Nurse-In Planned for Pennsylvania Mall

Lactivists plan a nurse-in at the Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania this coming Saturday, February 24th, 2007, at 1 p.m. in the Center Court. Gatherers will support mother Leigh Bellini who was asked by mall security to cover-up while breastfeeding her six-month-old son Enzo last Saturday.

You can watch the WFMZ television news interview with Bellini and read her full description of the incident here:

I would like to share the experience that I had at the Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing PA today. My husband and I took our 2-year-old daughter and 6 month-old son out for a day of shopping and errands. While at the mall, my son became hungry. I found a bench near an indoor tree and parked my stroller directly in front of me. As discreetly as possible I began nursing my son. After about 10 minutes or so I was interrupted by a security guard, who asked me if I could put a blanket over my son and cover up better. I informed him that I did not have a blanket nor would I like him to get me one and also that I had no breast exposed anyway. He began to speak again, at which point my husband informed him that we were not interested in this conversation and that we were discreetly trying to feed our son in a public place. His retort that this was private property and that there were rules and he could ask us to leave and ban us from the mall. My husband reminded him that this was private property that is open to the public and that people have rights in public areas. He threatened to call the police to have us removed and my husband told him that that is what he should do if he felt that to be necessary. At that point he walked away.

Moments later we were confronted by another security guard. I immediately told her that I had no intention on listening to what she had to say. My husband told her that she had to back away from my son and I and speak with him further down the hall. While I continued to feed my son, my husband dealt with this person. She asked why they couldn’t provide me with a blanket or buy me a new one. My husband explained to her that we weren’t going to use a dirty blanket or use a new one that hadn’t been laundered. At this point the first security guard came back to get involved. He asked why I couldn’t move the breastfeeding into a more private location like the bathroom. My husband asked him if he liked to eat on a toilet seat in a public bathroom. The security guard replied that I didn’t have to sit on a toilet. My husband asked where should she sit, on the floor. The security guard replied that I could stand in the bathroom. My husband laughed and said “obviously you’ve never breastfed.” Then the security guard suggested I go out to my car to breastfeed. IT WAS 30 [degrees] OUTSIDE!!!!!! My husband said that although one person complained about seeing me breastfeed, it didn’t seem as if anyone else had noticed. But now due to this argument everyone in the area was staring. During this interaction I was enraged by the suggestion of going into a bathroom to breastfeed, that I took it upon myself to draw more attention by yelling “I REFUSE TO FEED MY BABY IN A BATHROOM” over and over. The security guards brought up the police again in an attempt to scare us into compliance. My husband informed them again that they would have to call the police if they wanted us to leave before my son was finished his meal. The security guard gave up and stated that if he got one more complaint he was definitely calling the cops. My husband said that that is what they were going to have to do. My son then continued and finished his meal. After we returned our purchases and explained to the store associate why we were never going to return to this store or this mall again we went home.

Upon reviewing the Mall’s rules and regulations on their web site we noted that there was no official written rule prohibiting breastfeeding in the mall.

While I don’t find anything funny about the way that mother was treated, I certainly smiled to myself at the thought of her repeatedly shouting out about refusing to feed her baby in the bathroom! No mother (and baby) should have to go through that experience and I think Bellini showed great strength in standing her ground. Three cheers as well for her husband for supporting her the way he did!

Fortunately such experiences are rare. Yes, we’ve seen a few high-profile incidents lately, but I am confident that mothers across the country are nursing in public without incident–probably without anyone else even noticing! I know that’s the case when I breastfeed in public. I really hope that women are not put off by hearing such disturbing stories. It’s necessary to discuss them to bring about legislative change, but I hope it can be done without discouraging other women from breastfeeding in public.

While the city of Philadelphia currently has a law that explicitly protects breastfeeding in public, no statewide law has been enacted yet. Pennsylvania state representative Babette Josephs plans to introduce two pieces of breastfeeding legislation but neither one would cover this situation. Hopefully Bellini and other nurse-in participants will contact Josephs to discuss the incident at the mall and the need for additional legislation. [Edited to add link to nurse-in follow-up and legislative news!]