The situation in New Jersey with the mother being thrown out of the McDonalds
is an unfortunate one.  However, as Area Coordinator for La Leche League, New
Jersey, I am trying to discourage nurse-ins and other similar activities
(especially here in NJ, but generally anywhere) because we are so very close
to having state legislation that will protect a woman's right to breastfeed
in public.  The legislation has failed once in NJ and those of us involved
with it would really hate to see it fail again.  We are also discouraging
such activities because they might be counter-productive to what the family
is seeking (through their attorney) from McDonald's.

What we are encouraging is that individuals contact McDonald's (via letters,
e-mail, fax, etc) and voice their concern/disappoinment/frustration/whatever
over this matter.  In conversations with the mother's attorney, we feel that
this is a lack of corporate policy - not corporate policy itself. The best
thing individuals can do is encourage McDonald's to create corporate policy
that will be supportive of breastfeeding.  This is not a La Leche League
issue, but a breastfeeding issue, and as such, needs positive support from
all breastfeeding advocates.

Our hope is that with all the communication McDonald's will receive from this
incident, they will create at least a national corporate policy, if not an
international one.  This will at least protect those women in areas that have
not yet dealt with legislation regarding breastfeeding in public.

If anyone would like more information on this incident, please e-mail me
privately.  thank you for your positive support.

Sheila Angalet
ACL - LLL-NJ
[log in to unmask]