This morning I came across a link to an article written by Better Homes and Gardens on Facebook. I find a couple things written in the article not very tactful. The article is called "The 10 commandments of dining with little kids." One of the "commandments" states:
THOU SHALT NOT BREAST FEED AT THE TABLE
Yes, I have seen table-side breast feeding at a four-star restaurant. If at all possible, take it to the ladies room. (Note: most upscale restaurants have really nice restrooms!)
I think ALL breastfeeding advocates will find this "commandment" offensive regardless of how we feel about how breastfeeding should be done in public. As all breastfeeding moms have probably experienced, when Ethan was an infant he always wanted to eat when I ate. It doesn't matter if I fed him right before we went to the restaurant or before we had a meal in our own home. My husband always knew to grab my nursing pillow and have it on the couch before we ate a meal (it was easier to eat at the coffee table since I had to nurse while eating!). I guess the smell of food always made him hungry. I have breastfed multiple times when eating out, but I was always using a covering. No one ever gave me any weird looks or said anything to me about it. I live in an area where I hardly ever see a mother nursing in public.
Do I think breastfeeding women should nurse in the bathroom? Absolutely not! I know how the majority of restrooms LOOK dirty let alone how dirty they are. Why would I want to touch the latch on the door where other women who have been touching other things have touched, then touching my breast and all over my babies mouth?? This is not to mention touching the lid to the toilet to lower it so you can even sit on it. Oh my....
I love the Better Homes & Gardens magazine and my subscription just expired with the June issue. I am very thankful for that, but at the same time I wish I had already renewed so I could cancel my subscription and include a letter why. I am still considering a letter anyway.
I wanted to pass this along to other mom bloggers so we could spread the word. With this day and age of everyone having to be careful what they say about race, religion and "sexual preference" I think BHG should watch what they publish about breastfeeding seeing how it is protected by law.
Per reader request I'm giving you the contact information to BHG to write or email a letter below.
Meredith Corporation
1716 Locust Street
Des Moines, IA 50309-3023
E-mail: support@bhg.com
Many people are also leaving comments on BHG Facebook page and on Twitter. Feel free to add to these sites as well!!
What do you think?
13 comments:
I agree! I used to breastfeed my daughter in a restroom stall in certain situations, but only because I was able to easily do it standing up and one-handed. But, I don't think anyone should feel pressured to do that. I saw a baby T-shirt somewhere (I can't remember where) that said something like "I'll eat in the bathroom when you do." Great post.
It's probably a single man as the editor that doesn't know any better. Good grief. I think you SHOULD write a letter, oh and dont worry about opportunities to write, you will have plenty magazines nowadays will hound you for YEARS after your subscription ends, SWEARING that you owe them money for them AUTO-renewing your subscription (something I have never seen in their literature anywhere, nor have I found a way to stop them doing it).. I had to move 3 times before a different magazine (rhymes with HeadFook) left me alone.
There was nothing more lonely and depressing than feeding your child in a restroom. I did it once and I just chose not to really go anywhere until I wasn't breaastfeeding anymore...too bad it had to come to that.
Jill, I read the article a few times until I noticed it had the ladies name and photo at the top of the article. She looks really young and I doubt she has any kids. Obviously the way she speaks about kids she couldn't possibly have any kids.
I know how bayctgrl feels and a mother shouldn't have to feel that way! I made a comment on that article as well. Thank you for this post! I thought BH&G had more taste than to let something like this be published!
Wow.... that's bold of BHG, considering it's a "women's" magazine. How completely prehistoric in their thinking...... I think you SHOULD write a letter, and put up their address and I'll write one too!! This is just one of the many examples of why so many women don't feel supported to breastfeed. What a disservice BHG just did to both women and children. Great post.
You should definitely write a letter. Nobody should have to feed their baby in a bathroom. That's nasty. Why do people continue to think there's something "wrong" with breastfeeding? I guess some people are just ignorant.
Oh my gosh, this article has me really mad! I am so shocked that a magazine like BHG would publish such garbage. And then some of the comments...I am steaming! I'll be blogging about this nonsense for sure! Thanks for sharing.
There is a boycott page as well you can find it here and I hope you don't mind i shared your blog with them http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=114939481851554&ref=ts#!/group.php?gid=124124700942548
Thanks for posting this and the contact info I'm definitely going to be sending a letter!
Thank you for posting the contact information! I am going to put info on this into my blog tomorrow www.beforebabyiknewitall.blogspot.com
I used to try and feed in the stalls. However, my son was tiny then and I could stand. However, once he got to be 10 lbs, it killed my back, and I would just prefer not to leave the house I was going to be stuck in bathrooms that were often hot, crowded, and dirty. He ate every 2 hours for up to 45 minutes at a time - so if I left to nurse, I missed my whole meal. I covered up, and trust me we saw more "boobage" from the non-mommies wearing low cut shirts with push-up bras than from nursing mothers.
I just asked for a BHG subscription. Forget that, never again!
I think women should be properly covered when breastfeeding and if they are I don't think women should be condemned for breastfeeding at the table-regardless of where they are. Women keep getting mixed messages about breastfeeding-it is natural and healthy and at the same time told not to do it if they are going to offend someone. Very confusing for new moms!
Hi, Chari,
I'm commenting to let you know we read your post. You're right--the post was entirely inappropriate and should not have been published. Our official apology is here: http://www.facebook.com/notes/better-homes-and-gardens/statement-on-shine-story/397816569478
Again, we are so sorry for posting this and for offending you and your readers.
Best,
Joanna
Joanna Linberg
Assistant Editor
Better Homes and Gardens
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