Imagine this: you work at a restaurant and during your break you head outside. Dad brings your newborn baby to the restaurant and you breastfeed your infant in the car. When your boss finds out, he tells you that you cannot breastfeed during your breaks. You explain that you need to work and you can’t afford to stay on leave until you are done nursing. Unfortunately, your boss is not willing to compromise and you’re fired. Sounds outrageous, right? That’s exactly what happened to Marina Chavez in Los Angeles.
Fortunately for Marina, the Fair Employment and Housing Commission ruled that Acosta Tacos illegally fired her for trying to return to work while she was still nursing her infant. Last month, Marina was awarded money for her lost wages and emotional suffering. The restaurant, Acosta Tacos, was also fined. In all, they had to pay $46,000.
When I see stories like these in the news, I’m not surprised breastfeeding rates are so low in the US. Despite all the evidence showing that breastmilk is best for baby’s health, there are still many obstacles out there for breastfeeding moms. Only 70% of moms are breastfeeding their babies during the first week of life, and only 36% after six months. The numbers are much lower for moms who exclusively breastfeed, although that’s understandable at 6 months when that is the age most babies start solid foods. The AAP suggests exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and that moms should continue to breastfeed up until 12 months. In the US, only 17% of babies are still receiving breastmilk at 12 months.
Obviously, what happened to Marina Chavez is not typical for every breastfeeding mom, but there is still not a whole lot of support for breastfeeding moms in general. It is rare that I find a nursing mother’s room in a public place besides my church. The only other place I can think of is our local Motherhood Maternity store. The manager there always lets mothers know they can use their room in the back to nurse during their visit to the mall. If stores and other public places all set aside a room for mothers to nurse their babies privately, I think the percentages would climb. Almost all public places have a restroom, what’s the big deal about adding a mother’s room?
If you had the power, what changes would you make in our country to support breastfeeding moms?