The Victoria's Secret Nurse-In will occur in many, many locations across
the US at 1 pm local time on Saturday July 1.  A press release has been
written, but otherwise this is completely grass roots, growing out of
several Internet breastfeeding support sites, primarily the "lactivist"
forum on mothering.com. This is a grass roots activity organized by
currently lactating moms.

I am disappointed by the overwhelming lack of support  here on Lactnet, for
what these moms are doing.  This highlights to me the huge gulf between the
lactation professionals, and the actual currently lactating moms.  I don't
know if it is an age difference (the median age of breastfeeding moms would
be somewhere between 20 and 40?, while this list may be somewhat older?) or
a cultural one (computer saavy moms who can use the Internet to its fullest
power, younger moms who have higher expectations of "feminism" and
protection of their rights as women)

Why ciritcize something they have the energy and enthusiasm to do?  While it
might not be something *you* would choose, what right to you have to judge
it?  They are the ones having this experience (NIP prejudice).  How do you
think they would feel if they knew that many in the community of
breastfeeding professionals felt, and were publicly stating, they were
"hurting" the cause?  Since when did the cause of  "breastfeeding promotion
and breastfeeding rights", belong to the health profession, instead of the
women who are actually breastfeeding?

So you don't think they should do nurse-ins, because they will be seen as
"radical" and "not normal".  It seems to me, that you are the *first* to be
judging them as such (and minimizing them, in the doing so).  I have been
watching this nurse-in develop, and for a number of reasons, primarily lack
of time, I haven't jumped to offer my experience and guidance.  But I have
every faith that they would muddle their way through this, and they would
learn what needs to be done and organized (just like I did on other things).
The more cautious would temper the more enthusiastic, and in the process
they would all gain a ton of experience, and MOST importantly, a sense of
solidarity and committment to breastfeeding promotion and breastfeeding
rights, that will last a lifetime.  And as I watched this develop, they
*have* addressed all the concerns (ie re mall security, possibility of
arrest, CPS, media interviews, etc) mentioned here on Lactnet.  Don't
prejudge these women as incapable or rash.

In the past here on Lactnet, I have provided links to things happening on
mothering.com.  These are an invitation for the listmembers to spend some
time on the breastfeeding mother forums.  I can't imagine a better medicine
for the frustrations of fighting the health system, or dealing with moms who
quit easily, than to realize there is also a whole community of women who
totally "get it", and who are ready and willing to take on projects, that
fit the lifestyle of the newly lactating mom.  Nurse-Ins are one of them,
that is why they are popular with moms.

I also had concerns that the incidents that sparked this Nurse-In were
perhaps not the best or most clear-cut cases of breastfeeding discrimination
to be highlighting and protesting.  But I now think that moms are motivated
for this Nurse-In, *because* it is Victoria's Secret, and the hypocrisy of
the extreme sexualization of the breast that this company represent, while
NIP is shamed in the majority of North America.  They are not just any other
store or coffee shop.  And this is what is inspiring these moms to come out
and nurse-in.  These moms are bringing attention to, and working on, those
systemic barriers to breastfeeding that you recognize but can do little
about as a front-line breastfeeding professional.  These are the broad
issues of breastfeeding in public, the sexualization of the breast,
workplace barriers, etc.  These Nurse-Ins will get media attention, and will
increase discussion of these topics.  THIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING.  First we
have to talk about it, and discuss it, before change can begin.

Please don't minimize these women or what they are doing.  It is no small
feat to gather your child, face public ciritcism, contact media and do
interviews.  They want to meet each other, and support each other.  They
want to do this in normal public areas - not just church basements,
community health buildings, or private homes, where LLL or public health
support group meetings are held.  Nurse-Ins will continue to happen, because
they are fulfilling a need in women - to meet and feel solidarity - that is
not otherwise being met.

You ask women to simply go about your business and NIP, to normalize it.
Well, when you have just changed life circumstance (no children, to new mom,
or working to being at home for a while) and are isolated, and/or you may
not know any other women who are breastfeeding, AND you know that
breastfeeding is a minority activity, well it *IS* pretty hard to NIP by
yourself.    There are women who attend these, who have NEVER nursed in
public before, but they will to attend a Nurse-In.  And there are still a
few, who won't attend, because they just can't bring themselves to NIP.

Anyhow, enough of me.  I'm off on holidays for most of July, so I won't be
able to keep up with posting news items on this or other topics for awhile.

Have a good summer
Janice Reynolds

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