Women Protest At Target For Treatment Of Breast Feeding Houston Mother

December 28, 2011 1:14 PM

Reporting Michelle Durham

Todd Quinones reports…

By Michelle Durham

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Breastfeeding Moms are showing up at Target stores across the country, after 500,000 of them joined a Facebook page to protest the treatment of a Houston area woman.

Standing in front of Target’s Glen Mills, Pa. location, breastfeeding Mom Jamie Oyugi explains why they are there.

“A Houston mom, was at a Target in late November, and she was harassed by a couple of Target employees who told her to hide that she was breastfeeding. They also told her that she could be ticketed for indecent exposure. So we are here to defend our right to breastfeed in public.”

Target Spokesperson Stacia Smith read a company statement.

“Guests who choose to breastfeed in public areas of the store are welcome to do so without being made to feel uncomfortable. We support the use of fitting rooms for women who wish to breast feed their babies even if others are waiting for the fitting rooms. And we continue to educate our team members in stores across the country.”

Jamie says breastfed babies eat on demand and by doing so it also keeps the milk flowing. Target officials say they worked with that Houston Mom to address her concerns.

Women Protest At Target For Treatment Of Breast Feeding Houston Mother

http://aol Mimsy

No one appears to complain about midriff tops or short, short skirts and shorts, which leave little or nothing to the imagination, shopping at Targer. Now it is a problem to breastfeed a baby in public? It is in no way offensive. A scarf or blanket is all that is needed to cover the breast. Nursing a babY is a beautiful experience, and as natural as it gets.
Sl

This issue is not about the babies’ right to nurse. It is really about women who need to expose their breast in puclic. Just as breastfeeding is a natural function, so is going to the bathroom and having sex…..all of these functions are necessary, but private functions. There is nothing wrong with breastfeeding a baby in public if done so discreetly, but most of these women want to expose their breast with a baby suckling, to get men’s attention. A lot of women expose their breasts almost to the nipple on a daily basis either in the store, restaurant, or any public place just because they are insecure and need to get attention from men…..every man…HAVE SOME SELF RESPECT!!!!!, then others will respect you. If you are NOT loose, DO NOT DRESS LIKE YOU ARE.

Katy Comber

Actually, the story is about the babies right to nurse. In the story, the woman who was harassed about nursing in the store was covering up with a blanket. She was being discreet. Another point I disagree with is your opinion that women who are nursing their children are trying to get attention from men. I highly doubt that a woman who’s trying to provide nourishment for her child is remotely interested in attracting male attention while focusing on her child’s needs. Mostly, because when women hold off from nursing on demand, it can decrease lactation and risk the inability to produce milk for her child. Lastly, a woman who feeds her baby in public isn’t being “insecure.” Quite the opposite. She is secure, knowledgable, and comfortable enough with her body to do what she was created to do as a mother. You should read up on the topic before you judge.

Roman Doroshenko

Excuse me ma’am, can I have a squirt of milk for my coffee!
Shirley

To Breast feed my child was a time for us to bond,for me to talk to him and to know one another.All that protesting and carrying on is uncalled for.I don’t want to see such a private moment with a mother and child in public.How bout before you go out use the breast pump that was given to you at the baby shower..just saying
Katy Comber

Breasts were created primarily for feeding children. Shocker, right? That is their function. KLC: WIth my first born, I made the mistake of factoring in what other people thought of me when I had to nurse and I was in public, so I have nursed my son in the back of a car and in a ladies bathroom. The car was terrible experience for me and uncomfortable for him. The bathroom–well–unless you were one of those kids in middle school eating her lunch in a stall, you have no idea how disgusting and awful it feels to eat in there. With this perspective, whom do you think I should have consider first, the comfort level of a complete stranger or the comfort level of my infant son? In hindsight, I know I should have picked the latter.
Barbara Schlectic

I breastfed my childrenand sometimes it was in a store or restaurant. i did it discretely with a blanket over my shoulder. Get your minds out of the gutter. I don’t eect better from Texas the home of Perry.
KLC

I agree that every woman has the right to breast feed their child, however I do not agree that they have the right to publicly do so. I’m a woman, but I don’t need to see that in public. All that does is cause a scene. Breast feeding is an intimate act between mother and child and should not be done in the middle of a department store. If your child needs to be fed while you’re out, retreat to the privacy of your automobile or ladies bathroom not Aisle 10.
http://adrienneshouse.com/blog/feeding-time-at-the-zoo/ Feeding Time at the Zoo | Adrienne's House

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E.P

If targets doesn’t want to go the way of Sears and Kmart remember that most
of the people that go to the store are women.
Jamie Oyugi

Thanks, Michelle, for this article. One correction, though, the Facebook group had 5,500 members, not 500,000. It has since grown to over 6,000.