Nurse In YMCA Ann Arbor Michigan 1PM Saturday Jan 28

I found the organizer, Krista. The time is from 1 to 2, in the
lobby. It was previously at noon, but they moved the time so LLL
group from dexter could come.

Apparently News crews from channels 2 & 4 should be there.

I'm leaving from Livonia at 12:15 if anyone wants a ride, I have 5
extra seats, and spare car seats if needed.

You don't need to be lactating to come. Please consider coming out
to show your support. Michigan rarely gets an event like this.

NIP at Chuck E Cheese

(posted this to my nurse out group, and a slightly different version to that mommy group.)

Just went to a mommy group thing at Chuckie's. Thought I'd post
about what goes on in my head. This is why I started the group. So
we can all feel safe in public.

I'm so used to nursing in the comfort of my home, when we go out,
it's just so much of my day.

I bought a bra on the way there, and wore it for the first time at
chuckie's. The shirt creeping up in back. Finding a way out of the
new bra. (Not a nursing bra, never met one I liked) Usually I nurse
out the bottom of my shirt. I wasn't paying attention, and flipped
out the neckline, like when I'm at home. Can you see me with a paper
napkin, trying to cover that mistake? Can you see the toddler looking
over the booth wall curiously, and the mom pointedly ignoring her
curiousity? Can you see Nicholas shredding the napkin? (It's okay to
laugh here, he really did shred the napkin.)

I try to promote BF, and be a lactivist, but when I'm out in public,
alone... Besides, those moms were new to me, and I was trying to be
lowkey after last week's fiasco. The other yahoo group was not nice
about our discussion of the event at the Y. Moms basically told me
to shut up or they'd leave the group. They kept posting
misinformation, and when I'd reply to correct the myth, they'd say
they're sick of it, tell me to stop talking, and put in another jab,
which I needed to correct... (Short form, deleted many details,
just my perspective.)

I read about another mom being told to STOP bfing and move, every
day. Today the story was from California where the laws are very
clear, and the hostess still maintained that she was right, she said
(wrongfully) it was illegal, and she was nasty. Fortunately, her
manager was able to straighten her out, and apologize for her
behaviour. (Source was mothering.com advocacy and support today's
thread.)

It takes up a lot of my thinking when I Nurse In Public (NIP). Will I
be approached, will I be charged with something when I don't comply.
Here in Michigan we only have a small protection which prevents us
being charged with indecent exposure. We don't have the same
protections as other more crunchy states.

Even the way that many moms (on that other yahoo group) spoke up and
said no big deal about the
pool, you just have too... Seems to reinforce that here in Michigan,
we need a change.

I was a wolf

You Were a Wolf

You have an instinctual intelligence that guides your life. Your family and "pack" is of primary importance, and you protect them.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

My mommy group posted a link to find totem animal. Funny, Vinnie and I were just talking about this.

Some one else feels oppressed by formula

******************************************
*
* Not mine, this is from a friend
* in my mommy group
*
*****************************************

Subject: Kelli:Re: Northridge Church /Shannon, Sue

I never heard anyone say that choosing formula makes people completely
mindless. Many people choose formula. However, those who choose NOT to
use formula often spend YEARS defending their decision and policies put
in place by people who have NO BUSINESS offering any nutrition advice
make the situation worse for those who don't follow society's status
quo. FF moms don't have to deal with the dirty looks by strangers in
teh mall, the nutrition advice by all and sundry, being told that what
they are doing is "gross" or "sexual abuse" at most they may have to
deal with a breastfeeding advocate getting angry about the treatment
they receive while in public. I have NEVER heard anybody in a position
of public authority look at a ff mom and say, "YOu can't do that here."
It's UNTHINKABLE in this society that that would EVER happen. FF is the
NORM. BF is not but it's not this shameful little dirty secret only
freaks do either. I have Formula shoved down my throat EVERY SINGLE DAY
since I've become a mother, I'm sorry that some people get all offended
that I choose to use my breasts to nourish my children. My child, my
body, MY CHOICE. I should NOT ever have to deal with somebody telling
me that feeding my child is inappropriate. But I have and I do EVERY
DAY.

M.S.

Re: [sue already battled with] Northridge Church

My reply to another mom who doesn't attend northrigde




Re: [sue already battled with] Northridge Church
When Nicky was nine months old, I started using the nursery. He did
well the first time. The second time they asked me to bring a
bottle the next time. The third time I brought one of my last
bottles of expressed human milk. I was advised that it was a bodily
fluid, and they offered me free formula to replace the milk. I was
told that formula was safer. I was in tears.

Went into the main hall and used the free phone to call hubby enough
to settle down and drive. Many people were concerned until I
explained the issue, seeing me crying in the hall. They mostly
nodded and said safer, policy...

So I went to mothering.com for information to include in a letter.
I wrote a letter to the church and attached the CDC and OSHA links
directly to their sites which state that it is not a hazard.

In the mean time, other moms looked up northridge and sent many
vitriolic emails and phone calls about this discriminatory issue.
Northrigde called me, before I contacted them. They wanted to know
what website this came from, and what I said. I gave them the site,
and pointed out that people were angry about policies posted on the
churches site. Anita Weldon, head of discovery island stated that
the policy was due to a baby being fed the wrong bottle, and the
months of testing and doubt that the parents were forced to endure
by their pediatrician. I stated that bottle mix ups should be
controlled through proper labelling, and not a possibility. I
informed her that the wrong bottle of formula can kill a baby with
servere allergies and is much more dangerous than a bottle of human
milk. I also pointed out that only doctors should advise a feeding
change that large, and church should not. I also asked them to stop
handing out free formula to breastfeeding moms. They did not budge
at all.

I am very concerned about this matter. If a lactivist like me can
be affected so much by their callous attitude, imagine this...


A mom has been going to church, she has a baby and nurses it for six
weeks. At six weeks, you qualify for their free daycare during the
service. You look forward to spending an hour being spiritual alone
in church service. You prepare the human milk bottle, the baby bag,
the baby, you go to drop them off, and you hear from this trusted
source of information that formula is safer, and breastmilk is a
bodily fluid. They offer you the free formula to replace your
precious expressed milk, and you feel shame.

Thank you for reminding me that I should persue this issue further.

Sue