Nurse-in at Portland airpot
Nurse-in at the Delta ticket counter? Tomorrow (Tuesday) morning, 10 a.m.? Sounds like fun! I've been writing about Emily Gillette, the woman escorted off a Freedom Airlines flight (they run Delta Connection) for daring to breastfeed in the second-to-last row, discretely, next to her husband, after a two-hour delay (according to the law in Vermont, where Emily's plane was sitting on the tarmac, public breastfeeding is protected). GRRRrrr. I offered to take her out for coffee when I was in New York last week just to thank her for being a lightning rod. As our own Chris (the reluctant lactivist) knows, it's not an easy thing. But alas, her Good Morning America appearance was rescheduled for this week.
Anyhow. Tomorrow. 10 a.m. The Delta ticket counter at PDX. Moms, with and without breastfeeding babes, are asked to attend. I'm sure no one would turn away an uPapa, either. If you're available, go, support a mother's right to give her baby food anywhere.
AAAAK! I can't make it! I'll be right in the middle of parent teacher conferences at 10. I would really love to go. I saw this on the news tonight and I was appalled.
Posted by: fionnsnana | November 21, 2006 at 02:01 AM
Wish I could go too...this one's a biggie though! We criss-crossed the country (Boston to PDX or AZ) 4 times by the time Anders turned 6 months old. Those airplanes and airports saw A LOT of Boob-time from me!
Posted by: NoPo Mama | November 21, 2006 at 07:26 AM
I've flown Delta almost exclusively since Cody's been born (2 1/2 yrs & counting) -even a flight to Thailand-Delta for that too and NEVER HAD A PROBLEM BREASTFEEDING. It's a shame all of their partners aren't as acepting. But China Airlines was just fine with me nursing on the 13 hour flight!!
Good Luck tomorrow!!
Posted by: Carie | November 21, 2006 at 11:02 AM
Hey, mamas! It was fun to meet so many of you at PDX this morning. I am impressed that so many women care about their babies...and it was very empowering for this first-time mom. I hope to run into many of you again around town.
BTW, my sister-in-law was part of a small but proud delegation of nursing moms (just 3 of them!) nursing-in at a small airport in California---I'm so proud of everyone for participating and lending their support.
!-Chanda and Baby Lucy
Posted by: chanda | November 21, 2006 at 03:19 PM
Good work, nurse-in mamas. Here's a link to a piece OPB ran on the PDX nurse-in: http://publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news/content/1000415.html
Posted by: theboss | November 21, 2006 at 04:44 PM
Hey! Be sure to vote in the KATU poll on this issue - their question of the day "Are you offended by women who breastfeed in public places?" - Of course we voted "Not Offended!" so please add you vote to the poll:
http://www.katu.com/
Posted by: Milagros | November 21, 2006 at 04:58 PM
There's also a poll on the KOIN website
http://www.koin.com/Global/story.asp?S=5714943
Posted by: Blair | November 21, 2006 at 09:38 PM
I moved away from PDX to Minneapolis a few months ago. Last night my husband called and said "the urbanmamas have made NPR". Way to go ladies. It was great to read/hear so much postive talk about breastfeeding. MN is way different than PDX and not as open-------(I have been working as a public health nurse for mom-baby visits and have been shocked to hear about some of the stories)
Posted by: Ann | November 22, 2006 at 04:54 AM
I was excited to see that the nationwide airport counter nurse-ins made it into a featured article on my favorite legal news website -- see http://news.findlaw.com/ap/o/632/11-22-2006/b3fd001fdeea025d.html -- and was pleasantly unsurprised that Portland took the lead in turnout. Well done, mamas!
Posted by: Tia | November 26, 2006 at 09:14 PM
I have been a bit out of touch with the outside life the past few days and missed this news! A special thanks to all the ladies that made the trip out to PDX to protect my right to breastfeed my son in public!
I am so shocked to hear of this incident. We have quite a few times with my now 21 month old nursing son, and I have nursed him in both first class and coach without a problem. My husband would have lost it with anyone that raised a fuss.
Thank you again Portland Mamas!
Posted by: Nikki | December 13, 2006 at 11:58 PM