Politics & Government

Breastfeeding Ordinance Advances

Supporters said a local ordinance would give nursing mothers a place to turn if their rights are violated - and, hopefully, increase public acceptance of breastfeeding.

Vonna DeArmond had had a bad day.

Though normally assertive and confident, she wasn't in the mood to deal with the sidelong looks and mouths twisted in disapproval. But her baby was hungry and she was out shopping in downtown Doylestown, so she did the only thing she felt she could do.

"I remember going into (a store) and going into the changing room because I just didn’t feel comfortable. I was afraid of what’s going to be said to me," said DeArmond, who has lived in Doylestown since about 1993. "I've never had a business say anything directly to me, but there’s this tone. We’ve gotta change the culture."

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DeArmond was one of about a dozen women who went to Doylestown Borough Hall Thursday night to support a proposed change in local ordinances that would support breastfeeding mothers. At the end of the meeting, the committee voted unanimously to recommend that Doylestown Borough Council amend its anti-discrimination ordinance to include breastfeeding mothers in areas of public accomodation.

The addition would mean breastfeeding mothers who were harassed or asked to cover up or to leave a public place like a shop or restaurant could file a complaint with the borough. The borough's human relations officer would then investigate and, if warranted, bring the parties together to try to resolve the dispute.

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Some council members questioned how effective the ordinance would be, since it does not provide for any punishment or fines for businesses that break the law.

But Doylestown Borough solicitor David Conn, who researched the law and drafted the ordinance, said smaller suburban towns like Doylestown don't always have to resort to that approach. The "public shaming" that would come from a complaint against a business probably would be disincentive enough, he said.

"We all are neighbors, we all know our business owners," Conn said, adding that the public shaming "does have an effect. You don’t necessarily need fines and penalties to get the job done."

By laying out a mechanism to collect and investigate complaints, the local ordinance would provide legal protections for breastfeeding mothers that they don't have at the state level, said Jake Marcus, an attorney who specializes in breastfeeding laws.

"I helped draft the original version of the state law, and wept as it was destroyed on the state floor," she said.

"There is no right (to breastfeed). That’s what you really need to understand," she said, adding "The current Pennsylvania "Freedom to Breastfeed" act is empty words."

Not everyone agrees the local ordinance is necessary.

"Government shouldn’t be involved with legislation unless there’s a demonstrated need," said Chip Thome, a former president of borough council. "I’ve been around here all my life, and I know most if not all the shop keepers and I feel relatively confident that they do not discriminate against breastfeeding mothers."

Council member Joan Doyle said she supports breastfeeding but doesn't see the need for an amendment to the anti-discrimination ordinance, which was passed to provide legal protection to gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual individuals.

"I do not see a clamor or a crying from people in this community" for a breastfeeding law, Doyle said.

Borough business owners Jona Franklin, of Lillies of the Field, and Nerice Kendter, of Busy Bee Toys, said they would welcome a movement to make women more comfortable feeding their babies in public.

'As a former breastfeeding mother 10 years ago, and a business owner for 5 years, I didn’t even know there was a state law," Kendter said.

"I wish this was a non-issue. I will happily be sharing these with my fellow business owners in town," she said, waving cards that read "Doylestown Borough Breastfeeding Friendly."

Lyn McNair, the lactation consultant at Doylestown Hospital, said she does hear complaints and concerns from mothers about nursing in public.

Susan Grau, who was a labor and delivery nurse for 20 years, said discussions of public breastfeeding usually neglect the most important person involved - the child.

"What a fantastic idea to think that each child has the right to eat the way they need to eat for their health," said Grau, praising council members for tackling the issue.

Doylestown Borough Council is expected to consider the amendment at its next meeting, August 20 at 7 p.m. at .


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