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Subject:
From:
Kathy Dettwyler <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 12 Jan 1999 18:17:14 -0600
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Cindy -- It would help to know more about *who* is objecting to her bringing
the baby and *why*.  Is it the teacher?  The dean?  The administration?  The
lawyers?  And why are they objecting?  Because it is "gross and yucky" or
because they think it will be disruptive, or what?  Lo these many years ago
when Miranda was a newborn (8-8-80) and I was taking graduate classes at
Indiana University, I went around to each professor and asked if it was OK
if I brought my baby to class and pointed out that some of the time she
would be sleeping and some of the time she would be nursing.  I agreed to
sit near the door (so I could leave without being disruptive), to leave if
she started to cry and wouldn't stop when latched on, to leave if she had a
major blowout stinky diaper, and to be very discreet (I usually wore a
t-shirt, no bra, and an outer button-down the front shirt, with the buttons
left undone).  That way, it was easy to get her latched on without anything
showing, and I wasn't fumbling with nursing bra straps.  All the teachers
said they were willing to give it a try, and it worked great for most of the
semester.  The big problem in the early days was other students wanting to
coo and goo over the baby, but they quickly got over it.  Towards the end of
the semester, Miranda started to coo and goo too much herself and be
disruptive because she was just awake and aware -- so I had to make other
arrangements.

If the university lawyers try to cite liability issues, that won't stand up
to scrutiny.  "Outsiders" -- meaning people who are not faculty, students,
or staff -- are on campus and in classrooms all the time.  Students bring
their parents, their roommates, their girlfriends, their visiting cousin,
and even their older children when public school is out for the day but
university classes are meeting.  People from the community can come on
campus to attend lectures, sports events, use the library, visit the
research labs, etc.  There are lots of people all over the campus every day,
and the university's liability insurance covers injuries to all of them.

I hope this has been of some help.

Kathy Dettwyler

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