IKEA Forces Nursing Mother to Bathroom
Posted by DDOCS in Family, tags: Common Courtesy, Family, Health, Laws, moms, Parenting, pregnancy, StupidityI was surprised by this recent report from a mother who visited an IKEA in Brooklyn, NY. While breastfeeding her six-month old child in the store, the woman–who was fully covered–was rudely asked by the staff to move to the restroom instead. Shamed, she obeyed. Mother and daughter waited for a stall, but eventually gave up and left the store. (For the record, to force a breastfeeding mother into the restroom is illegal in New York.)
I’m shocked this sort of discrimination still happens, especially at a store with such a family-friendly reputation. IKEA stores have great monitored play areas for kids that allow parents a child-free shopping experience (and really, what’s better than that?!) plus they sell baby food, too. But, the offended staff member involved the security guards, so we know it’s not a renegade employee with the naked-mommy-boob heebie-jeebies.
This incident smacks of a bygone era. Are some people still so freaked out by the thought of breastfeeding (remember, she was covered) that they can’t tolerate someone quietly nursing nearby?
Breastfeeding isn’t exhibitionism, folks. It’s not a sexual act; it’s a practical one. Nursing is much cheaper and also better for the child’s health. We should all try to be supportive of mothers, whether they choose to bottle feed or breastfeed. Neither are an easy choice.
[Note: This post originally appeared on RationalMoms.com.]
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Shocked? Why? Unfortunately there are still a number of conservative litigious people out there who would think of nothing to sue IKEA for having the audacity to allow a woman to nurse her baby. Yes, it’s the closed minded/religious fools that think we’re all born with clothes on and still, to this day insist on teaching their brand of morals to everyone else any way they can.
As a non parent I must shamefully admit that I am creeped out by women breast feeding in public. I don’t know why… Is it that I don’t see a breast as a natural part of the human body and see it as a sexual part? I have no idea. I’m
hoping (and fairly sure) that my view will change if I am lucky enough to have children. I would never ask a mother to stop or leave though.