For those of you who have access to Navy Times (available through the
mail or at any PX/NEX), you may be interested in the article on page 8
of the current issue (10 Feb 97) titled "Which comes first: Motherhood
or the Military".

First Lt. Emma Cuevas, USArmy, Black Hawk helicopter pilot and mother of
8 month old Isabella is requesting a discharge from the Army as it is
interfering with her ability to breastfeed her baby effectively.  The
case is heading for federal court.

"Should Cuevas prevail, the armed forces may have to revamp regulations
to accommodate active-duty mothers by adjusting their schedules and
deployments so they can nurse their newborn children."

States Gary Myers, Cuevas' attorney, "it's important to understand that
this is not just Cuevas' case, it's the baby's case too.  Mom isn't
better off because she breastfeeds, the baby is...We will seek
injunctive relief on behalf of the child, so the child can be breastfed
by the mother."

The lawsuit will be filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of
Columbia.

The mother pumped for her daughter but preferred to actually have her at
the breast.  She drives to the sitter's at lunch time to feed her.

Lt. Cuevas admits to her commitment to the Army, but also states "the
commitment I made to my daughter, I cannot change".

I found the web site for Navy Times so you could read the article in
it's entirety, but the current issue is not yet posted.  I will let you
know when it is available.

As I live in the Washington D.C. area, I will also be carefully watching
my local paper (The Washington Post) for reference to this case.

Kathy
LLL Leader
Navy family member
[log in to unmask]
Alexandria, VA