RE: Walmart breastfeeding fiasco

[Guest guest]

Wendi,

I live in WA state, and you are right it is a hot issue.. I read the site

that the other member here wrote to me.. and it says even if your state does

not have a law one way or the other, its still ok to breastfeed where you

go!!..

I am hoping to rally support here also, and maybe send letters to walmart via

email.

Its a shame that this mother would allow her teenage boys to view it as

something wrong

Christi

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/18/99 2:22:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

naturebaby@... writes:

<< I would write a letter of complaint

and call local news and radio stations to tell them what occured.

Breastfeeding laws are hot topics right now and I bet you could generate a

lot of publicity about this. That is just wrong. People amaze me. >>

OOH!! Good one!!! I would certainly call newspapers and television stations

and radio stations, especially talk radio ones, and tell them what happened.

Wouldn't it be cool if there was a boycott of Wal-Mart and Sam's Club all of

a sudden??? What would happen to the stock??? I own some stock in Wal-Mart.

Before you start this, let me sell first, ok? I don't want to be associated

with a company that practices such atrocities...

[Guest guest]

That is a shame that your Wal-Mart would do that. I always nurse there with

no problem. I used to work in Management at one. One thing yall may not

know is that the portrait studios are not owned by Wally world. They pay

rent for those places. The hair places and tire expresses are like that

also so I would write to whoever is in charge of the photo studio.

----Original Message Follows----

From: NFLI4U@...

Reply-To: breastfeedingonelist

To: breastfeedingonelist

Subject: Re: Walmart breastfeeding fiasco

Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 16:40:07 EDT

From: NFLI4U@...

In a message dated 7/18/99 2:22:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

naturebaby@... writes:

<< I would write a letter of complaint

and call local news and radio stations to tell them what occured.

Breastfeeding laws are hot topics right now and I bet you could generate

a

lot of publicity about this. That is just wrong. People amaze me. >>

OOH!! Good one!!! I would certainly call newspapers and television stations

and radio stations, especially talk radio ones, and tell them what happened.

Wouldn't it be cool if there was a boycott of Wal-Mart and Sam's Club all of

a sudden??? What would happen to the stock??? I own some stock in

Wal-Mart.

Before you start this, let me sell first, ok? I don't want to be

associated

with a company that practices such atrocities...

---------------------------

[Guest guest]

you should be mad! I think next time I go to walmart I will breastfeed

to and see if anyone say's anything. I think someone should do something

about them being prejudice against us! Sue;)

On Sun, 18 Jul 1999 12:56:27 EDT MadelynnS@... writes:

>From: MadelynnS@...

>

>Ok ladies, you are the right group to tell you this.. you certainly

>won't

>believe it

>

>

>I was at Walmart portrait studio yesterday getting the kids pictures

>taken..

>Mind you I have 5 kids and its not easy to get pictures!! So when I

>saw

>another customer come in I told the employee that I would let them go

>ahead

>of me, since it was taking us a while..

>

>So I went and took the baby and sat down, and started to nurse her..

>Well the

>employee told me, I would have to go to the bathroom to do THAT!! and

>I asked

>her if she took her baby and its bottle to the bathroom..

>Then I asked if someone had complained, and the new customer told me

> " THAT I

>shouldn't have bared my TIT in front of her teenage sons " .. .. Then

>the

>employee told me that it was against there policy to allow

>breastfeeding in

>there..

>

>Well I would like to know where that policy is written.. I thought you

>all

>would like to hear about this, as I am sure many of us shop there

>frequently..

>

>I was so mad!!

>

>Take care, any advice would be appreciated

>

>Christi

>

>---------------------------

[Guest guest]

it is NO stores " policy " to not allow breastfeeding---sue! sue! sue!

[Guest guest]

Christi,

Where do you live? That is against the law in Ca. You can breastfeed in

public anywhere you are allowed to be. I would write a letter of complaint

and call local news and radio stations to tell them what occured.

Breastfeeding laws are hot topics right now and I bet you could generate a

lot of publicity about this. That is just wrong. People amaze me.

Wendi

Walmart breastfeeding fiasco

From: MadelynnS@...

Ok ladies, you are the right group to tell you this.. you certainly won't

believe it

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/18/99 11:54:19 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

MadelynnS@... writes:

<< I am hoping to rally support here also, and maybe send letters to walmart

via

email.

Its a shame that this mother would allow her teenage boys to view it as

something wrong

Christi

>>

Christi,

I will drive up there and we can go have a nursing sit in

I need to go up that way to see my best friend in Tacoma before summer is

over anyways, and she is also still nursing her 20 month old, and I am SURE

she would love to join us....so why not....LOL!!

Was this the Bremerton Store?

However, around here the portrait studio is not owned by WalMart it is owned

by PCA Studio's but I have their phone number from when they did crappy pics

of Lexi and so we could always call them and complain

And they seem to be really customer oriented so your complaint would probably

get to the top officail REALLY QUICK, and you should get a letter of apology

or something, that is awful, I am so riled up by this I am about ready to

call them myself......oh that just makes me so mad.....ARGH!

I am sorry you had to deal with that

Love,

Stacie

[Guest guest]

Have you tried talking with the store manager yet? WalMart was just

sued recently for a *very* similar incident and supposedly took steps to

train all employees that breastfeeding on the premises was acceptable.

If there is an employee who thinks that it is WalMart policy to

discourage breastfeeding, it should be escalated in light of their legal

situation!!

To this other mother who equated breastfeeding with a sexual act that

was being performed in " front of " her teenage boys, she is the one who

was out of line, and should have been asked to leave.

I'm sure I can find some more information about the WalMart lawsuit. It

was filed this year. If I recall all the details, a mother sat down on

a bench near the changing rooms to nurse and an employee told her she

would have to leave the store to breastfeed. I also think that the

employee was backed by a manager of some sort. Perhaps your story would

lend more weight to this one, or would be something WalMart would be

interested in learning about to avoid future lawsuits.

[Guest guest]

Stacie,

Thanks for the support, and it was the Auburn WA supermall location. I would

love to meet and go in there..

First we need to take a picture of that filthy place they call a bathroom,

and enlarge it and put it on a picket sign, for all to see, where they wanted

me to take my fragile anemic infant..

My daughter has health problems, and needs to be fed on demand because she

dehydrates easily

Take care

christi

[Guest guest]

,

I would appreciate any information you might be able to get

Thanks

Christi

[Guest guest]

I will say this again. The Photo Studios are NOT Wal-mart employees. You

really need to take it up with the studio. I think you should let the store

know that they have that happening but itis not Wal-Mart's fault here. The

studios pay rent just like the hair places, eye places and in the super

stores even the shoe dept and jewelry pay rent.

*~*~*~ Sherry Craun~*~*~*

Mom to 8/14/90 3/24/94 Kaitlyn 5/30/96 12/17/98

Wife to Kenny

[Guest guest]

Christi,

I think it is quite a shame that a mom would allow her son's to act like that.

Wendi

Re: Walmart breastfeeding fiasco

From: MadelynnS@...

Wendi,

I live in WA state, and you are right it is a hot issue.. I read the site

that the other member here wrote to me.. and it says even if your state does

not have a law one way or the other, its still ok to breastfeed where you

go!!..

I am hoping to rally support here also, and maybe send letters to walmart via

email.

Its a shame that this mother would allow her teenage boys to view it as

something wrong

Christi

[Guest guest]

But they are representing walmart, and need to relate there policies so there

is no misunderstanding, if they are going to have these stores within their

stores

I do understand what you are saying though

Christi

[Guest guest]

Christi this is just horrible!!!! The word Tit, is gross!! Where exactly is

her education level???

You never said what you finally did. Did you leave? Did you speak to a manger?

I would be writing a letter explaining the incident. Make sure you have the

" legal " right to BF in your area. LLL homepage has a link to the legal

availability to BFIP, you can check to see if it is in your state. Send it to

the Manager of the store, corporate headquarters, & to your local papers. If

it legal to BFIP in your state, arrange a nurse in. World BF week is coming

up, what a perfect

opportunity for this to get the word out!!

Good Luck & keep us posted.

Cristina

[Guest guest]

Heaven help the person who tries to come between me and my baby! If my son

were hungry, I don't think there's anyone who could stop me from feeding

him. I *do* BF in another room when I'm at my parents and my in-laws, not

b/c they don't support it, but b/c they're uncomfortable with it. As long

as they respect and support me doing it (well, and even if they don't),

I'll respect their level of comfort. However, I only leave b/c I expose my

full (size F cup) breast while BF in the football hold (none of the other

positions work for us b/c of my breast size). I've done it in public,

though, and I'll do it again if there's a need, and if someone had the

nerve to tell me to leave, they'd regret it.

I definitely think you should write a letter to the store manager, district

manager, pres. of the company, the local paper, and even call in other

members of the media (like someone else suggested). Makes me really wanna

be a rebel and bare it all, LOL! Unbelievable!

* * * * * * * * * * *

Bullock

mommy to , 1/25/99

http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/james_edward/

[Guest guest]

Christi,

Regardless of your daughter's state of health, no one should tell you

that you are not allowed to nurse in a public place.

Sherry said that the photo studio employees aren't WalMart employees...

and if this is who told you to leave, you could also try contacting that

company's officials. However, and Sherry can clarify here, too,

wouldn't WalMart still retain some liability, even to those vendors they

rent space to? If they have publicly stated that they are training

employees to be accepting of breastfeeding mothers, wouldn't it stand

that any litigation involving an incident on WalMart's premises fall on

WalMart in addition to the vendor?? They would pay for damages in a

suit if someone were hurt from slipping on the floor, even in the photo

studios, so why is this liability outside of WalMart's hands? WalMart

would still be held liable if some harm came to Christi's baby because

of not being able to breastfeed inside the store. The employee probably

didn't clarify that she wasn't allowed to nurse *within* the studio, but

*within the store.* She spoke on behalf of WalMart, most likely.

[Guest guest]

As for liability the studio is responsibible for itself. Wal-mart does not

hire those that do not work in the main store. The studio has it's own set

of rules. I do think the store should know what happened though.

I am not a HUGE fan of them. Long story but I only want those responsible

for being so idiotic to pay. No one tells me where to nurse.

*~*~*~ Sherry Craun~*~*~*

Mom to 8/14/90 3/24/94 Kaitlyn 5/30/96 12/17/98

Wife to Kenny

[Guest guest]

Oh Christi!

What a terrible thing to happen! I have heard several different stories

regarding BF and " Wal Mart " it is a shame. Fortunately I live in a BF

friendly state, Iowa. (That's not to say all people in the state support it!)

We have laws here that protect us as mothers and our babies from crap like

this.

I wonder if this employee and customer would spend their lunch hour eating in

a public restroom???? I bet, not! As for the customer it is sad she can't

see BF for what it is " natural " Obviously she is as immature as her

teenage boys to view it as something sexual or outrageous! If I can do

anything let me know this has to stop!

Love

Muhammad 9-29-97 (Still happily nursing ;0)

& Renna Laurynn 10-8-99

[Guest guest]

Cristina,

Tit actually is just a word that is derived from the word teat. I

personally refer to nursing as titty and although many don't agree with it,

I don't think that it should be refered to as gross. Although I don't

think that the person treated her with respect at all, I don't think that

we need to continue the disrespect. Thanks.

Wendi

Re: Walmart breastfeeding fiasco

From: Debstmomy@...

Christi this is just horrible!!!! The word Tit, is gross!! Where exactly is

her education level???

[Guest guest]

Christi,

A while back I saw something on line which explained all about the law suit

is refering to. I will try to find it, but I am not sure I can.

Please re post the Wal Mart you had this absurd situation in so I can write

to them and tell them. I feel Wal Mart should know even if their photo dept.

is contracted out. If you can, get the contractor and I will write to them

too. Let's turn up the heat ladies!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/19/99 3:27:01 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

naturebaby@... writes:

<< Tit actually is just a word that is derived from the word teat. >>

Wendi I did not know this, so you have enlightened me, again! But in the

matter it was used to Christi, it was gross, & derogatory. It was used as

horrible slang & that is what I was angry about. But the way you have

explained it, it does make sense.

Cristina

[Guest guest]

Cristina,

I do think that the way it was used was derrogatory but I believe that we

shouldn't let anyone denegrate any word that is used to represent the life

force of breasts. I too am angry that she was treated this way. I think

that person should be fired. If for nothing else but being completely rude

to a customer. I personally want to desexualize breasts and return them to

their proper place in the world, as the supreme source of food for babies

and children.

Wendi

Re: Walmart breastfeeding fiasco

From: Debstmomy@...

In a message dated 7/19/99 3:27:01 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

naturebaby@... writes:

<< Tit actually is just a word that is derived from the word teat. >>

Wendi I did not know this, so you have enlightened me, again! But in the

matter it was used to Christi, it was gross, & derogatory. It was used as

horrible slang & that is what I was angry about. But the way you have

explained it, it does make sense.

Cristina

---------------------------

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/20/99 4:52:10 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

naturebaby@... writes:

<< personally want to desexualize breasts and return them to

their proper place in the world, as the supreme source of food for babies

and children. >>

I could not agree with you more!!!!!!!

Cristina

[Guest guest]

Cristina,

I thought we would see it the same way.

Wendi

Re: Walmart breastfeeding fiasco

From: Debstmomy@...

In a message dated 7/20/99 4:52:10 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

naturebaby@... writes:

<< personally want to desexualize breasts and return them to

their proper place in the world, as the supreme source of food for babies

and children. >>

I could not agree with you more!!!!!!!

Cristina

---------------------------

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/18/99 8:34:23 PM Central Daylight Time,

thebullocks@... writes:

<< Makes me really wanna

be a rebel and bare it all, LOL! Unbelievable!

>>

I can understand the feeling BUT by breastfeeding in public we are saying

many things. We love our children and they are important to us. We are also

an example to women who are pregnant or may be someday. We want that example

to be Yes you can breastfeed in public without drawing attention to yourself

and making others uncomfortable. No don't get me wrong I don't think the

world would come to an end if your breasts were showing but we do want to try

and be drescreat. Alot of peopel are leary of breastfeeding and choose to

bottle feed because they think everyoen would be watching them and if we were

to be indescreat about it well lets face it everyoen WOULD

Amy