Monday February 23, 2009, 4:48 pm
If she had to be asked to cover herself then it's her fault; any woman who breast feeds should have a blanket or use a shawl, scarf or a cloth diaper ... it isn't necessary for the entire world to watch a baby nursing from a breast.

Monday February 23, 2009, 5:13 pm
I agree, Blue! My boys don't want to see that. When I breast fed it wasn't in public. I really didn't want people watching. Bring a bottle with ya, ladies.

Monday February 23, 2009, 5:36 pm
From what I understand, the mother in question was trying to make a point concerning the legality of breast-feeding in public, which, in NC is legal, even if the breast is exposed.

Personally, I agree with the two of you, in most instances.

Monday February 23, 2009, 5:44 pm
I'm in agreement with y'all - I have no problem with breastfeeding - but not if the mother plans to expose her breast to public view. Since the feeding can be done more discreetly, that is nothing more than a deliberate act done to make a point, as Walkadelic said.

Monday February 23, 2009, 5:50 pm
Well, to clarify, Lindsay, I'm not saying I think that was her original intention. Based on the article, it would seem she was being quite discreet, but management was responding to "a customer's complain".

My comment was more that she staged the Sit-in to "make a point" about it being illegal for Denny's to ask her to stop feeding her child in the fashion mothers have for a very long time.
That is her interpretation of the North Carolina law, as well as the others who have been "protesting" with her.

Monday February 23, 2009, 5:56 pm
"Breastfeeding mom Crystal Everitt of Asheville says she was asked by the restaurant’s manager to cover herself or feed her 1-year-old son in the bathroom."

The restaurant was not saying she could not breastfeed in the restaurant. They merely asked her to cover up if she was going to continue breastfeeding in the restaurant. If she did not want to do that, she could breastfeed in their bathroom.

I don't think this woman has a case, if the quote above is true.

Monday February 23, 2009, 7:04 pm
noted thank you

Monday February 23, 2009, 7:33 pm
We all know it's the best for babies, and truthfully when i did , or was around other mothers they usually were not exposing themselves...however some people will be offended just by knowing what you are doing. If it's legal and she wasn't exposed ( anymore that Hooter girls) ...well than I don't see a problem. If you think going into a public bathroom is a good idea..next time try taking in your hanmburger,fries and shake and eat your meal sitting on a toilet because that's where most mothers would be left sitting to fed their baby.

Monday February 23, 2009, 7:59 pm
I don't take my kids to see the Hooter Girls, lol. I don't have a problem with breastfeeding & yes, it's good for babies, but doesen't always work out. IMO, it's best just to bring a bottle. I just wouldn't have felt comfortable in public doing this which means the child wouldn't have been comfortable either.

Monday February 23, 2009, 11:19 pm
It is sad that such a natural thing is looked down upon but I have to agree, I do not want to see a bare breast in public for whatever use, least of all while I am eating. It is really hard even as a woman to keep the eyes from wandering let alone a man. It just is not polite, respectful and while it seems she was trying to make a point, I just do not buy it. There is a time and place for everything and she should have covered up!

Monday February 23, 2009, 11:22 pm
Oh fer cryin' out loud, would she whip0 it out in front of her father or her brother(s)? I breast fed and so did most women I know; it's a bonding experience between mother and child; if that woman needs attention she should find another way to get it.

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 12:07 am
The word MODISTY COMES TO MY MIND.
Where did we lose this word?
We as lady's no what the child needs and at what time the child feeds.
Comen sense tells you that if you are going to be out for the time that the baby needs its feed you should express and put your milk in a bottle.
There should be no excuse to show of to all and sundry your breast to anyone except your Husband or Doctor should you need one. To much is wrong with your training of these children and it starts from the cradle.
Get your child in a routine. Teach the child good regular habits, they should be taught by the time they are six to all the disciplines that the is in the house. This is the only way that this world has any future, these children are the future and do not forget this. Thank you Father for all your lessons. Janet.

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 5:27 am
I am with a majority here. This wasn't like the toys r us sit in. When mother's who were breast feeding weren't allowed to at all in that chain of toy stores. All she was asked to do was cover up. I know if my youngest son saw her doing that while we were trying to eat, he would had lost his appetite and we would had paid for food that was never going to be eaten.

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 6:21 am
Most American women who choose to breastfeed in public meet with some kind of resistance, according to The La Leche League. Chalk it up to our culture's sexual taboos. It is important to realize that public breastfeeding taboo stems from the sexual associations attached to breasts.

These associations are learned in Western societies because we grow up seeing scantily clad women flaunted in advertising, films and on TV. These women are depicted as sexual objects to attract customers. And thus the vicious cycle begins.

Because breasts are perceived as sexual objects, many women are discouraged from feeding in public. They fear that people will see the motherly instinct of breastfeeding sexually, rather than as an act of nurturing. They are either stared at by "breast men" or given disapproving looks by people who don't understand the nurturing nature of breastfeeding. These mothers in turn feel less comfortable with breastfeeding, and stop breastfeeding in public.

As a result, the idea that breasts are taboo, sexual objects is enforced. This condition is aggravated by advertising that uses airbrushing technology to portray women's breasts as 'perky' or 'perfect.'

All of this creates a society where women are ashamed and unhappy with their breasts. It also takes away an infant's chance to engage in this nurturing act that promotes incredible health benefits! Healthy attachments between mothers and children are seen as too intimate in some circles.

How do we stop this vicious cycle?

Fighting Breastfeeding Taboos. (LA LECHE LEAGUE International)

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 7:34 am
I have to weigh in here when I breast fed mine I could not understand how it was perfectly acceptable to wear three properly placed triangles of cloth and some string and sell hot dogs to the public on rollerblades and call that bikinis all arse exposed but we are put out with people who breastfeed in Public?? I am quite confused do I think that it's OK to just flop it out and feed the baby-no not really what I was referring to the sexual connatation placed to it-Men can run around barechested -true not in a resturant but why is wrong with our Breasts doing what they were designed to do and that is for feeding the baby.David U are quite correct as I see it-here is what I do not understand-any natural body function is penalized in our culture- we say excuse me when we belch-heaven forbid we fart in public but everything non natural is Ok while there are certain body functions I would not care to see in public it is the mindset I am reffering to regarding woman and their bodies.

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 7:36 am
I chose to breastfeed my daughter and it was a wonderful experience. Not only did I believe it was best for her but it was a special time between us. It was not just "feeding time" but also a time of special bonding second only to the nine months I carried her. Because of this, it seemed and felt right to me that I feed her in private relishing that time I knew would end long before I was ready to give up that special time. I did not cover up or retreat to a private area because I was ashamed in any way. I did so out of respect for a most private and wonderful experience.

Noted with thanks.

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 8:17 am
Faith...Isn't amazing that the beautiful topless woman of different cultures photoed in National Geographic are not cringing to cover themselves...it's accepted and the men seem to be able to carry on their daily routines without gawking.The human body is clothed or unclothed depending how much money can be made, and some how woman are expected to have control when viewing a bare chested man...We are sexual beings by nature...nothing wrong with that. It's the respect we show one another that makes the difference. I still find it more offense that people will view violence in the media with more openess and blush and have to turn off the television if there's even a hint of a bare breast...Your right Gail the time I spent breastfeeding my children was a bond of nuturing, and closeness that I never felt the urge to exploit...We all know the way we handle a situation is what we are expecting to get back as a reaction...Just handle yourself the way you want to be viewed...

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 9:14 am
Gail ~ I agree with you too. It's about respect and decency for others and the baby. I breastfed all three of my daughters and did not have any problems when I was in public because I did so in a way not to call attention to myself. It's a beautiful experience for the mother and baby, and I usually felt people who were around me appreciated what I was doing.

Laurie says it well: "Just handle yourself the way you want to be viewed... "

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 9:37 am
Marion-

There seems to be some confusion about Everitt's actions and intentions in the above dialogue. Based on the articles, as well as people I know who know her personally, she was being very discrete, and was not looking to make this an "issue". It was only after another customer complained about seeing her breast (which, again, was not exactly in the "offended" person face by any measure) and the police were called to remove her from the Restruant that she decided to make an "issue" out of it, in order to illustrate that North Carolina state law specifically protects a mother's right to breast feed in public. She was not breaking any law, and the person who complained was just being a puritanical arshole. I am surprised to see so many women here condemning her her at Care2, to be honest.

It is disappointing to see people trying to demonize this woman, and claim she was "exposing herself", when i n fact she was being as discrete as any other mother would be. Personally, I see more boobs in a beer ad than I see when a mother is breast feeding.

If someone is "offended" by the sight of a mother feeding her child in the most natural way possible, I would suggest that person has a fetish they may need to address.

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 9:44 am
I'm curious, what makes all of you assume she was not "covered up" or discrete in the first place. Nothing anywhere in the articles says her breast was "exposed" in any significant way.

The reality is, she was wearing clothing that made it very difficult for anyone to see her breast, and the customer's complaint seemed to be based on the "idea" of breastfeeding in general.

Although I agree that common decency and modesty should apply to a situation like this, to jump to the conclusion that she was somehow floppin' her mammaries all over is entirely off-base. From what I have seen in this culture, most women walk around are more exposed on a daily basis anyway. Should Denny's be able to refuse service to a woman in a halter-top? Maybe ask her to "cover up"?

I see absolutely nothing "indecent" about a breast-feeding child..

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 1:52 pm
SWF....I think what most of the women here have stated in various fashion is that WE consider this a natural act, and have done so with respect for those around us.Once while feeding my son ( with a baby blanket covering everything I had a person walk by and turn red staring at me...I'm sure it wasn't superman so no x-ray vision...and probably the same scenario regarding the person who complained in Denny's...It's the thought of what you are doing not what they see..For the actions taken you would have thought she was doing a pole dance. Some of these people need to get out a see the rest of the real world. Men in Germany, and Japan walk into alleys, or over binjo ditches to void in public. As a kid I knew what they were doing but I didn't stand and stare..Some people need to get a life...a real one !!!

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 2:03 pm
""Isn't amazing that the beautiful topless woman of different cultures photoed in National Geographic are not cringing to cover themselves...it's accepted and the men seem to be able to carry on their daily routines without gawking.""

That's because only in America have breasts been so overly sexualized to the point where someone could find a mother discreetly breastfeeding her child "offensive".

I suspect that sexualization remains in place because it allows those breasts to be used as a marketing tool for just about every product out there. Hopefully, as more kids are actually breast-fed again, the boob can become a breast again, and stop being a sex object.

Tuesday February 24, 2009, 3:10 pm
I am surprised that this even happened. It has been from the beginning of time that women have nurtured their babies/children. If anything women should be ashamed of using a bottle full of Chemically fortified formula. http://www.ewg.org/reports/bpaformula
There is no other subsitute for Breast Milk. It is suggested by feeding you child up to 2 yrs with breast milk can increase their social behaviour and mental aptitude. What are have people been trained to believe that natural is not right. A child will get hungry when it smells food and if it nurses than he/she will want to eat. How could someone think it is not in the public's best interest to feed a baby when it needs to eat. Not to mention what toxin's they have found that leaches from a heated plastic bottle when formula is heated in it. OH my god what is happening to society maybe Blue Bunting should put a soiled cloth diaper on his head when he/she is eating. How would he like that. I can't believe the police escorted this lady out. In a family resturant. In Ontario, CA it is legal for a woman to walk around topless not that they do. I would like to go on but I won't. You go girl and I hope you win make the point of how important it is for the health of your child to be breast fed by your liquid gold. It is your job to provide the healthiest form of food for your baby any time any where. Carrie

Wednesday February 25, 2009, 9:21 am
From the linked article:

"There is a curious dissonance primarily in Anglo-Saxon cultures where highly ambivalent attitudes toward the female breast prevail. The only thing worse than adopting legislation to protect the right of mothers and children to breastfeed anywhere they otherwise have a right to be – in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland and many US states for example – is the very need to do so. Bottom line: As long as it’s acceptable to feed children in public it should be acceptable to breastfeed children in public. We are mammals; this is what we do, or at least what we should be doing. And the gentle irony here is that the more breastfeeding we see, the more breastfeeding will become invisible, that is once more totally normalized behavior.

James Akre
Geneva, Switzerland "

Wednesday February 25, 2009, 12:59 pm
You should av some kind of shawl on as everyone don't want to see a woman's breast it don't bother me baby needs his feed whip them out

Wednesday February 25, 2009, 1:07 pm
If this woman is so concerned about her babies health why is she eating at Dennies in the first place. The garbage that she is putting in her body she is also putting in her child's.

Wednesday February 25, 2009, 1:08 pm
Just because a mother isn't using a blanket doesn't mean she's exposing herself. I breastfeed my first in public and I am doing the same with my second and we never use a blanket or "cover up," but if you look, you won't see a nipple and barely little other skin.

The point here is that the law does not require a woman to cover up, so her rights were being violated. Whether or not you agree (and I'm surprised that liberal-minded people on Care2 are being so uptight about a mother feeding her child) you should appreciate that Denny's was acting illegally and that we should be defending her rights.

Wednesday February 25, 2009, 1:16 pm
From the "Mountain Xpress', the site this story was lifted from.
Contributed by 'Mountainmama'

Im actually disgusted that any mom would force their baby or small children or any child for that matter to stand outside in the freezing cold and wind just to prove a political point. Seems a bit selfish to me. If you really care about the rights of babies and children period- why would you expose them to such harsh temperatures?
I think nurse in’s are great and I am a breastfeeding mom myself, but since when is a breastfeeding matter more important than the comfort of possible health safety of my children by exposing them to the cold.
I would have otherwise went, had it been more planned out. However I recognized it was unfair to my child.
As far as the Denny’s matter, I personally would not have left to begin with. What would they do? Call the law? Hmm.. Wonder how that would have went? Or schedule a nurse in locally for warmer weather to allow the masses to really group up, for not just the Denny’s cause but also to spread awareness.

Kudos to those who support breastfeeding. Lets just be a bit smarter and not do these things at our kids discomfort. Would that not be losing sight of the ultimate goal- to help our kids be comfortable (which includes comfortable in nursing publicly)

Gee, and I thought it was just me that thinks Everitt is a hypocritical wack job. Way to expose your baby to the elements and an hours worth of exhaust fumes.

Wednesday February 25, 2009, 1:17 pm
If the baby has got the nipple in its mouth there's not a great deal left exposed that can cause offense - certainly no more than a low cut top. I can't believe how harsh women who have breastfed are being!! My boy is 10 months old and will not use a bottle, and why should he? I don't leave him for long enough to need feeds from a bottle and the only natural way to feed a baby milk is to breastfeed them, anything else is a man made replacement. Breasts are for feeding babies, that's why we have them. If people want to sexualise them that's their problem but I say "here here!" to people like Everitt who stand up for appropriate behaviour and refuse to let over-sexed idiots and their dirty little minds make them back down. I'm so outraged that anyone dared to criticise her and put their name to it - when your baby is hungry they need to be fed. End of story.

Wednesday February 25, 2009, 1:25 pm
Chris said:-"Gee, and I thought it was just me that thinks Everitt is a hypocritical wack job. Way to expose your baby to the elements and an hours worth of exhaust fumes. "

chris: I sincerely doubt you can attest to the conditions that day in WNC from Canada.

Wednesday February 25, 2009, 1:30 pm
If the woman in question was no more exposed than when she was doing the interview, I don't see what the problem was. I have enjoyed the whole range of comments, and feel I can weigh in with a little more information:
Discretion, yes. But just bringing a bottle is not always the answer. I had 3 babies in 3-1/2 years. The younger two refused bottles--even water--entirely. When the time came, they went right to a cup. And no child, breastfed or not, is always on a strict schedule as to when he/she is hungry. Come to think of it, I'm hungrier some days than others, and sometimes at odd times.
Thank you, David Cutter, for your eloquent contribution. I appreciate what Gail said about nursing time being special--but when you have two toddlers as well, you don't always have the luxury of even sitting down, much less removing yourself from the fray of family life. My MIL, a nurse, commented once that our boys would get the wrong message from seeing me breastfeeding their sister. She was afraid that they would think that's what breasts were for. Huh? Isn't that what being a mammal is all about?
As for the bathroom--ladies' rooms are not usually equipped with chairs and sofas. Would anybody expect an adult to bring a child in there with his/her burger? I think not. I sure wouldn't, even in the cleaner rooms I have seen.
Indications are that Everitt was being discreet and simply claiming her rights under the law. The same people who would give a seat to a pregnant woman on public transportation might give some thought to the same chivalrous behavior toward a nursing mother, and recognize that her actions are also the nurturing of new life.

Wednesday February 25, 2009, 2:37 pm
Chris said:-"Gee, and I thought it was just me that thinks Everitt is a hypocritical wack job. Way to expose your baby to the elements and an hours worth of exhaust fumes. "

chris: I sincerely doubt you can attest to the conditions that day in WNC from Canada.

I didn't, Mountainmama did and from her post she obviouly lives there. Are you suggesting there were no vehicles around? didn't think they put chain restaurants where there was no traffic flow and kind of pointless to protest for no potential audience?

Wednesday February 25, 2009, 2:38 pm
All those things in the background, foreground and all around her sure look like carbon fuel automobiles to me.

Wednesday February 25, 2009, 3:05 pm
Chris, the notion that anyone who is protesting to defend their legal rights is somehow only there to generate attention for themselves is a bit of a tired tactic. The woman lives in a city. Her children are no more exposed to "carbon fuel emissions" at Denny's, than at any other house in a city.
Thanks for commenting.

Thursday February 26, 2009, 12:09 am
My children and grandchildren are raised knowing breast feeding is indeed the normal, natural, & healthy way. However, of course, I always kept a blanket handy for the times that called for discretion. I am admant that no woman should be harassed for breastfeeding~