Breastfeeding in Bathrooms...

by cognac 26 Replies latest jw friends

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  cognac

  The Natick, MA assemble hall used to have it's own room for breastfeeding mothers. They changed this room to the Accounting room or something like that and now have seats available for breastfeeding INSIDE THE BATHROOM.

  There is one other small room available for breastfeeding but they close that off when the baptism is going on. Needless to say, I used to get so pissed off that they actually wanted me to breastfeed in the bathroom that I would threaten to a brother that I would take my boob out in front of everybody and that is there problem because breastfeeding in a bathroom is unsanitary.

  One year they put me in some backroom. One year they weren't quick enough so I actually did it and another brother who noticed (cause of course I did this in the lobby) almost had heart failure and ran up to another brother to discuss. One sister was trying to cover me but she couldn't actually touch my child with a blanket cause my kid would whip it away. And one year I just breastfed in my seat.

  Nothing makes the brothers fix things faster then when you threaten, or actually do whip your boob out.

  Anyone else have experiences like this? Or, any other funny assembly stories for that matter?
• 

  nonjwspouse

  I hadn't really thought much about it until now. I didn't look at faces of the people around me so I don't know how it was taken, but when my child was young, and at one of the few Memorials I attended with my husband ( for the sake of his Mother he said then) I nursed her in my seat. She was also over a year old, which is also not so well accepted by unlearned people in the US. I am pretty discreat about it so unless you were staring at me you wouldn't know.I wonder if anyone complained? If so I never knew about it. Good thing, because I'm rather vocal about defending the rights of a nursing Mom.

  I absolutly REFUSE to go into a bathroom to nurse my child. If someone suggested it I would tell them to go eat thier lunch in there.
• 

  yourmomma

  not with breast feeding, but within the past few years some JW's with kids have told us that at the assemblies they have no longer allowed mothers to walk around the corrider (again this is assemblies not conventions) with their children. so she tells me she's out with her toddler who was fussy in the corrider, a brother comes up and tells her that she cant be out here with her, and to go into the bathroom. she is confused and complies and when she goes in, its like packed like sardines with other moms with children, it was insane. so she then proceeds to leave the bathroom and goes outside with her kid, and the brothers come up to her and tell her she cant be out here with the child and to go into the bathroom. she then proceeds to get her husband and they leave. this was one of the many reasons they no longer go.

  they are just an insane cult at this point.
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  Simon

  I remember the last assembly we attended. My wife was heavily pregnant (due in a couple of weeks) and it was incredibly hot and humid (they probably skimped on turning on any air-con or fans) so we went to walk around for a bit.

  After a shile we came across an empty chair so naturally, she sat down. Oh dear.

  Up comes a brown-shirt with fresh-authrotiy bestowed upon him "that chair is for attendants only".

  I put my face up to his and told him to F off. I really don't think he was expecting that.

  A short whie later, instead of going the bazzilion steep stadium steps down to our seats I decided it would be safer to go in the elevator / lift and walk up a shorter distance. Again, we were told that we couldn't use it, and it was for attendants only. "sStop me" I said. They didn't.

  It's amazing how they treat people, especially mothers to be and nursing mums or any parents with small children. After all, you've already made an incredible effort to get there and sit through their boring meeting but I think they decide you still haven't quite suffered enough.

  And at the time, we put up with it.
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  Giordano

  I have never thought about this issue as my wife and I refused to bring up our child as a JW and left decades ago.

  But it reminds me once again how anti family the society really is. Who else would dream up a ban on blood transfusions, discourage higher learning and persist in reaching people in field service when hardly anyone responds to them.

  They really have nothing to offer families.
• 

  mamochan13

  Well, I used to breastfeed in public, but I believe in being discreet. There is no need for anyone to even know what you are doing if you cover yourself. Yes, breastfeeding is a woman's right, and a necessity, but it doesn't have to be done in a way that offends other people. I often breastfed in the front row of the hall, and I'm pretty sure no one ever guessed.

  They are really quite dumb when it comes to mothers and children, though. I can see setting up an area in a back room, but the bathroom is just ridiculous, unless it's one of those fancy upper-class types with a sitting area. They like to make things as difficult as possible for mothers with small children. I think it's one of their loyalty and endurance tests.
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  nugget

  I totally agree with you about feeding in bathrooms it is unsanitary. No one else would think eating their lunch in a bathroom was acceptable. Assemblies are no place for pregnant women and babies. I breastfed both of mine and at the da they used the players locker room. It was barely passable since the baby change was in the same area with all the stinky nappies in bins.

  Only men would make such an arrangement. Since I no longer attend I have no idea what they did this year since they changed venue.
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  DesirousOfChange

  Booths built from ply-wood sheeting is what is erected loccally at Dist Conv for breastfeeding mothers. How archaic is this? They are DECADES behind mainstream society. No wonder there are all the sexual hang-ups among the JW crowd. And surely, please tell me that only in America do these Puritanical ideas still surface.

  From Wiki: "In the United States, the federal government and the majority of states have enacted laws specifically protecting nursing mothers from harassment by others."

  Glad to hear a few people had the "balls" to stand up to them!

  Doc
• 

  Glander

  And at the time, we put up with it....Simon

  LOL - though it sounds like you had a spirit of rebellion even then!

  Nothing is more of a threat to the JW cult than people who call them out.
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  3dogs1husband

  http://www.nursinginpublic.com/breastfeeding-laws-and-codes/canada/breastfeeding-rights-in-british-columbia-canada/