Eating in the Bathroom

Eating in the bathroom certainly must be a luxury, don't you think so?? I mean I often like to take my sandwich and drink, park myself on the commode and just relax for a nice meal. I enjoy the smells, sounds, and sights. Eating a public bathroom is by far the best place because there is often many things to read on the walls. Sometimes, if I really want to have that "extra" special atmosphere I put a blanket over my head to provide a sauna like environment and nibble at my yummy sandwich. Ahh, the luxuries in life.

So what, your grossed out?? Why on earth?? Okay I don't do that but evidently it must be a preferred thing because alot of people suggest it to nursing Mom's. I know many people in my family don't understand public breastfeeding, my husband included, but it is important to me. In most states, PA included, women are legally allowed to breastfeed in public. Most nursing Moms are discrete and try to get the baby to latch on without exposing anything. We prefer not to go into a bathroom because it is gross!! Who wants to eat in a bathroom??? If you saw a women feeding a baby formula would you suggest that they go into the bathroom??

What prompted this rant?? Well a woman in my breastfeeding group was at a Phillies game and needed to nurse her son. She went off into an area that was what she thought a good nursing place and a few minutes later a security guard was harrasing her. The guard told her that she couldn't do "that" here and people were complaining. The woman who in my opinion is typically somewhat soft spoken and wouldn't be one to make a scene, told the guard that it was her legal right to breastfeed. The guard told her that she could put a chair in the restroom. Thankfully, the woman said no thankyou to that. The guard persisted and told the woman that she was going to get the police. The woman told her that was fine. She knew that she had the legal right to breastfeed there. So she finished nursing as the guard was trying to find a policeman and returned to her seat. No police came. So the woman emailed the Phillies with no response from them. My view on this- the security guard was bothered by it and I doubt that anyone complained. First, I am thinking that most people were watching the game, and 2nd I don't that it was very noticeable.

So we discussed it in our breastfeeding group and we are going to try to contact the Phillies. I believe that there should be an apology and that a policy should be put in place. If they prefer women to not breastfeed in certain areas then they need to create a space (not in the bathroom) for women to feed their babies.

I just feel for this woman because I know that feeding in public is a hard thing to get used to. I have struggled with this and it isn't really that i am uncomfortable with it, it is the fear that others are uncomfortable with it. So for her to get up the courage to nurse in public is something that she should be very proud of. Shame on that security guard. I think that she ought to go stick a chair in the restroom, inhale deeply, and chow down on a burger.

So Pete of course sighed so heavily on the phone when I told him this that I could feel his breath. I heard the deep sigh again when I told him that if we don't get the right response that there could possibly be a nurse in. Unfortunately what he doesn't realize is that his sighs, motivate me more... So to all of you, email the Phillies and encourage them to not discriminate against babies who want to drink the very best.