; I remember one mom was breastfeeding at a dinner thing we had, the same family ate a paleo diet before it was “in”. I don’t recall ANYONE saying anything about these things. I remember bringing it to my father at one point, and he actually replied with something along the lines of how he wished more families in the scouts were like them.
I think it’s all about the pack you’re in. Maybe my family just lucked out.
I’m definitely a breastfeeding advocate, and I think a woman should be able to breastfeed wherever she needs to, however – I think there are groups and locations of people who are extremely uncomfortable with any degree of public nudity, and it would be a bit mean to not be sensitive to that (and cover up as much as possible) – whether you agree or not. Maybe this particular group had just had some bad experiences where breastfeeding mothers weren’t sensitive to the group either? Sometimes stupid rules are made because of stupid people…
I am sure not all boy scout troops are like the one that poor family had to deal with. Sadly as a whole though I really just do not trust boy scouts to defend a babies right to eat and a mothers right to nurse.
Samantha, I have to respectfully disagree with you. Even if a group came across a less than modest breastfeeding mother acting as they have, in many states breaking the law that says a mother can breastfeed with no cover any place she is legally allowed to be, is kind of like blaming the victim. I have encountered sensitive people and in the end I have to logically think that are they more important than my baby, is their sensitivity more important than my rights to be some place doing some thing that chances are I need to do? I have little respect for those who are sensitive to breastfeeding but not smart enough to simply not look or to seek therapy for their issue. Breastfeeding is normal and natural and I think it is time our society remembers that. But then I was the women who would leave church services with a baby at the breast and NO COVER, and would sing in choir while nursing as well, also no cover. I sat at a church committee meeting once nursing and noticed a nice older man I was friends with trying hard not to watch. I smiled and spun my chair so he would not have to try so hard. I later stopped him in the hall and said I was sorry if I ever flash him and he said it was not my fault and that it is a bit like watching a train wreck and he just does not want to offend me by being so focused on it but that it was his issue and not mine. That man is brilliant! It was his issue and he didn’t try to make it my babies issue. I had a meeting to be a part of because I had work in the church to do, same as he did. His issues thankfully didn’t get in the way of that. We all have issues, we need to deal with them not make take rights away from others because of our issues.
I remember being a little girl and finding nursing mothers absolutely fascinating (I was never breastfed), like looking into a special world. And that’s all it is. I think the world needs more mothers to show affection to their babies in public in all ways, kisses and snuggles included, because any sort of “PDA” seems to embarrass the general population far too much.
Yes, the boys in scouts may look, just as they might stare at a large chest hidden behind a shirt, they’re just breasts people!
Now that I’m a nursing mother myself, I am amazed at how closeted some of my friends are regarding their breastfeeding, when we should all be so proud that our bodies are doing this.
Not everything I said was printed. There seem to be a lot of questions about what happened. I would like to clear those things up. The initial meeting with the scout troop and the pack was over a dispute between our cub scout master, and the scout master of the troop. Our cub scout pack was a “feeder pack” to the scout troop. The meeting was my responsibility to attempt to resolve the issue between the two, considering the problem was spreading through the both committees and creating MANY issues. (mind you, everyone from Marleen Floor, to our COR was present at this meeting. Once our CM stepped down, I opened the floor for someone willing to take the position. The husband of our treasure stepped up, and asked for the position. (BIG NO from me. According to the book, you shouldn’t have that happening.) However, Marleen Floor, and our COR APPROVED this, and he was put in. Now, the Cub Scout master is the HUSBAND of the TREASURER… the very same woman that was about to get in my face. As I tried to motion for the next order of business, the new cub scout master, and his treasurer wife told me to hold on. That they needed to take care of one more thing. This is where the breastfeeding issues took place. The boy scout master belonged to the church where both the pack and the troop held meetings. After everyone had said their peace about how “breastfeeding is disgusting” and “I shouldn’t have to explain to my 11yo daughter what you are doing under that blanket,” The boy scout master looked at me and said, “You have to leave, or the pack needs to find a new place to meet.” Marleen Floor told MY committee they needed to vote on which they would choose. I was omitted from the vote. No surprise that they all voted in favor of staying. THUS, I was “relieved” of my position. They tried to keep my name, and my son’s name on the roster so that they could keep the pack open. However, since they didn’t want a “disgusting breastfeeding mother” involved, I promptly fixed that. I have read many comments about “pump and feed.” That would be SO nice… if I could. I can’t pump. The blood vessels around the aureola rupture, resulting in blood contaminating the milk. Baby can’t drink bloody milk. This is not an uncommon problem for women. And yes, I know what I’m doing… at least one would figure I would know what the heck I’m doing considering that was my 5th child, and I have breastfed all of my children. Rob, I’m not trying to be disrespectful here, but… you should try hooking one of those pumps up to yourself. For most women, they aren’t the most pleasant thing but they are tolerable. For me, it’s excruciating. I’ve also read some comments, even from women, that scouts is not necessarily an “appropriate” place to nurse, and that I should be “more considerate of others feelings.” I really think you need to understand what my position WAS. I was not directly involved with the boys. If I attended functions, like the blue and gold, I was there as my son’s mother. I wasn’t a den leader, I didn’t teach the boys, or work closely with them. I worked with the adults. Planning events, setting up committees for party planning, pine wood derby planning…. TYPING UP MONTHLY NEWS LETTERS to the parents and boys that the secretary didn’t feel was necessary. I worked with, what I assumed, were adults. The adults were the ones that had problems with my son nursing. They were the ones that drew attention to what I was doing with my son under our nursing cover. The boys never paid me any attention because I always tucked myself away in a corner, or sat two or three tables away from them, facing away from them. I would break my neck just to get a picture of my son, because I was worried about “offending” someone. I know that nursing is a “hot topic” button. I was there to run a committee, and I was there to see my son advance. I wasn’t there to draw attention to myself. I don’t like it when people gawk at me because I’m nursing. I hate it because my baby’s lunch is not a “provocative” show for prudes or weirdos. That’s why I have covers, blankets and nursing shirts. I hate to be blunt, but… the blankets and nursing covers are my son’s “lunch box.” What is in the “lunch box” is for him, and him only. You know that there is lunch for my son under those blankets and covers. We’re covered up because we don’t want or need to you to know more than what you have already deduced by seeing baby feet peeking out of the blanket. I’m quite sure that everyone can agree… i can’t just magically become invisible when my son is hungry… but I can make the act very discrete. And, I’m sure we could all agree that if you can’t see anything offensive, then you can’t be offended. Secondly, I’m surprised at how many “adults” didn’t pass their anatomy classes, or ed classes in school! The reason I say this is because if they had, they would know that breasts are POSTPARTUM ORGANS! That’s right. Their biological function is absolutely NOT ual. There anthropological function is for providing nourishment to children ranging in ages from new born to two years… plus. “Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.” (http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/) Thank you all for taking the time to read this. I would like to let all of you know that I am not a bra burning feminist. I’m just a mother that wants to be able to feed her child in public situations, with out ridicule simply because my child’s food doesn’t come from a can, a bottle, or a sippy cup. I will not wait to feed my hungry child because it’s convenient for everyone else. His needs are paramount. I consider making a young child wait for a drink (especially on a hot day) negligence. I would not hesitate to call it child abuse. Police are called out to rescue infants and small children that are left in cars in the sweltering heat… but it’s OK for a mother to be forced to breastfeed her child under those same conditions? I will not go to a restroom to nurse my child. I’m sure everyone has herd the saying “a wise man does not eat where he *poops*”….. but people want me to nurse my child there? NO. Every child has a right to nourishment… NO MATTER WHAT FORM IT COMES IN. Bottle or breast, that is for the mother to decide what best suits her family and it’s needs. It’s not for the public, or ANY private organization to decide.
Thank you to all of you that had such supportive and kind things to say.
Thank you for finding my little corner of the web and adding the full story. It sounds really stressful and hurtful and the whole thing just uncalled for. I hope your family has found a better place for your service that accepts basic things such as the fact that babies have the right to eat/nurse.