Lunch Break: The Milk Truck to the rescue!
by LauraLoo
UPDATE 7/20 6:55P: The $10,000 Kickstarter goal has been reached! This is the bare minimum needed to buy a truck and make some modifications to it.
UPDATE 7/15 5:45P: Pledges have reached over $8,700 – only $1,300 more to go!
UPDATE 7/13 8:15P: Pledges have reached over $7,550 – only $2,450 more to go!
A follow-up to Friday’s Lunch Break regarding breastfeeding moms being rebuked in public: Is there any practical support for these moms while putting these shopkeepers in their place? You betcha!
According to Kickstarter.com (click for video and remainder of article):
When a woman finds herself in a situation where she is discouraged, harassed, or unwelcome to breastfeed her baby in public, she summons “The Milk Truck.” The truck arrives to the location of the woman in need and provides her with a shelter for feeding her baby. The woman feeds her child, the shopkeeper who harassed her feels like a dweeb, and the truck does what it does best – creates a spectacle.
Is this “mobile breast-urant” :) a good idea? Will more “Milk Trucks” be mass produced across the U.S., coming to the rescue of harassed breastfeeding moms?
Note in the video that Jill Miller, founder of The Milk Truck, is trying to reach a goal of $10,000 to move forward the first truck and has already raised almost $6,400. Is this a project you would be willing to support within the next 16 days?
Email LauraLoo with your Lunch Break suggestions.
[HT: WLS AM]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
What a fantastic idea!
Heck, that’s going to extremes.
If a store employee harasses a nursing mom, just ask to see the manager. Point to the offending employee and say that you don’t like the way the manager is putting offensive boobs out there to make a spectacle.
I think this is a good idea, but does the woman have to pay for the service?
People on breastfeeding crusades are bored and looking for some entertainment. While I don’t think woman should have to face obstacles to feed their child lunch, no child was ever infinitely harmed by a woman finding another place to feed. Restrooms are abundant and unless you rub your nipple across a toilet seat, they are just as sanitary as anywhere else. This is a false crusade that deningrates real crusades. That 10K sought to make a self-righteous spectacle and shame store owners could be better spent feeding children that will remain hungry, not babies that have to wait an additional 10 minutes for Mom to find another location. If people are harassed by businesses, DON’T GIVE THOSE BUSINESS MONEY! That simple.
“unless you rub your nipple across a toilet seat”
LOL
It’s impossible to read that without envisioning it — and it’s an absurd thing to see inside one’s head.
I agree about some crusades being a distraction. On the other hand, it seems bizarre to think that a woman should feel compelled to choose between feeding her baby at a table where others eat, on the one hand, and feeding her baby in a room committed to and designed for actions at the other end of the alimentary canal.
Symmetrical thinking on this would have her changing diapers on the restaurant table. “What? You think it fine for me to feed my baby where you crap — what’s wrong with my baby’s crap being evident where you feed?”
;-)
People on breastfeeding crusades are bored and looking for some entertainment.
That’s a pretty generalized, blanket statement about the motives some might have for promoting breastfeeding. I happen to believe strongly in breastfeeding, and believe not enough women are properly educated and empowered to do it. Thanks to the formula companies which are highly effective at marketing their products, many women feel pressure to give up quickly if they don’t get the hang of breastfeeding right away. Hospitals even send formula and premade formula bottles home with breastfeeding moms as a rule, regardless of their clear decision to breastfeed exclusively. I was even pressure multiple times by ignoramuses who said, “Oh, too bad you don’t bottle feed, because I really wanted to feed the baby!” And I made sure to let them know they could do plenty of other things with the baby, but breast is best. If I hadn’t been so strong in my convictions and not afraid of offending some family members, what might have happened?
If you think women aren’t coerced and shamed by some into giving up breastfeeding, you’re mistaken.
Women need to be empowered to breastfeed.
I’m not bored and I’m not looking for entertainment, but I’ll crusade for breastfeeding and the education of women about their bodies. You support NFP – why not breastfeeding advocacy as well?
That’s what I like about UK – you’re strongly encouraged to breasfeed right from the first appointment you make with the midwife, you’re given plenty of information about it and even hands-on “training” as soon as the baby is born. There’s no pressure to bottle-feed, and definitely noone is sending you formula for free, if you haven’t asked for it. My friend who had a baby a year ago haven’t had a single problem breasfeeding in public (mind you, she always uses nursing blanket for that), I think “the breast is best” revolution is quite over on this side of the pond, everyone has accepted it as a fact. Now they’re working towards the “real nappies” revolution, we’ll see how that works out, I’m for one seriously considering using real nappies for our little one once he/she is born if not all the time, at least as 50/50 with disposable nappies.
I’m all for breastfeeding. I love breastfeeding. I think it’s great. From a social work perspective, I advocate for it exclusively for new mothers. I just hate that it’s the “cause of the week” for so many bored women with a chip on their shoulders about it, not looking to feed their baby in peace, but trying to start a fight to amuse themselves on their self-righteous quest. Topless breastfeeding protests, etc. It’s annoying. That’s the point of the “boobmobile” – to annoy. I’m already annoyed.
I know women are coerced into not breastfeeding all the time. My mother tells a great story of how my grandfather wanted my mom to stop breastfeeding my toddler sister. One day, she asked to nurse and leaned over my mother’s breasts and said, “Bless us, O Lord and these thy gifts…” My Papa said, “If they are old enough to say grace over it, they are old enough to quit.” She didn’t. My LaLeche league LVN mother who froze milk in ice trays for emergencies, NICU preemies and burn victims never had time to throw whiny and grating hissy fits. The biggest breastfeeding advocates are the ones breastfeeding and teaching others how to breastfeed- not making a political cause out of it for amusement.
Rather than need to introduce such devices do we need laws which say that breastfeeding mothers cannot be stopped from doing what they need to.
Like we do in allowing guide dogs for the vision impaired into areas where dogs are not normally allowed.
If public breastfeeding becomes a normal, regular event then people will eventually get used to it.
The biggest breastfeeding advocates are the ones breastfeeding and teaching others how to breastfeed- not making a political cause out of it for amusement.
Do you know for certain that it’s strictly for amusement or to annoy people? I wonder if it’s more to make a point, and to draw attention to the fact that moms are being unjustly asked to leave businesses to breastfeed their children. Sometimes a visual like that is what people need to get their attention. Very little shocks people anymore, anyway, so I don’t really get the whole “I’m shocked by a nursing mother” argument in the first place. Yes, the “milk truck” is a political statement, but I don’t think anyone can say it’s strictly because someone is bored and needs amusement. I’m sure they believe in their cause – they’re just doing it in more of a jolting way.
Another breast feeding argument? Oy vey, the last one got pretty vicious.
Rasqal you crack me up. :D
Breast feeding is fine, I think that it is very odd that America has such a hang up over it while people are half naked all over the place. Hypocrisy? I think this truck thing my shame a few people into realizing that it’s rude to mess with someone who is just feeding their darn kid.
I just saw someone’s facebook status.
As follows
If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over your head!
LOL
If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over your head!
LOL! No doubt. Too funny!
@ Reality ~ Loved your comment. Totally agree.
I am skeptical of the truck, but could see how that kind of publicity would be bad for a business. It is a shaming technique to make them an example and probably unnecessary. I too, think it is more solid to push for better laws where they are lacking. Many, many states already have such laws however, and I think people would be aghast at how they are really bordering on breaking the law by sending a woman elsewhere to nurse. In my state, I have seen little cards with the statute on it for you to hand out should someone give you a hard time.
Just to throw this question out there-not really expecting an answer…At what age would it not be okay to make your child eat in a restroom? At what age is it no longer appropriate for that child to eat in a public bathroom? And why?
Here it is:
Forty-five states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands have laws that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location. (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.)
Twenty-eight states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws. (Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.)
Gotta agree with Jack on the hypocrisy thing: Breasts are everywhere anymore…the internet, magazines, tv, film, newpaper racks, billboards, etc. etc. etc. some of them are real, and many of them are plastic or silicone or whatever.
But GOD FORBID we happen upon a mother using hers for their INTENDED purpose.
I really doubt that women who breastfeed their babies in public do it with the intention of shocking people or causing men to get a charge out of it.
If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over your head!
LOL
Wherever you happen to be. ;-)
BTW, “keyboards hold 3,295 germs per square inch, compared to a toilet seat that holds 49 germs.” Good grief.
So ladies, do NOT rub your nipples across a keyboard.
LOL
Urinating, farting, vomiting & defecating is natural, too. No one wants to see it. I don’t want to see your breasts either.
I don’t mind if the mom covers the baby with a blanket. My sister used to do that, but I couldn’t stand when she tried to pop out the boob “really fast.”
I’m as prolife as they come, so don’t think I’m a proabort.
Yes, I can compare being fed to urinating because these are both NECESSARY. They are the incoming and outgoing. I don’t want to see either.
Showers are necessary. I don’t want to see you doing that either.
Why is it that we must wear shirts, but just because you’re lactating, you think you can now expose yourself?! If you were walking down the aisles of a store, and your shirt fell off (or whatever), would you not put it back on?! There is no difference. A breast is a breast.
[Edited by mod]
Hey Texas Gal,
Do you have children?
ALL bodily functions come with the job of MOM. I get to deal with them everyday.
You might want to look away from a breast feeding mom. There is nothing offensive about a woman feeding her child.
Hi Carla, 2 great posts. LL :)
I think I have an idea where the problem is… Womens breasts have been made into this sexual object, something to be 100% associated with sexual pleasure, when in fact their purpose is feeding the children. Think of it this way – if breasts had nothing to do with sexualily, noone would give a flying crow about women exposing them, just like men can expose their top half with no issues. And when suddenly people are reminded by a breastfeeding mom what the breasts are for – there’s a scandal, omg how indecent, that’s not what breasts are used for, surely, put them away… Though when some women with a dress sense that’s less than modest walks in, her breasts just barely covered at all, that is absolutely OK!
Hey Laura Loo,
:)
I will add my two cents. I was never one for public nursing myself but there were times when my crying baby wanted to eat. I was discreet as could be and still received dirty looks.
Now that those days are long gone for me I have realized that my feeding my baby had less to do with me and more to do with THEM. THEIR reaction to what is natural, shines a light on their need to grow.
Agreed, Vita!!
You might want to look away from a breast feeding mom. There is nothing offensive about a woman feeding her child.
I agree. I think a woman should try to be discreet and use a nursing blanket if possible, but if she doesn’t, it doesn’t bother me. I have more important things to be offended about!
I always think this debate is funny because we act like it is a modern problem. Women have been nursing their children since the beginning of time! I can’t imaginge that women working the fields were too concerned about offending someone when their babies started crying.
Most women aren’t exhibitionists. They try to be subtle. Where’s the problem ?
Legally, women have the right to breastfeed in public, discreet or not. These laws are on the books and accessible to anyone with a computer. Women should be armed with the truth: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14389
As much as breastfeeding is great, a “boobmobile” is just weird. :)
Now if we can only find a news item about a woman breastfeeding her baby while he was being circumcised. Now that would make for quite a thread! :)
“Now if we can only find a news item about a woman breastfeeding her baby while he was being circumcised. Now that would make for quite a thread!”
While she was marrying another woman. ;)
Exactly! Breastfeeding in public is legal, so that’s why this is a false crusade. If someone violates your rights, SUE THEM. It’s that simple. Shaming them with boob-shaped trucks is infantile, which is why these efforts seem to me like people stirring up stuff for amusement rather than actually fixing a real problem.
I think the project is witty, humorous and will solve the problem for each mom who runs into a store manager who is hostile towards her breastfeeding in public. Sometimes extraordinary measures are the only way people will learn what can happen when they do not follow the law. LL
Exactly! Abortion is legal, so that’s why this is a false crusade. If someone violates your rights, SUE THEM. It’s that simple. Shaming them with doctored photos of bloody fetuses / lies about abortions causing breast cancer and infertility is infantile, which is why these efforts seem to me like people stirring up stuff for amusement rather than actually fixing a real problem.
Thanks Jacqueline! I fixed all that for you! :)
I hate to induldge you, derr, but if mothers dismembering their babies in utero isn’t a “real problem”- I don’t know what is,
You are deeply, deeply disturbed and are either trying to rationalize killing children in your past or you have the intention of killing a child in your future. Which one is it?