TRAGIC: Baby Found Dead In Strawberry Field
Brooke Mueller Avoids Jail Time
Woman discouraged from nursing in Fred Meyer store
Filed under: Your Pregnancy, Places To Go, Nutrition: Health, Playground Bureau
Oregon mother Chris Musser was discouraged from
nursing in her local supermarket so like any mother would do nowadays, she decided to start a blog about it. Musser had just sat down on a bench at the Gateway Fred Meyer to nurse her three-month-old when she was approached by the store director. She says he walked up to her with a "weird look" on his face and said, "Oh, good. You're getting a blanket."
He told me there had been complaints about my nursing, not that he minded, but that some people were offended. I was so stunned I couldn't think of what to say, except to remind him that Oregon law protects a mother's right to nurse in public. I felt absolutely humiliated. His comments left me feeling like I'd been doing something lewd.
Later, when she spoke with a regional manager, "he supported the store manager's claim that I should have been more 'discreet' and that three people had complained." Musser says, "I'm outraged that Fred Meyer's corporate policy supports legitimizing the complaints of those offended by mothers who nurse in public, rather than the legally protected right of mothers who are trying to take care of their children."
So what is she doing about it? Find out after the jump.Musser explains:
As the mother of a 3-year-old and nearly 3-month-old, the last thing I have time for at the moment is organizing a nurse-in to persuade Fred Meyer's management to stop harrassing nursing mamas, but it may come down to that. I have contacted Kroger's, current owner of Freddie's, explaining that I would like them to change their policy, company-wide so that mothers can nurse at their stores without being told to cover up. If I don't hear back from them
in a week or two, I'll start organizing a nurse-in and share my story with the local news.
If you a Fred Meyer customer or would like to get involved, here is what Musser is asking of them. You may want to include these points in your correspondence:
- To make a clear company-wide policy that mothers have a right to breastfeed in their stores without being asked to move, hide, cover up, or leave.
- To train all employees that breastfeeding is different from other behaviors that customers might complain about (such as loud music, offensive language, etc.), and that employees are never to ask a breastfeeding mother to move, hide, cover up, or leave. Instead employees can advise the complaining customer to avert their eyes or move to a different part of the store.
- To make the public aware of this policy.
Darrell Webb, President
GO West 1/Customer Relationship Center
3800 SE 22nd
Portland, OR 97202
Or via the Web:
http://www.fredmeyer.com
Please let Musser know if you write a letter. She'd like to keep a count of how many letters they're getting and also to thank you.
Thanks tipster, Sarah Gilbert!
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
TheTalkies:RelatedVideos
-
Baby-led, Mother-directed Latch
Learn how to help your baby latch on by following her cues and gently directing her movements.
-
How to Choose Breastfeeding Clothes
A video tutorial on How To Look For Breastfeeding Clothes that will improve your maternity clothes skills. Learn how to get good at maternity clothes from Videojug's hand-picked professionals.
-
How Mom Helps Daughter Find Passion in Arts and Sciences
In Chapter 3 of 21 in her 2010 interview, global health consultant Gabrielle Lamourelle shares how her mother supported her immersion in the performing arts and sciences. Lamourelle's mother, a nurse and, later, an educator, prioritizes her children's science education. Later, after opening multiple pre-schools, she integrates dramatic play and musical productions into the classroom experience. This influences Lamourelle to become more immersed in education, science, and the performing arts.
-
The Issue of Public Breast Feeding
Daddy Brad and Daddy Clay tackle the baby nursing issue. How do you feel about women breast feeding in public? Is it okay for moms to breast feed their baby in front of others? What percentage of people are comfortable with mothers breastfeeding in public?
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family
ReaderComments (Page 4 of 4)
4-24-2006 @ 9:23AM
Marsha G. said...I've sent my email to Fred Meyer.
You go, Chris! I think it's really strange that breasts can be exposed in our culture for most any purpose but their natural one. Go figure. And as others have said, there's very little visible while a baby is nursing anyway. Some people have really perverted values. Thanks for standing up for this.
Reply
4-24-2006 @ 1:58PM
Theresa Dahmer said...There's nothing wrong with modesty but it seems to be in short supply these days. I breast fed both of my children and never had a problem covering myself in public, or excusing myself to the ladies lounge if one was available. I am no "puritan" as one writer suggests, but still embarassed by the sight of a woman breast feeding in public with no covering. And there are plenty of women out there with the attitude that "what I and my baby need is more important than what you need". This is just selfish. Covering up is a small concession to modesty and I urge all of you breast feeders out there to consider that while nursing is natural and necessary, so is bathing and going to the bathroom; most of us don't want to watch others do it. Give us a break.
Reply
4-24-2006 @ 6:21PM
nursing mama said...I'd like to say good for you Chris in taking this to the news! I saw it last night on channel 2 and would not have heard about it otherwise... Yesterday I was in Fred Meyer and my 3 1/2-month-old daughter needed to nurse. I walked around the store until I found a chair in the furniture department, sat down and nursed. What I don't understand is the people who tend to complain come from a generation that the only food source for infants was nursing- and better yet, I love the remark of "there's a restroom you could use" how many people do you know who would sit in a public restroom (or any restroom for that matter) and eat their lunch! I emailed FM and indicated that I would no longer be shopping there until they take on more action to support breastfeeding mothers. i.e. a nursing room- Babies R Us has one, it's clean, small and readily available for nursing mama's. As much money as I spend at Fred Meyer- I’d rather make the effort and spend my money in a place that will support healthy living for my daughter and myself (nursing cuts breast cancer in half).
Reply
4-24-2006 @ 8:00PM
terri said...It is realy sad all of the negative comments this poor lady is getting. People act as though she was trying to force people to see her breasts and breasfeeding but she has said on her blog the baby was crying and even if she had a blanket on the babies crying would have most likely knocked it off and that is the whole reason she was exposed. She didn't go out there to flaunt it. Also you say to find a place like a break room or something to feed the baby but the problem is it is not always easy to find a store clerk who isn't busy and in the meantime your baby is getting hungrier same with going to the car and by the time you get there the baby is so upset he has a difficult time latching on. Why should she make the baby wait till she gets home like one poster said that she never fed her children in a grocery store or places she felt inappropriate even though she was a bottle feeder. When my kids were babies they ate on demand I did not feel the need to try to schedule when they were allowed to eat so it fit my desires if my baby was hungry it didn't matter where I was he/she was fed, why not? Besides I don't know of any Fred meyer stores here in Oregon that don't have a deli area where people eat all the time so what is so wrong with a baby eating there?
Also to the person who commented about being offended at 5 or 6 from seeing someone breastfeeding there child. I have 4 kids boys and girls between 5 and 11 and not one of them would ever be upset with seeing a breast feeding mother actually my 11 year old boy when younger was so used to mom nursing that he thought it upsetting when he saw babies with a bottle as non of my kids ever took a bottle they wouldn't even when I tried just as they would never keep a blanket on or anything else I would do my best with my shirt but sometimes like in Chris's case the baby would cry or pull off and sometimes I would get exposed we do our best but what we are doing is taking care of our children then best we know how which is to give them the food God intened for them.
Reply
4-24-2006 @ 8:00PM
terri said...It is realy sad all of the negative comments this poor lady is getting. People act as though she was trying to force people to see her breasts and breasfeeding but she has said on her blog the baby was crying and even if she had a blanket on the babies crying would have most likely knocked it off and that is the whole reason she was exposed. She didn't go out there to flaunt it. Also you say to find a place like a break room or something to feed the baby but the problem is it is not always easy to find a store clerk who isn't busy and in the meantime your baby is getting hungrier same with going to the car and by the time you get there the baby is so upset he has a difficult time latching on. Why should she make the baby wait till she gets home like one poster said that she never fed her children in a grocery store or places she felt inappropriate even though she was a bottle feeder. When my kids were babies they ate on demand I did not feel the need to try to schedule when they were allowed to eat so it fit my desires if my baby was hungry it didn't matter where I was he/she was fed, why not? Besides I don't know of any Fred meyer stores here in Oregon that don't have a deli area where people eat all the time so what is so wrong with a baby eating there?
Also to the person who commented about being offended at 5 or 6 from seeing someone breastfeeding there child. I have 4 kids boys and girls between 5 and 11 and not one of them would ever be upset with seeing a breast feeding mother actually my 11 year old boy when younger was so used to mom nursing that he thought it upsetting when he saw babies with a bottle as non of my kids ever took a bottle they wouldn't even when I tried just as they would never keep a blanket on or anything else I would do my best with my shirt but sometimes like in Chris's case the baby would cry or pull off and sometimes I would get exposed we do our best but what we are doing is taking care of our children then best we know how which is to give them the food God intened for them.
Reply
4-26-2006 @ 6:54AM
Kim (Basement Variety!) said...First off, I too am a breastfeeding mother in Portland that shops on occassion at the Fred Meyer in Gateway. Interesting cross-section of comments on this blog. I'd have to add my own comments, which are solidly feminist, in favor of women and pro-breastfeeding to simply say shame on any and all of the folks that are perpetuating the sexualization of breastfeeding and objectification of women by advocating for 'discretion'.
What is there to be discreet about? Are people that daft that they are incapable of distinguishing nursing from a strip-tease?
Here's what I wrote on the feminist blog I do some writing at:
Trust women that breastfeed to know when their child needs to be fed. Trust women to not be breastfeeding their child out of a malicious need to cause others discomfort, but rather solely for the nourishment and well-being of her child. Trust women when they decide the best place for the child to be fed when needing to nurse them in a public area. Trust women.
And beyond that, give ‘em a fucking break already.
Reply
4-26-2006 @ 4:03PM
Kristi Simmons said...I think there should be a law against people harrassing a woman who is breastfeeding!
Reply
5-12-2006 @ 4:51PM
Anya said...I am not a mother and perhaps that is why my view would differ from that of Chris Musser, but I am personally very troubled when I see a woman breastfeeding in public. It's inappropriate and that's that. Nudity is nudity, despite the motives. There are those who do not appreciate the beauty of being a mother or even breastfeeding, and it would be wonderful if all mothers would find an alternative to breastfeeding in public.
As far as Fred Meyer, America loves rights; she has rights, he has rights. The fact of the matter is that none of us have rights. This is a capitalist society and it's too late to do anything about it. Fred Meyer would rather lose Chris as a customer (1) than the other three customers who complained. Business is business.
Reply
6-01-2006 @ 7:08PM
Patty Swope said...Try shopping at www.babyonursingcover.com. This is a new and really attractive nursing cover. Light weight, stylish, etc......and cool, made from silk. I think most of you would use this! It is brand new on the market.
Reply
7-09-2006 @ 2:59PM
Dave said...This is the funniest arguement of all time. What they are complaining about is seeing a bit of fatty flesh. What is so wrong with seeing flesh? Is the human race so new to the idea of nursing that a sudden view of this flesh is so original and out of the ordinary? People see exposed bellies all the time, look, hers is hanging right over her pants. A good pound or two of silky, fatty flesh. What? No one's complaining? What's the diffrence? You say the other has a little patch of flesh and that makes it obsene? Are you serious?? We really need to grow up.
Reply