Naomi-

You refer to legislation offering protection at the Federal level for
breastfeeding mothers.  No such legislation currently exists.  There
is a provision for mothers to nurse ON FEDERAL PROPERTY only.  Once I
step outside of my local post office, I am met with whatever state law
is in effect.  National parks, VA hospitals, and federal courthouses
are all covered under the law.  State parks, county hospitals, and
city halls are not.

What the mothers are asking for is a comprehensive, federal law that
protects mothers wherever they have the legal authority to be.

The hodgepodge of US state laws include:
-none at all,  with potential arrest for indecent exposure (7 states,
if I recall)
-exemption from indecent exposure only (still no legal right to nurse in public)
-nursing anywhere as long as the child is 12 months old or less
-nursing anywhere regardless of age
-nursing on government property only
-"discreet" nursing only

As you can see from the few examples I listed, it is ridiculous that a
woman traveling from state to state would have to look up public
nursing laws in each state before a visit.  That is the reason for
requesting a single federal law that would supercede all others to
protect a breastfeeding mother in public.

There is also no protection for nursing mothers in the workplace.
Bills have been introduced in the last few years to provide civil
rights protection for working, breastfeeding mothers.  The laws also
sought to provide protections, including FDA oversight and performance
standards for breastfeeding devices (such as pumps), tax deductions
for pumps as medical devices.  This classification would make it much
more likely for insurance reimbursement for pumps and for LC services.

A lot has been accomplished at the state level for nursing mothers. It
is time that the federal government recognizes the need for a unified
policy across the country.

Christia Bridges-Jones, CLC
LLL Leader

>
> > - Call for immediate passage of pending Federal legislation that
> > offers civil rights protection for breastfeeding women in the
> > workplace; and new legislation to protect, on the Federal level, a
> > nursing mother and child's right to do so whenever and wherever
> > they are legally allowed to be.
> I thought such legislation already exists. The question is educating
> the public. The best way to do that is to nurse in public "early and
> often." The more it is done, the less of a big deal it becomes.
>
> Naomi Bar-Yam

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