Nurse-in at Hirshhorn on 2/12 from 10-12

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn't have time to read all the posts, but I have nursed all OVER those museums. Air and Space, Portrait Gallery, American Indian, Natural History, you name it, I've nursed there. On benches, on the floor, where-ever. Never had one person say anything to me. Didn't realize I was in violation of their policies all that time! DH is actually an SI employee, and I just told him about this. His reaction was the same as many of the PPs, "have they seen the PICTURES there? Breastfeeding is nothing!"

You should read the posts, as the ones towards the end make it clear that is isn't a violation. The guard made a mistake.

[Anonymous]

Well, fortunately you are in the minority, or at least not in a policy making role. And if you are, that you are outnumbered. You also based on your post know nothing about pumping. Your point of view, whether you are male or female, is misogynistic and very angry. We get it, some breastfeeding mother got promoted and you didn't and you have an axe to grind and a big chip on your shoulder. That's YOUR problem though.

This is too funny. I'm not the PP you are responding to but I love how you declare that person to have a chip on their shoulder and identify it precisely, as if that's not about you. Classic.

No, it's really not about me, I'm a SAHM. I was surmising what could have possibly happened to this [likely man] to make him/her so angry with breastfeeding mothers. Usually angry paranoid types like this feel slighted and overlooked by the subjects of their wrath and that's what leads to their anger. Or maybe this person just hates all women, and breastfeeding mothers in particular.

[Anonymous]

Origina poster here. The Hirshhorn has responded on their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/hirshhorn. The nurse-in is still on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12:18 - you might consider therapy for your anger issues.

No, I am just sick of the constant parade of women who don't pump during their lunch break and have to have another 45 minutes, paid, to pump and then have to leave early every day because of their kids. They re hired to do a job but they do not and leave the rest of us to clean up their shit and do their work. It is no wonder that women still make less per hour than their male counterparts. I pray someday soon, it will go back to being paid for what you do at the office not your private responsibilities and breastfeeding is a private responsibility.

Well, fortunately you are in the minority, or at least not in a policy making role. And if you are, that you are outnumbered. You also based on your post know nothing about pumping. Your point of view, whether you are male or female, is misogynistic and very angry. We get it, some breastfeeding mother got promoted and you didn't and you have an axe to grind and a big chip on your shoulder. That's YOUR problem though.

The woman who is supporting pumping while getting paid better not be on a government contract or she is committing some serious timekeeping violations. DH is an attorney for a large government contractor and is constantly investigating time reporting fraud.

[Anonymous]

Pump all you need to during work hours but do not expect to be paid while you pump. Pumping breaks are like smoke breaks. If it takes you more than 10 minutes to pump/smoke you have no right to be billing your time as work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pump all you need to during work hours but do not expect to be paid while you pump. Pumping breaks are like smoke breaks. If it takes you more than 10 minutes to pump/smoke you have no right to be billing your time as work.

Haven't you ever heard of a hands free pumping bra? every mom I know works while she pumps, it's not hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Origina poster here. The Hirshhorn has responded on their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/hirshhorn. The nurse-in is still on.

Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Origina poster here. The Hirshhorn has responded on their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/hirshhorn. The nurse-in is still on.

Why?

Ditto. I am all for protecting the rights of breast feeding mothers. I am one, and appreciate the right to breastfeed whenever and wherever I need to.

But why should we unecessarily freak out people who, well, get freaked out about it? Never under normal circumstances would a group of women ALL decide to visit a museum and nurse at the same time.

We can legislate rights but not opinions and feelings. Our rights are protected. It now seems we are forcing other people to not just accept it, but like it. Doesn't seem fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Origina poster here. The Hirshhorn has responded on their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/hirshhorn. The nurse-in is still on.

Why?

I don't get it. So is the nurse-in now a celebration instead of a protest? What the hell?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Posters who say they have a right to breastfeed always act like they have a right to be as obnoxious as possible about it as well.

Actually, they do have that right--being obnoxious is not against the law. I don't think its a very good idea, and can be counterproductive, but I will fiercely defend their right to do so if they choose.

Anonymous wrote:it should be legal to breastfeed in public -- discreetly. Or just use common sense and do it discreetly.

It IS legal to breastfeed in public, discreetly or not. As many others have noted, many babies refuse to cover up, and many mothers cannot pump. Nursing mothers are legally in the clear. "Common sense" should include giving leeway for extenuating circumstances, and not judging people based solely on your assumptions--which may very well be incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Posters who say they have a right to breastfeed always act like they have a right to be as obnoxious as possible about it as well.

Actually, they do have that right--being obnoxious is not against the law. I don't think its a very good idea, and can be counterproductive, but I will fiercely defend their right to do so if they choose.

Anonymous wrote:it should be legal to breastfeed in public -- discreetly. Or just use common sense and do it discreetly.

It IS legal to breastfeed in public, discreetly or not. As many others have noted, many babies refuse to cover up, and many mothers cannot pump. Nursing mothers are legally in the clear. "Common sense" should include giving leeway for extenuating circumstances, and not judging people based solely on your assumptions--which may very well be incorrect.

Yes, it is legal to be obnoxious but it is a shame. The people on here who say, "I am going to feed my baby" (even when they are talking about toddlers) "whenever and wherever and I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK OR FEEL ABOUT IT" are not the kind of people we need in society. That's not the kind of society I want to live in, no matter WHAT the issue is. It's different from saying, "I can't help it, my baby won't nurse under a cover."

And I know it is already legal to breastfeed in public -- my point was, it SHOULD be -- i.e., I'm glad it is legal to breastfeed in public. AND I think it's a shame people can be rude and aggressive about absolutely anything and everything if they choose to be, right down to breastfeeding their infant. Sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is legal to be obnoxious but it is a shame. The people on here who say, "I am going to feed my baby" (even when they are talking about toddlers) "whenever and wherever and I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK OR FEEL ABOUT IT" are not the kind of people we need in society. That's not the kind of society I want to live in, no matter WHAT the issue is. It's different from saying, "I can't help it, my baby won't nurse under a cover."

And I know it is already legal to breastfeed in public -- my point was, it SHOULD be -- i.e., I'm glad it is legal to breastfeed in public. AND I think it's a shame people can be rude and aggressive about absolutely anything and everything if they choose to be, right down to breastfeeding their infant. Sad.

I hope you are saying that it's a shame people take advantage of the legal right to obnoxiousness, and not that it's a shame obnoxiousness is legal. That skirts too close to deciding what people can and can't say based on what other people like. Our country was founded on the right to freedom of speech, among other things, and it is SO IMPORTANT that we protect that. While I agree that the civil discourse in this country needs to be more, well, civil, the right to state an unpopular opinion, even to shout it from the rooftops, is part of what helps keep the balance in our society. We can't sweep uncomfortable problems under the rug.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Posters who say they have a right to breastfeed always act like they have a right to be as obnoxious as possible about it as well.

Actually, they do have that right--being obnoxious is not against the law. I don't think its a very good idea, and can be counterproductive, but I will fiercely defend their right to do so if they choose.

Anonymous wrote:it should be legal to breastfeed in public -- discreetly. Or just use common sense and do it discreetly.

It IS legal to breastfeed in public, discreetly or not. As many others have noted, many babies refuse to cover up, and many mothers cannot pump. Nursing mothers are legally in the clear. "Common sense" should include giving leeway for extenuating circumstances, and not judging people based solely on your assumptions--which may very well be incorrect.

Yes, it is legal to be obnoxious but it is a shame. The people on here who say, "I am going to feed my baby" (even when they are talking about toddlers) "whenever and wherever and I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK OR FEEL ABOUT IT" are not the kind of people we need in society. That's not the kind of society I want to live in, no matter WHAT the issue is. It's different from saying, "I can't help it, my baby won't nurse under a cover."

And I know it is already legal to breastfeed in public -- my point was, it SHOULD be -- i.e., I'm glad it is legal to breastfeed in public. AND I think it's a shame people can be rude and aggressive about absolutely anything and everything if they choose to be, right down to breastfeeding their infant. Sad.

We NEED to be obnoxious about this issue. The average age to which mothers breastfeed their children worldwide is 3 years old (yes, those are toddlers). Yet in this country, the average is only 6 months. Women who breastfeed a total of 6 years of their lives or more have a 75% less chance of getting breast cancer. It isn't just good for the baby, it is good for the mom as well. Yet not enough women have the courage to do it, because our society is not doing enough to support them. We make them feel so ashamed that they have to cover up, and if the baby won't nurse (and many many babies won't when covered up), then they feel they have to give-up or stay home or, equally bad, pump. Not only is pumping extremely painful and logistically difficult, it causes a woman's milk to dry up faster. But worse than that, a breastfeeding mother needs to nurse or pump every 2 hours. When out with the baby, would you rather she nurse the baby in public, or strap a breast pump on in public? She has to do one or the other.

My wife has had to deal with all of this (a baby who won't nurse covered and a need to pump while out and about). I got over my embarrassment long ago. Now I am obnoxious to anyone else who has even the slightest hint of a problem with breastfeeding in public. I love the idea of a nurse-in and think there should be more of them. If we flood the public with breastfeeding mothers, eventually everyone will become desensitized to it, and it won't be offensive anymore. Then, and only then, will the rate of breastfeeding finally reach the levels it should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is legal to be obnoxious but it is a shame. The people on here who say, "I am going to feed my baby" (even when they are talking about toddlers) "whenever and wherever and I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK OR FEEL ABOUT IT" are not the kind of people we need in society. That's not the kind of society I want to live in, no matter WHAT the issue is. It's different from saying, "I can't help it, my baby won't nurse under a cover."

And I know it is already legal to breastfeed in public -- my point was, it SHOULD be -- i.e., I'm glad it is legal to breastfeed in public. AND I think it's a shame people can be rude and aggressive about absolutely anything and everything if they choose to be, right down to breastfeeding their infant. Sad.

I hope you are saying that it's a shame people take advantage of the legal right to obnoxiousness, and not that it's a shame obnoxiousness is legal. That skirts too close to deciding what people can and can't say based on what other people like. Our country was founded on the right to freedom of speech, among other things, and it is SO IMPORTANT that we protect that. While I agree that the civil discourse in this country needs to be more, well, civil, the right to state an unpopular opinion, even to shout it from the rooftops, is part of what helps keep the balance in our society. We can't sweep uncomfortable problems under the rug.

Are you really wondering if I said that I thought it was a shame that being obnoxious was legal? You are kidding, right?

[Anonymous]

I disagree with the PP. I don't think we need to be "obnoxious" about it. Our rights are protected as breastfeeding moms. I am not a tit terrorist, and feel quite happy that I can visit any public building in the district and nurse. I don't think a "nurse in" is necessary, or helpful. Why fight a battle we have already won? Why let others paint a picture of us using broad strokes?

I am responding specifically to the husband of a nursing wife. I appreciate you being her advocate, but disagree with much of what you said.

Lactivists are hell bent on using the same strategies that were necessary and warranted in other struggles (Civil Rights, GLBT rallies, etc.). I marched and made posters in these instances.

I won't do it for this cause. I am a nursing mom, and realize there is a lot more to get upset about and devote my energy towards.

That said, I am also curious about the wisdom behind having a "nurse in" after the Hirrshorn has said they support and encourage the patronage of nursing moms. I love this museum, and perhaps they can cast this as performance art. But I am wondering how the organizers will reframe an ostensible protest into. . .what exactly?