Hospital Denies Mom Food Because She Isn't Breastfeeding

maandag 9 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Nicole Fabian-Weber 2 hours ago

If you thought you've seen it all in the never-ending battle of breastfeeding versus formula feeding, I'd like to present to you the mother who was denied free hospital food because she wasn't nursing. A mother of three accompanied her 5-month-old baby to the pediatric ward, where he was admitted for a lung infection, and when the staff was made aware that she wasn't breastfeeding, they informed her that she could have some toast in the morning, but beyond that, she'd have to pay for any food she wanted -- which isn't the case for mothers who nurse. "Because you're not breastfeeding, you won't get meals here," the mom who wishes to remain nameless said she was told. And the thing that bothered her the most, more than the ridiculous policy, was the fact that she had to leave her recovering infant son alone to go get herself some food.

"For me to go and get some decent food, I have to leave my child," she said. "I understand they are busy but that's why I think there's more reason to feed us so we don't have to leave our children." She recalled a particularly upsetting instance when she left her child and she returned to find him screaming. "It's not so easy on a mom who cares about her children to go and get herself some nutrition when you come back to an anxious, upset baby," she said.

And adding insult to injury is the fact that this particular mom wanted to nurse. Quite badly, actually, but it just didn't work out, due to severe food allergies and reflux. Bottle-feeding with prescription formula was the option that made the most sense for her family.

If this is this particular hospital's attempt at increasing breastfeeding, boy have they missed the mark. Denying the mother of a sick child food because she's using formula is almost too insane to even wrap my head around. This woman is being punished because breastfeeding didn't work out for her -- by a hospital. Aren't hospitals supposed to be places mothers feel comfortable and not "less than"? Mothers who formula feed their kids -- because something went wrong, or because they simply didn't feel like nursing -- get enough crap for other women already. (And, yes, I breastfed in case you're wondering.)

This needs to stop. Yes, there have been countless studies, touting the benefits of breastfeeding, but not everyone is going to do it. Let's all just deal with that fact and move on. A hospital forcing a mother to leave her sick child because she bottle-feeds is not the way to get more moms to nurse. In fact, it only fuels the fire of this never-ending battle.

What do you think of this?

Image via nerissa's ring/Flickr

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Mom Sues Employer for Not Letting Her Take a 'Breastfeeding Break'

dinsdag 20 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Nicole Fabian-Weber 2 hours ago

A new mom was fired from her job after she refused to return to work after maternity leave when she was told she was not able to tack an extra 15 minutes onto her break in order to breastfeed her baby. Kate Abra Frederick worked as a child support officer with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, and normally, she was allowed a 15-minute break. But being that her son refused to take a bottle, Kate wanted a little more time so she could run over to a daycare that was two minutes from her job. Her employer said no, and now Kate has filed suit with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

I don't think that moms deserve special treatment or extra rights just because they have kids. But I do think that, while we're constantly being bombarded with messages of how "breast is best", the United States sure doesn't make it easy for nursing moms. Especially nursing moms who have jobs.

The pressure of returning to work after you have a baby is enormous. It's a low-grade anxiety that constantly sits in the back of your mind during your maternity leave. And I can't imagine how a mother whose baby refuses a bottle would feel. The stress is unimaginable. Some women are blessed with employers who are understanding and helpful to breastfeeding mothers, but many aren't. And in the case of Kate Abra Fredrick, she basically was forced to choose between her job and her child. And when faced with those two options, the decision is easy. But it had to have been infuriating. 

If Kate's employer had granted her the extra 15 minutes and she began taking advantage of it, that wouldn't have been right. I assume her intent in asking was to help make her return -- for both herself and her baby -- easier. When her son eventually learned to eat from a bottle, I'm guessing she would have just given him pumped breast milk. Offering no leeway on something like this is just ridiculous and gave her no other choice but to quit. She was asking for 15 minutes, not an hour.

Breast may be best, but it sure isn't easiest. Wow.

Do you think Kate should have been granted the extra 15 minutes?

Image via nerissa's ring/Flickr

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'Teen Mom' Star's Breastfeeding Experience Brings Her to Tears

vrijdag 16 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota

Teen Mom may be a show aimed at scaring teenagers away from parenthood, but the show has been attracting older moms to MTV pretty much from the beginning. And if you're a mom who ascribes to natural parenting methods, you're going to love Teen Mom 3, especially star Katie Yeager.

Katie is a natural birthing, extended breastfeeding mama! And she sat down with The Stir this week to talk about breastfeeding on TV, donating her breast milk, and why sometimes breastfeeding would move her to tears!

On breastfeeding her now almost 2-year-old daughter:

I went 16 months breastfeeding Molli. Sometimes I wish I could still breastfeed her! It's one thing that I've always said: at least try. I sometimes would cry because I was so happy. That's one thing that I gave my daughter.

It felt so good whenever anyone said congratulations on your breastfeeding success; I know a lot of moms have trouble with it.

On donating milk:

I donated milk for eight months, I think, to Primary Children's [Medical Center], which is out of Salt Lake City. I would pump and send it out because I was in Wyoming still. I was grateful to be able to do that, and once Molli weaned, up until I lost my supply, I donated there.

I'm very proud that I was able to share that bond with my child.

On why she chose to breastfeed:

I was researching it when I was pregnant. I did the natural birth too, and I felt like this was the next step. I felt like I wanted to at least try it and I wanted to get that colostrum out, make sure she gets those benefits. And, definitely, I was hooked!

After I got through the first month, which was like the worst ever, I would cry and cry and cry -- and once I got over that rough patch, I was like, I love this. I want to breastfeed forever!

More From The Stir: 'Teen Mom 3' Stars Rock Matching Necklaces & Share How to Get Your Own!

I tell everyone, if you're not happy, if your baby can tell that this is pain for you and you're crying and you're upset about it, then don't feel bad! It just was something that worked for me and that I loved, and if I were to have another baby, I'd definitely not get the epidural and definitely breastfeed because that's just what I know. 

I don't know how to make a bottle. I don't know how to mix formula. I would be lost! I'd be crying because I don't know how to make formula!

It's just something that I felt was the best for me, and anytime I meet another woman that is in the same situation, I geek out and bond with them, of course, just like any mother does.

On being able to share her breastfeeding with the whole world on MTV:

I'm proud of being able to do it at such a young age, and it's definitely something ... if somebody needs help, I'll be the first one to say it'll be okay, you can make it through it, this is what I did, this is how you can do it if you really want it.

I'm definitely a big breastfeeding supporter.

***

Katie isn't the only mom from the show to breastfeed -- Kailyn Lowry from Teen Mom 2 has spoken in the past about her own breastfeeding, and both Briana DeJesus and Alex Sekella told The Stir they did as well (albeit not for 16 months) -- but she is definitely the first to do so extensively on camera. The Stir got a sneak peek at the first episode of Teen Mom 3, and Katie is often seen with a blanket over her as little Molli eats.

Are you excited to see a crunchy mama on Teen Mom?

Image by Jeanne Sager

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What to Wear to Show Your Support for Breastfeeding Moms

donderdag 15 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Tracy Odell 2 hours ago

Happy Public Display of Breastfeeding Day! And Happy Breastfeeding Awareness month! To celebrate, over at The Prowl today, we're collectively putting together a board of t-shirts and onesies showing pride for nursing mamas. If you're breastfeeding and want to proudly proclaim it to the world or you just want to support nursing moms, here are some shirts that will spread your lactivist message.

Peace, Love, and Breastfeeding. This shirt is more subtle than some others in its message and the simple design is cute and stylish.

Nursing moms really are superheroes. Who else could deal with those flailing arms, leaking ta-tas, and the endless search to find someplace semi-private to pump? This t-shirt gets it right.

And let's not forget the little milk drinkers out there. They can show their pride for their nursing mamas, too (and look darn cute doing it!).

To see more t-shirts and onesies celebrating breastfeeding mamas, stop on over to The Prowl. See what else we've collected so far and add your own ideas to the board!

Click the "Like" button below to get Natural Parenting stories on Facebook. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tracy Odell

is the mom of two young, energetic boys. She's quite fond of reality TV, books, anything caffeinated and exclamation points(!). In her spare time, she works as Executive Vice President at CafeMom, Publisher of The Stir, and is the co-founder of The Prowl.

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Mom Harassed for Breastfeeding 16-Day-Old Outside Daughter's Dance Class (VIDEO)

maandag 5 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Jeanne Sager 3 hours ago

Here we go again. Another breastfeeding mom has tangled with a real boob about her right to nurse her baby in public. Only Lucy Eades's breastfeeding discrimination case might just take the prize for craziest place a mom was given grief for feeding her kid.

The incident -- which Eades' husband caught on video -- happened at the Burleson Recreation Center in Burleson, Texas. You know what recreation centers are for, don't you?

That's right ... families. So a family-friendly place, a place for moms and kids, had a problem with a mom feeding her ... kid?

Sigh.

As if it isn't hard enough out there for nursing moms to get respect in shopping centers, courthouses, and restaurants, now kid-centric establishments are a problem too?

The City of Burleson defended itself by explaining that it was hosting a camp for 5- to 13-year-olds the day Eades was trying to breastfeed her 16-day-old daughter while her older child attended a dance class:

To be respectful of everyone's rights we asked the women to cover up. There is nothing in the law that prohibits the city from requiring a mother to cover up. We also offered a room in an attempt to be more accommodative. The city did not attempt to prohibit breastfeeding and we fully support the freedom of mothers to breastfeed as long as it doesn't infringe on someone else's freedom.

Giant. Eye. Roll.

Come on y'all! The "freedom" of a bunch of kids is not at risk because a mom breastfeeds in their presence, especially not if they're from homes where a mom breastfeeds or their parents have taught them that breastfeeding is normal. Heck, the more kids see breastfeeding, the more likely THEY are to breastfeed (or support a partner doing so) when they grow up. It's like that whole circle of life thing Elton John sang about.

What's really at issue here is why a facility would present opportunities for children, claiming to be a place where parents can take their kids, and then not support parents. Being able to breastfeed at a recreation center for kids is just as important as being able to find a diaper changing station at the same facility.

Either you're family-friendly or you're not, and as long as you're not OK with breastfeeding moms, you're NOT family-friendly.

Do you expect the places where you take your kids be breastfeeding-friendly? Have you ever experienced trouble in one?

Image via _shWard_/Flickr

Click the "Like" button below to get Natural Parenting stories on Facebook. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jeanne Sager

writes articles for The Stir by day, slays closet monsters and bounds through bedtime stories with her elementary schooler by night. The Phineas and Ferb soundtrack reverberates through her brain.

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