I am teaching a college course on special education for the regular
education teacher.  We are covering special ed history, law, and all the
disability categories.  Last week we covered physical disabilities and
tonight I read from an article from Sunday's paper about accessibility for
people with physical disabilities.

One student (a mom with 2 young sons) raised her hand and said "it's just
like when you are breastfeeding a baby...you are *totally disabled* and it
can be very difficult trying to find a place to nurse.  You leave the
hospital with the admonition that you must do this and then there is nowhere
in public to do it!"

So, my brain is wildly spinning trying to think how I can salvage this and
still keep it within the scope of my class. 

I addressed two issues.  First, *if* we were to consider bf a disability,
then we need to consider and plan for accessibility issues for mothers who
want to bf in public...a comfortable, private place if they want it or
acceptance if they are happy where they are.  Second, since bf is *not* a
disability and isn't considered as such under the law (Americans with
Disabilities Act), bf mothers have no protection from harassment or work
place issues under the law, except in a few cases, so we need to make those
protections available.

Then I said "nice connection" because it's all about making connections to
your personal experiences or prior knowledge, and this mom *will* have that
connection now when she thinks about accessibility issues for people with
disabilities, and moved on.  But, yikes...I had a brief moment of panic!

Kathy, who never dreamed that her IBCLC/LLLL experience would be used in a
class on special education!

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