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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I support the security guard's actions if the woman was not covered. It is pretty disguisting to watch a woman stick her boob out and nurse in public. I nursed DS for a year and always covered myself in public. I would feel very uncomfortable if I was out with DS and had to explain to him what breastfeeding was. However if the women did not try to indecently expose herself then she has every right to be livid at the museum

So what if you find it disgusting? Get over it or don't look. It's not that hard to control your impulses.
Seriously, this whole breastfeeding in public phobia in the US is beyond ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14:46, this isn't about your convenience at seeing a museum, it's about standing up for the rights of our fellow mothers.

If I was there, and I saw this, I would be shocked and angered at the HIRSHORN'S actions and so proud and supportive of the moms doing this.

Ummm...No, I would think, oh look it is a bunch of granola freak moms.

Well, that's you. But I too would be proud of the moms and would join (although my DD isn't nursing anymore) and would be upset at the actions of that Hirshhorn employee. Hopefully the Hirshhorn will address this. Anyone else see the THICK irony of a museum full of provocative contemporary art refusing to let a mom nurse? Who the hell would be able to tolerate the content of the galleries at the Hirshhorn and not be able to pass by a woman quietly nursing her baby? Like someone else said: there are statues of naked women! Sometimes with blood and excrement included, lol. It's a contemporary art museum!

Seriously a nurse in is a good idea because it peacefully raises awareness. What that guard did broke the law. Interestingly I've nursed my DD at the Hirshhorn before (without incident). I'm glad I never had any problems. I'm sorry that happened to Nori!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks 15:23 for calling this to the HH leadership's attention.

I agree with others who have said that they should have the opportunity to respond appropriately and recognize that the security guard was wrong in what he said to this nursing mom. But if they don't recognize and correct the error (something like making sure that all staff are aware of the appropriate laws), then the nurse-in does become a necessary educational tool.

If they do not respond, I will plan to be there to nurse my baby.

Please post an update to this thread with HH's response.

I agree with this poster, and will do the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I support the security guard's actions if the woman was not covered. It is pretty disguisting to watch a woman stick her boob out and nurse in public. I nursed DS for a year and always covered myself in public. I would feel very uncomfortable if I was out with DS and had to explain to him what breastfeeding was. However if the women did not try to indecently expose herself then she has every right to be livid at the museum

How did you nurse if you are so disgusted by it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is using your baby as a tool or even a weapon. I would never do that.

Oh yes, no one should ever stand up for their rights or the rights of their children. Just submit. Go hide you disgusting woman with your breasts and your baby and your body fluids. Just go be invisible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I support the security guard's actions if the woman was not covered. It is pretty disguisting to watch a woman stick her boob out and nurse in public. I nursed DS for a year and always covered myself in public. I would feel very uncomfortable if I was out with DS and had to explain to him what breastfeeding was. However if the women did not try to indecently expose herself then she has every right to be livid at the museum

You need help, clearly you had a traumatic childhood. I'm not sure what happened to you when you are little, but I wish you healing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is using your baby as a tool or even a weapon. I would never do that.

Oh yes, no one should ever stand up for their rights or the rights of their children. Just submit. Go hide you disgusting woman with your breasts and your baby and your body fluids. Just go be invisible.

PP, you and others on this thread come across as very hostile and angry. No wonder you would not hesitate to use something most people think of as a private, even tender interaction between mother and baby to make your point. I am not disgusted by breasts or breastfeeding -- and I would never use my baby or my experience actually breastfeeding as a weapon. If the pen is mightier than the sword, it certainly is mightier than the breast -- and yet a "nurse-in" is so much more your style....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is using your baby as a tool or even a weapon. I would never do that.

Oh yes, no one should ever stand up for their rights or the rights of their children. Just submit. Go hide you disgusting woman with your breasts and your baby and your body fluids. Just go be invisible.

wow, a little over the top maybe? and I will be at the nurse-in. but let's not all lose our heads over this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I support the security guard's actions if the woman was not covered. It is pretty disguisting to watch a woman stick her boob out and nurse in public. I nursed DS for a year and always covered myself in public. I would feel very uncomfortable if I was out with DS and had to explain to him what breastfeeding was. However if the women did not try to indecently expose herself then she has every right to be livid at the museum

How did you nurse if you are so disgusted by it?

I nursed but was very considerate of my surroundings when I did so in public. I as an adult can choose to look away but I cannot get my grade school son to immediately look away. And yes I will be having a second child soon and will be nursing him or her with a cover on if my son with me. DH and I will decide when we are ready to have that birds and bees talk with our children, not some nursing mother who is too disguisting to cover herself up when she nurses in public. And yes I am pro breastfeeding and did not give my son formula for an entire year

[Anonymous]

I am fully supportive of this - if for no other reason than to raise awareness.

I want to say to the mother who chose to use the word "disgusting" in relation to a woman openly feeding her child that my son would NEVER put up with those nursing covers (I tried two kinds). I PERSONALLY didn't feel comfortable showing my breasts so I tried the covers but my son would scream and thrash until I pulled them off. So I learned to nurse him, discretely, without them. That said, I don't think there is any reason to HAVE to be discrete - it's like using a bottle.

But I'm really bothered by the use of the word "disgusting." Our ability to feed our children with our breasts is NATURAL and, dare I say, beautiful in that affect.

I feel so sorry for you.

I am glad these mothers are taking time out of their busy days to stand up for the rights of us all.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if he was actually concerned about food or drink being near the artwork. After all, BF-ing can be messy, and it is their job to protect the paintings from being ruined.

Just another perspective- I THINK I know the area where the woman was sitting, and I think there is still artwork.

That said, the guard could have directed her to the cafe or a bench not located near artwork. But come on, we're talking about rent-a-cops here - let the museum management respond first.

[Anonymous]

just wanted to say that I have nursed many times in various museums, including National Portrait Gallery and American Art and no one has ever suggested I hide in the bathroom. I try to be discreet, but DS is not always down with that. If there were a sitting areas in the bathroom (like a lounge, I'd use it, but I would nto want to sit on the toilet (nor take up teh bathroom for 15 minutes while other women wait to pee. I have a feeling this was poor training on the part of the guards. Then again, the Smithsonian recently has had its own censorship issues. They really don't need this on top of if, and I'd bet they would do anything to avoid more negative publicity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I support the security guard's actions if the woman was not covered. It is pretty disguisting to watch a woman stick her boob out and nurse in public. I nursed DS for a year and always covered myself in public. I would feel very uncomfortable if I was out with DS and had to explain to him what breastfeeding was. However if the women did not try to indecently expose herself then she has every right to be livid at the museum

How did you nurse if you are so disgusted by it?

I nursed but was very considerate of my surroundings when I did so in public. I as an adult can choose to look away but I cannot get my grade school son to immediately look away. And yes I will be having a second child soon and will be nursing him or her with a cover on if my son with me. DH and I will decide when we are ready to have that birds and bees talk with our children, not some nursing mother who is too disguisting to cover herself up when she nurses in public. And yes I am pro breastfeeding and did not give my son formula for an entire year

Breastfeeding is not sex...it's just eating. People who are just feeding their kid are not "disgusting."

Good luck hiding the breastfeeding from your son...I'm sure that's going to work out really well. When he sees your boob, make sure that you explain to him that you are disgusting, so he can grow up to be well-adjusted and respectful towards women. :-p

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am fully supportive of this - if for no other reason than to raise awareness.

I want to say to the mother who chose to use the word "disgusting" in relation to a woman openly feeding her child that my son would NEVER put up with those nursing covers (I tried two kinds). I PERSONALLY didn't feel comfortable showing my breasts so I tried the covers but my son would scream and thrash until I pulled them off. So I learned to nurse him, discretely, without them. That said, I don't think there is any reason to HAVE to be discrete - it's like using a bottle.

But I'm really bothered by the use of the word "disgusting." Our ability to feed our children with our breasts is NATURAL and, dare I say, beautiful in that affect.

I feel so sorry for you.

I am glad these mothers are taking time out of their busy days to stand up for the rights of us all.

I feel so sorry for the children of this mother who is going to teach her child to impose his or her beliefs on others. The public has a right to go to a public place without having to face the akward situation of looking at private parts of others. Would this mother even think of exposing her breast in a church pew? I don't think so. Has this mother never heard of pumping milk before going out and having bottles ready to feel her liquid gold to her child if none of the nursing covers worked for her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is using your baby as a tool or even a weapon. I would never do that.

Oh yes, no one should ever stand up for their rights or the rights of their children. Just submit. Go hide you disgusting woman with your breasts and your baby and your body fluids. Just go be invisible.

New poster here. You sound like a very sick person.

I used to work at the Smithsonian. I think that the guards are GS-5s. They don't have a lot of training or education, but they are very nice people, by and large. They are career security guards and they do their best under stressful situations dealing with the public.

This whole thread is fueled by one person's secondhand account of an incident that may or many have happened. I'm pretty sure the original person making these complaints hasn't even revealed her name. No one knows all the facts - for all we know, someone has a vendetta against the Smithsonian or this particular museum.

No matter what, though, your post (see bolded text above) is really scary.