For anyone who cant read the article:

I dont have kids so I may be speaking from lack of experience, but, if you are standing in line to get food for yourself, somehow I dont think that is the right place for you to be breastfeeding.

I have seen some women breastfeed in such a way you couldnt really tell and I've also been witness to some ladies breastfeeding older tots with their breasts hanging out. For me personally, breastfeeding is a private time between mum and babe and should not be out in public on display. As much as some women say that breasts should not be viewed as sexual, they are. Do you really want men gawking at your breasts while you feed your child? I'm going to bed the answer is a loud NO.

You have the right ot feed your child, but I also have the right not to be witness to it.

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Wife to DH, momma to a doggie and 2 kitties

Well, I also don't have kids, but I have to come down on the side of the law here. I believe most bf moms do try to find a quiet spot; most do use a light blanket or their clothes generally conceal what is going on. Most people should be respectful and not gawk/stare or make her feel awkward doing what is natural. The article does not say the woman was in line. It said the manager stood in the line. She could have been a little off to the side looking at the menu, or over by a railing or something. Despite anything, the law is on her side and the manager/police should be ashamed. The police should be out catching criminals, not criminalizing BF moms.

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This was in the comments section below the article

I am a friend of Jessicas family -- just wanted to clarify something. Jessica was not IN LINE at the time; she had alraedy went to sit down at a table, and had a LARGE purse positioned in front of her shielding her from the general publics view. The MANAGER came and stood near her in the customer line. Jessica was not trying to take a stand for anything or make some kinda issue where none was warranted -- her baby was just hungry. Further, as a former breastfeeding mom myself (albeit 20 years ago), I can understand why this is such a hassle for moms everywhere -- when your baby is hungry, you have to feed him, period. babies do not want a hot towel covering their face when they eat -- would you? Jess did what she could to ensure their priovacy -- after all, no one likes to be gawked at -- but the manager, for whatever reason, had to point her out to the rest of the restaurant and humiliate her until she left, because her baby was upset and crying. Hmmm ... maybe the restaurant manager was a bottle baby?

If this is the case, then the manager had no right to bother her. She was not in line, she was seated and doing her best to keep a low profile. I wonder what the fallout would be? Something similar happened here in South Carolina a couple of years ago...a woman wanted to BF in the changing room of Victoria's Secret and was told to go to the fast food bathroom next door because customers might find it offensive. At Victoria's Secret??? A few days later many BF moms held a "nurse in" on the sidewalk outside.

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There are more than 40 different types of congenital heart defects. Little is known about the cause of most of them. There is no known prevention or cure for any of them.
My Blog:Musings of a Heart Family

I am sure there is more to this story that we are not hearing. For example, did someone mention it to the manager, how exposed was this mom?

Personally, I think it was fine for him to ask her to cover up if she was fully exposed. Afterall, it is a restaurant that is geared towards kids. I know from experience that it can be embarassing for a kid to see someone with their boob hanging out in public. Asking her to cover up for the comfort of his other patrons is no big deal. However, if her friend was right and she was seated and semi covered and the manager came over and made a huge deal of it, then that is wrong. I think that it is likely that she started breast feeding in line and not covered up. The manager saw it and the discomfort that some of the other guests were feeling and decided to address the issue. When he came out, she was seated and he approached her and asked her to cover up. If that is the way it happened, then I feel he did the right thing. I don't think the police should have become involved unless the woman became unruly.

You know, nobody would dare ask a woman with a low cut top, or short mini skirt, to cover up. Nor would anyone think to walk into Victoria's Secret, and demand that the mannequins in the display be taken down.

Don't like it, don't look. Period.

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Julie
Momma to a three year old nugget, and wife to a goofball

No problems with breast feeding here but I rarely did it in public and when I did I was covered up. I do wish more restaurants and public places (say a museum where I had this issue once) would have a room or something (not a public bathroom) that a mother and her baby could go to in peace.

I think the manager is in the wrong here. We can't know how much was showing - but if she tried to be discreet after she sat - even if she was nursing while in line (which would be near impossible to do then order and dig out your money etc. etc.) then I would assume she tried to be discreet while standing in line as well.

My ds would not stand for a blanket over his face. He *would* 'let' me pull my shirt down around his mouth tho. I wasn't exactly comfortable with part of my side showing - but that is *all* that was showing. Baby covered my belly, his mouth/my shirt covered my boob. I was showing less off than any teeny bopper wearing low rise jeans & a cropped/low cut top.

And I could nurse while standing in line or grocery shopping. No one has issues with someone grocery shopping/waiting in line/walking around a park or store while feeding their baby a bottle...so why should a bf'ing mom have to go find a 'secluded' place to feed her child? And as for it being a private time between mom and baby...well...maybe if you're bf'ing for a short time it feels that way. But when you bf for months and months (and months and months) you can't stop your life and just stay home because your baby might decide s/he wants to eat at a time you didn't expect...or did expect for that matter.

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Stephanie (27) & Virgil (31)
Caden 3 y.o. 11/28/04 29w preemie
Wyatt 17 mos. 9/25/06
#3 due 8/24/08

Whenever I go anywhere now, I see a bunch of overweight
women with their boobs and stomachs hanging out...now THEY
need to cover up, but they aren't asked to.

Breasts are made for feeding babies....how do people have a
hard time remembering that?...LOL

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Countdown Clocks

I believe that a woman should be able to breast feed, but should also cover herself up in public

I agree with Freebiemom.

IMO: A purse doesn't cover your boob. If you want to breastfeed in public then you should cover yourself up! I don't have a problem seeing a woman that is properly covered feeding her child, but I do have a problem with seeing some womans huge breastfeeding boob from a mile away. The same as I have a problem seeing non-breastfeeding womens breasts hanging out. It is indecent exposure, feeding or not.