Inappropriate?

by Stafford Kendall

I was in Florida at an exclusive *expensive* resort community swimming in the resort pool with my daughter. My son was asleep in the condo, so my husband was waiting upstairs and planned to come down whenever he woke up.

When my son and my husband joined me and my daughter at the pool, my son immediately said "boobies!" Looking around there were 4 or 5 groups of people in the pool, a family, a group of teenage boys, a lady sun tanning and another group of adults. I decided the teenagers probably couldn't handle it, so I picked up my son and went over to the very secluded hot tub.

A man who was with his wife and two children immediately got out of the pool and came over to where we were nursing. He said, "My wife and I have nursed two children, and I just have to say what you're doing is completely inappropriate. Nursing a child where we bathe! I'm not going to do anything about it (like what would he do???!!), but I just wanted you to know that what you're doing is wrong."

I responded "Wow" as he walked away before I could come up with anything more. I wondered was he offended because I didn't whip them out in front of him? Because my child was 2? I hope I never see him again, so I'll never know.

I've nursed both of my children for the last 6 years and never felt so out of place. I've nursed in the state capitol, my work, public parks, at parades (we're from Louisiana) and never has anyone ever approached me in the very conservative state I'm from. I've gotten some dirty looks, but never been told that what I was doing was "wrong."

Please - we need a nationwide Right to Nurse Act if we're ever to become a civilized society.