Hey all,

Just wanted to say that even though I totally agree with Lara that  
nursing is the normal, *natural* way to nurture any child  
(particularly a sick one), I still sort of understand what Chris was  
trying to say too.  The thing is that most people can deal with a  
nursing baby.  *baby*.  But most people - I would say almost everyone  
in the mainstream actually - cannot understand the sight of a nursing  
toddler.  Because of the prevailing myth that they need to be weaned  
by the time they are eating, walking and definitely talking!

I fully support this mum in her plight.  I absolutely believe she has  
the right to nurse her kids at any where she pleases.  But, I don't  
think it is unreasonable to be asked to let people know that they  
will now be seeing something they are completely unexposed to.   
Nursing twins is in no way, shape or form a traumatizing visual for  
anyone.  And should not be made out like that at all.  It's just that  
nursing is still not the cultural norm in america.  And nursing  
toddlers and twins is on the edge of that.  I think everyone just  
needs to be sensitive to everyone else.  IMHO.

cian sayer, CLC
Nassau, Bahamas


On 19/04/2007, at 12:43, Chris Mulford wrote:

> Well, there at the RMH you have a lot of parents under stress, with
> children
> that they want to protect, and there are probably lots of things
> they wish
> their kids didn't have to see: other kids with scars or bandages or
> amputations or no hair or tubes sticking out of their noses. And
> they have
> to explain all this to their kids and reassure them about these scary
> sights. The sight of a nursing toddler might just push somebody
> over the
> edge of her or his stress quota for that day, and I think the
> nursing moms
> should be sensitive to that reality.

I couldn't disagree with this more, and I believe that casting this
in terms of the _mother_ being required to be more "civil and polite"
is completely backwards. The people being uncivil and impolite are
those complaining about nursing, and those breaking the law by
attempting to place conditions and restrictions on it.

A nursing child is an oasis of beautiful, nurturing, NORMAL parenting
within this stressful, abnormal environment. None of the parents of
children with scary looking medical issues is being required to
trumpet a warning of their presence, nor to cover the child up when
he or she appears in the communal area. The child being discriminated
against illegally is scared, frightened, and ill. Who is caring for
his needs?

Lara Hopkins


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