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U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced the Friendly Airports for Mothers (FAM) Act, a bill with bipartisan support that would require commercial airports to provide private lactation rooms for breastfeeding mothers in every terminal. "Finding a clean and private space to breastfeed or pump breast milk in an airport can be burdensome and stressful, if not impossible,” Duckworth wrote in an op-ed for the Chicago Sun Times. “It’s not uncommon for moms to be directed to a bathroom. We would never ask our fellow travelers to eat their meals in bathrooms stalls, yet we ask new mothers to feed their children while sitting on a toilet seat."
Duckworth's bill -- one that would have an effect at the national level -- comes at a time when politicians and citizens are working to make these mandates at the local level. Last year, California passed a law requiring airports to provide lactation rooms with chairs, electric outlets and, in the case of newly constructed terminals, sinks for mothers to wash their breast pumps. A similar bill passed both houses of the Illinois legislature earlier this month.
While women have the right to breastfeed in public in the U.S., this legislation would give nursing moms the option for a safe, clean and enclosed space if they wish to nurse or pump privately. In a November 2014 survey of 100 U.S. airports, 62 reported that they were "breastfeeding-friendly," yet only eight of them had private lactation rooms that met the minimum standards. Furthermore, two of these eight airports' lactation rooms were placed outside terminal security checkpoints.....snip~
Breastfeeding In Airports Is Miserable. These Women Are Aiming To Fix That.
What do you think, should All US Large and media Airports have lactations rooms? Also if they do this with Airports wont they have to do it with Train Stations? What say ye?
It is a sad thing that women have to hide in little boxes to breastfeed their children. People should grow up and not be "offended" when they see a woman breastfeed.
NO! Americans just need to get over the Puritanical ridiculousness and accept women nursing in public without surprise, offense, or reaction at all.
NO! Americans just need to get over the Puritanical ridiculousness and accept women nursing in public without surprise, offense, or reaction at all.
I agree with you, wholeheartedly. It should be completely acceptable to breast feed in public.
To the OP, in the absence of that, yes. Airports should be required to have clean private area in which to breast feed or pump. Whether it's one of those silly pictured "compartments" or a room ancillary to the restroom. I was in such a situation when my daughter was a newborn. I didn't use the restroom, I found a gate area where there were no people waiting and sat in the furthest corner with a blanket over me and my mom next to me. It was that or a car without A/C. I never considered using a public restroom. Ew!
(This was pre-9/11. I probably couldn't get away with that now.)
NO! Americans just need to get over the Puritanical ridiculousness and accept women nursing in public without surprise, offense, or reaction at all.
It is a sad thing that women have to hide in little boxes to breastfeed their children. People should grow up and not be "offended" when they see a woman breastfeed.
Mornin Summer.The bolded is Huff Po's link to the Law. Women have the Right to breastfeed in public.....anywhere. As far as I know.
While women have the right to breastfeed in public in the U.S., this legislation would give nursing moms the option for a safe, clean and enclosed space if they wish to nurse or pump privately. In a November 2014 survey of 100 U.S. airports, 62 reported that they were "breastfeeding-friendly," yet only eight of them had private lactation rooms that met the minimum standards. Furthermore, two of these eight airports' lactation rooms were placed outside terminal security checkpoints.....snip~
Use the bathroom or cover up.
And the women who don't want to expose themselves in public better suck it up, eh?
Yes. They should have these rooms available. That doesn't mean they should be forced to, but they should.
Right, because you'd really like your dinner served in a public bathroom, or even the one in your house. Yuck, that's just sick,
And the women who don't want to expose themselves in public better suck it up, eh?
Yes. They should have these rooms available. That doesn't mean they should be forced to, but they should.
Which has nothing to do with women feeling the need to hide because of the puritanical stupidity of our nation. No women should feel the need to hide while feeding a baby whether it's by breast or bottle. For some reason, women using bottles don't need or request special safe places to feed their babies, how is it really that much different? Particularly with clothing now designed to accommodate a pretty darn low level of breast exposure during nursing.... If a breasfeeder "needs" a safe, clean, enclosed space to feed their babies, so should bottlefeeders have the same.
NO! Americans just need to get over the Puritanical ridiculousness and accept women nursing in public without surprise, offense, or reaction at all.
"While women have the right to breastfeed in public in the U.S., this legislation would give nursing moms the option for a safe, clean and enclosed space if they wish to nurse or pump privately."
U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced the Friendly Airports for Mothers (FAM) Act, a bill with bipartisan support that would require commercial airports to provide private lactation rooms for breastfeeding mothers in every terminal. "Finding a clean and private space to breastfeed or pump breast milk in an airport can be burdensome and stressful, if not impossible,” Duckworth wrote in an op-ed for the Chicago Sun Times. “It’s not uncommon for moms to be directed to a bathroom. We would never ask our fellow travelers to eat their meals in bathrooms stalls, yet we ask new mothers to feed their children while sitting on a toilet seat."
Duckworth's bill -- one that would have an effect at the national level -- comes at a time when politicians and citizens are working to make these mandates at the local level. Last year, California passed a law requiring airports to provide lactation rooms with chairs, electric outlets and, in the case of newly constructed terminals, sinks for mothers to wash their breast pumps. A similar bill passed both houses of the Illinois legislature earlier this month.
While women have the right to breastfeed in public in the U.S., this legislation would give nursing moms the option for a safe, clean and enclosed space if they wish to nurse or pump privately. In a November 2014 survey of 100 U.S. airports, 62 reported that they were "breastfeeding-friendly," yet only eight of them had private lactation rooms that met the minimum standards. Furthermore, two of these eight airports' lactation rooms were placed outside terminal security checkpoints.....snip~
Breastfeeding In Airports Is Miserable. These Women Are Aiming To Fix That.
What do you think, should All US Large and media Airports have lactations rooms? Also if they do this with Airports wont they have to do it with Train Stations? What say ye?
If society wasn't so uptight, they'd not feel as though nursing was "exposing themselves," in some way that needed hiding.
Heya CPW? :2wave: Who should pay for it? Duckworths bill is for the entire US. Illinois has already done this. So to Cali.
I only had the luxury of breastfeeding for about six weeks before the fact that my open heart surgery had severed the nerves to my nipples so I couldn't feel the baby nursing and the milk wouldn't let down. For six weeks though, hormones are nutty and not relating to real life, so whenever I started leaking, I'd grab up the baby and nurse, just take advantage of it while I could. So I didn't even care if anyone saw, I did use a blanket over the shoulder, but I sat down wherever was handly, stuck the baby under my shirt, and blanky over my shoulder, and dared anyone to screw with me. No one actually ever did. However I did have a "friend," who upon finding out I was breastfeeding, banned me from her house because breastfeeding wasn't, and I quote, "natural." She was the wife of a close colleague of my husbands, we'd gotten along right up until then. Never spoke to her again, just can't deal with that level of stupid.
There is certainly no problem with a woman breast feeding in public at all. But if there are women who would like a quiet out the way place to do it in the hustle and bustle of an airport then this seems like a nice option. Also, people from all over the world use airports and there may be women from countries where it isn't legal to breastfeed in public and thus may feel awkward about it. This would be a nice option for them as well.
Options are good.
Greetings, MMC.
I didn't breastfeed because I had a job to return to and couldn't, but I always had a bottle of formula with me when I traveled with my baby. Couldn't the mom use a breast pump at home prior to traveling, and save the milk in a bottle to be used while traveling? That would handle both feeding the baby, and save her the discomfort of having breasts that need to be emptied. Most trips via plane can be made in five hours or less on a direct flight, and I don't know how many moms travel with a baby every year, but it can't be a large amount. The price of tickets will have to increase for everyone if all airports have to spend the money to provide a special room for breastfeeding moms, but if that is what everyone wants, that's okay with me, too. Will all restaurants and other public places be required to do the same? Hungry babies can be noisy! :mrgreen:
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