Dear Pearl,

Thanks for your comments on breastfeeding in school.  Part of my frustration
with the teen parent task force was that others on the committee were
suggesting that mothers start their day with some sort of parenting class at
the day care center, then leave their babies there and go across town to
finish the regular school day at the high school.  I commented that I didn't
think it was fair to ask them to choose between mothering their babies in an
attached way and attending school.  Why should they have to leave their
babies in order to pursue their personal goals?  This was met with a barrage
of "Well, that's what I had to do."  It seemed to them that the choice of
staying with one's baby was a privilege only for those in certain
circumstances.  As far as the law goes, I find it interesting that the law
protects the civil rights of mothers, but what about the babies?

I spoke to a mother yesterday who told me of an interesting situation
regarding the law.  She works for a large corporation and is currently on
maternity leave.  She wanted to attend some meetings, so she took her baby
with her.  In a meeting with a number of middle aged men, no one seemed
bothered that she was nursing her baby.  At a later meeting where women were
present, eyebrows were raised.  The woman subsequently received a phone call
from the personnel department telling her not to come to any more meetings
during her maternity leave and NEVER to bring her baby to work again.  I told
the mother that NYS law protects her civil right to breastfeed her baby in
any place where she is entitled to be.  But what about the rights of the
baby?  Does the baby have the right to be in that place with his mother?  She
was told that her baby could not be there, not that she couldn't breastfeed.
Comments please anyone?

Lesley Robinson, IBCLC, LLL Leader
Corning, NY