How dare they think they have the right to "allow" or "disallow" a mother to feed her child? Shame on you, Somerset Collection.

I breast fed all three of my children for the first year of their lives. I never hid in a bathroom or returned to my car to do so. I simply placed a large blanket over myself and my child and DISCREETLY fed them. I was never asked not to do so. I have seen women breastfeed their children in Somerset Mall, and never once have I seen them be asked to stop. Somerset DOES allow breastfeeding, they (as well a most public places) just ask that you are courteous to others and cover yourself so as not to draw attention from a five year old that may not understand what is taking place.
I find it incredibly rude that these women were about to proceed with a breastfeeding flash mob is a place where children ages 0-17 were playing. If they wanted to bring awareness to breastfeeding, why not stage this breastfeeding flash mob at Pea in a Pod or some other maternity store where it is more relevant.

http://www.nursingfreedom.org/2010/08/why-children-should-witness.html

I very much want my 2 year old to witness breastfeeding, the more the better because I want her to know that it's not something that is gross or weird or rude. Far more offensive to me is all the formula ads all over parenting magazines, making formula seem like the normal thing for a baby when, since the beginning of mankind, we have in fact, been breastfeeding our babies. Asking women to hide to do this is weird, and is a sign of a sickness in the way that we think about them.

I'm sorry, but I'm an adult and do not want to see another woman's breast being exposed, even for breastfeeding. If they were about to flash mob covered up, than by all means, but then what would have been the point? I breastfed both of my boys beyond a year, but never did I do so uncovered. Breastfeeding mothers should be respected, but they should also respect others that may not see things eye-to-eye.

Crista, what is wrong with a 5 year old knowing what is going on? They'll no doubt walk past Victoria's Secret, and even Abercrombie, etc. and see much worse images in the store windows. But it is somehow wrong for a 5 year old to witness a woman feeding her child in a natural way? I really have a hard time wrapping my head around that. I also have a problem with the term flash mob. That's just me though. Semantics I know, but why does it have to be referred to as a mob? It's not like they were going to be running you down and shoving their boobs in your face. They were no doubt planning on sitting as a group and feeding their little ones, if the children wanted to. I think nursing is something that needs more attention, just to make people aware again that it is a natural thing. Women's breasts have been oversexualized in our modern culture and it is a shame. Obviously there is a place for that, and there is nothing wrong with the sexualization of breasts in a private setting. But the fact is, that 5 year old that you are worried about is made more aware of breasts being sexual objects, than he/she is aware that they are a part of nourishment and life sustaining for an infant. That is an important thing to me for them to learn. Not what all the stores are showing in their windows as you walk around the mall. God forbid they see what breasts are actually, anatomically, scientifically for...

They were nursing their babies, not auditioning for girls gone wild. There was no wild boob flashing, just moms peacefully feeding their children.

Somehow I think that the Sommerset Collection may end up having more demonstrators of offended nursing Moms, than LOWES will have demonstrating Muslims.

Okay you don't want to see a woman feed her baby, keep walking! Look away! People get so upset about being discreet or not - There are a lot of potentially bothersome acts that happen in public (I don't believe feeding your baby is one of them but if you do) just move on. If you feel uncomfortable it is about you! A mother feeding her baby is literally the most natural thing in the world.

I don't want to see a woman exposing her nipples in public. It's a personal matter and not for onlookers. Let's face it, it's too sexual. Nor would I want a man to expose his you know what in public. Same difference.

I've never seen a breastfeeding mother do anything offensive. Some people are offended by the idea of breastfeeding. I once had a distant family member say she was offended if I breastfed in another room for privacy, telling me "We all still know what you're doing in there!" lol

What has this world come to? Women have breasts to breastfeed! And come on, you cannot compare a breast to a penis! I've seen many mama's breastfeeding and I've never seen a nipple. Big deal if you did. Maybe if we taught our children what breasts were actually for this would no longer be such a big deal.

By law nursing mothers don't have to care about what you think is descreet or decent. It's so sad that women are the ones that have issues with breastfeeding. I don't cover while feeding my 17 month old my shirt covers more than enough. Breast are NOT genitals and are not meant to be sexual. They are meant to attract a man and then feed the babies a woman has with the man. Private properties are not exempt from laws. If the mall told a black or handicapped person to leave the person would have grounds to sue. Laws in MI have not been passed protecting breastfeeding mothers from this kind of nonsense as of yet, but it will happen. The Detroit area seems especially ignorant on the topic of breastfeeding... very sad for the children in that area of MI.

I breastfed both of my sons until they two years old. I did so if I was gathered with my mom friends at the park or at a family function. If I would be out shopping I would take pumped milk in a bottle only because I am very large chested and I found it very hard to nurse very comfortably out and about. I see nothing wrong with breastfeeding in public. It is EVERY mother's right to do so if she so desires. As Jill said, if you don't like it then "keep walking." My 5 year old has seen women breastfeeding on countless occasions and never seems bothered by it at all. He knows that the breast is where "milky" comes from and that's it.

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my daughter in law is breast feeding and she is one that does it anywhere now her three year old goes around saying i want to feed him with my boobie and shell ask strangers if they have boobies to feed her brother. now when she feeds him we leave the room. and im for breast feeding the right way

Jeez anything for attention. THIS ISN'T A CASE OF FEEDING YOU'RE HUNGRY CHILD, they were INTENTIONALLY making a 'SCENE' from doing so. THERE's a HUGE difference. THis wasn't a single baby crying for food, heck who can say ANY of the children NEEDED to be fed, but instead these women seem to thinks it's okay to GROUP together and show off some 'breast feeding'. GIVE ME A BREAK. Feed your kid I don't care, but come on do you REALLY need to try and garner publicity for it by GROUPING a bunch of breasts together and feed kids? Yeah I agree with the mall I would have done the same thing, get a life! Feed your kid or don't but don't try to garner attention for it!!!!

Its absolutely astonishing how many people compare breastfeeding to defecating. Maybeeee your mother should have breastfed you, then you'd have the IQ points to differentiate between the two.

Breastfeeding is natural. It is NORMAL. Breastmilk has no toxins, no bug parts, no germs. It has everything your baby needs and it grows with your baby.

We let our children see women scantily clad at the beach, at the mall, in the movies. But heavens forbid a woman breastfeeds, then its inappropriate and gross. That is SAD.

Jeremy-LOL
A Flash Mob is meant to get attention. So why do something that should be discrete? Yes, it should be done discretely out of respect for others around you. It has nothing to do with being legal. I'm nursing my 4th child and have no problem with anyone knowing what I'm doing, but I still do it discretely. And sometimes when the baby is fussing, you may expose yourself to the crowd, it does happen. Grow up and have respect for others!

Look folks if you want to feed the kid in public, yeah whatever. But as someone who's worked retail for over twenty odd years, I think the issue is that there are women (and yes, I've seen them) who decide that the whole world needs to see their boobs - and when I mean 'see' I mean the whole breast! If you want to breastfeed the kid I've got no real issue with it but a little common courtesy especially in places like a bookstore or a music store is what most people would like to see, so how about a blanket or shawl to discreetly cover up? It makes things less stressful for the baby especially in a busy store, the mom still breastfeeds the kid but everything's discreet and no one complains (or rarely complains). And to those of you who're complaining about formula for babies, I (and I know of others who were) was allergic to my mother's milk and formula was what worked for me. Don't slam formula feeding as being bad; not all women want to feed their baby breast milk for any number of reasons. Feed your kid whatever works best for them be it breast milk or formula or both.

Karen, you seem a little confused about breastfeeding vs. urination. Do you see anyone carrying bottles of urine around to feed to their babies? No? Well that's because it's not the same thing. The number of women breastfeeding 50 years ago was pretty dismal, but has been increasing again, slowly. This is because women, like these mamas, have been working towards change. Moms can work now and still breastfeed, as workplaces understand that healthy babies mean fewer sick days, lower health care costs, and less of a staff turnover, and are coming around in supporting their breastfeeding moms. None of this would have happened if moms didn't demand it. And as for your idea of La Leche League, you are sadly misinformed. It's a group of moms who support one another, just like we used to do in society. They serve juice, fruit, and crackers, and there's usually small children there. It looks like any other mom's group, in fact, and functions just the same. No mama should feel ashamed of the way they nourish their baby. The formula feeding mom OR the breastfeeding mom. No one would have blinked if those moms has all been feeding from a bottle, nor should they. And moms nursing their babies should be left alone, too.

This is a little much. I am a mother of a 4 year old and a 6 month old. I Breastfeed my 6 month old and have never been asked to not do so in public. It sounds to me, that she was asked to stop when she was breastfeeding while she was shopping. This is wrong. Organizing a "flash mob" and breastfeeding just because, is wrong.
If we want to gain respect of other, do not do this. Feeding your child while you are out shopping or whatever is one thing, organizing a flash mob is another.

Will someone please get this ignorant and rude creep Adam Dray off this blog? Adam, please get help. You have serious anger and God knows what else issues.

Wow this is nuts....Moms feed your child before you leave, and pump a few bottles for later..Simple as that

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I am a big supporter of being able to breast feed wherever that may be. What I don't understand is planning a flash mob. Did one of the 11 women who showed up to participate have a problem at Somerset specifically or was this simply a general fight for breast-feeding? The flash mob, it would seem, would have a more meaningful impact if it targeted somewhere known to give breast-feeding moms trouble, such as in this case last year: http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2009/12/mother_says_she_was_kicked_out.html, in which a Target employee called police about a woman breastfeeding her child while shopping.

I don't have a problem with women breast feeding in public. I have problem when the child is a 1 year old. Isn't that a little old?

My problem with all this is: Women who breastfeed their child is fine BUT dont u dare try to make women who DONT breastfeed feel guilty or tell them they are a bad mom and the same with women who DONT breastfeed . We should be supporting each other NOT putting down each other choices.

If MEN were not so obsessed with women's breasts, there would be no problem with breast-feeding....I wonder how THEY were fed as infants!

they should have done it anyway.

I breast fed all 5 of my children during a time when most mothers did not. I breast fed without most people even knowing that was what I was doing. My baby was hungry and I did not make a big deal out of it. For the parent who says they want their child to watch breastfeeding...find a friend who will let her watch. Do not encourager people to flash their breasts around for other people to see, it is not necessary to expose yourself to feed your child. Why would you want to? Seems to me these women have a real need to have their breasts exposed rather than feed their children...stupid...

From now on I am going to stop and stare at every women I see breastfeeding and if you dont like it then leave. It's my right to observe anything I want to in public, and if that means I get to see some boobies for free, then WAHOOO? LOL, not really sexually attracted to women breastfeeding. Just want to prove a point that doing so in this manner by doing a breastfeeding flash mob is doing nothing but begging for attention. Do you people really think having a group breastfeeding session in a public mall isn't begging for attention?

I'm confused by how breast feeding is sexual. It's feeding a baby. Breasts can be used for different things, just like hands. Are hands too sexual for public? What about lips? They can be used for sexual purposes too. Oh,and some men find legs sexy...we should all just completely cover up with gloves and long dresses, and probably head scarves since some men find hair sexy... Where will it end?

Well, Chris, if someone points and stares and laughs, perhaps other people will realize what a pervert they are and call the cops ... when a person is obnoxious, society will usually take care of it. However, feeding a child is NOT being obnoxious, albeit doing so draped is usually preferable. A "flash mob" or protesting in public is seen to be impolite, and that's essentially what they are trying to achieve -- attention for a cause or just attention for it's own sake -- whatever. I would hate to be that mall owner now ... it must be hard to try and keep the peace (i.e., the middle road) amongst such strong feelings as has been expressed here.

For G-d's sake - women do not have a right to bear their breasts in public - regardless of the reason. Women do have a right to breastfeed in public - if they can accommodate the task without exposing themselves. Otherwise - make other arrangements. Using breastfeeding and children as a tactic to strong arm merchants is ridiculous. Their cause would have been better served by meeting with the management of the facility and explaining their needs to have a private place to breastfeed. Most establishments are anxious to accommodate their guests and this might have been a better way to resolve the issue. With regard to the issue of this being a teaching tool of some sort to youngsters - that's fine WITH the permission of the youngster's parents or guardians in a private venue. Breastfeeding mothers do not have the right to dictate morals to others regarding nudity....If the intent of these mothers is to teach youngsters that you can do what you want, when you want regardless of others - then maybe they need to think a little bit more about having children and alot more about raising them.

Breastfeeding should be a private, special time between mom and baby, not in public. I didn't breastfeed my kids and I don't want to see someone breastfeeding their child. We have become so careful about what we can and can't do or what we can say or can't say as a society. Keep nursing at home and spend quality time with your baby.

In my opinion I think breastfeeding should be between a mother and her child.... not for the whole world to see. That's a time for bonding. I wouldn't want to share that with strangers.

Breastfeeding through the ages has always been normal and done in public. If you google "breastfeeding art" you will see painting after painting through the ages of women breastfeeding their babies, including Mary breastfeeding the baby Jesus. Women are portrayed breastfeeding in the fields as they work, in public squares... it was a very normal part of life, and as it was the subject of much art, it stands to reason that it was seen as natural and beautiful. It is unfortunate that so many people these days cannot see breastfeeding for how lovely and special it is, and that it causes so much controversy. It is eating, plain and simple. For adults, we celebrate eating in public. We build veritable temples to eating. We watch TV shows dedicated to the process of eating food. Yet babies are expected to be hidden away when they eat the way they are supposed to.

Just getting a chance to read this article now..........and although I support breastfeeding in public - there are ways to be discreet (slings, coverups etc), also Michigan law does not state that it is illegal, I want to make it known that Mary Napoli is not with Peaceful Birthing, nor did Peaceful Birthing orchestrate the flash mob. Not sure how my business name became affilated with this story. Please make this known to your readers. Thanks
www.yourpeacefulbirthing.com

As a mother who nursed all my children ,I cannot imgaine why a mother would think she needs to expose herself and her child in the public to peoples germs and noise .Both would do better in a more private and relaxed situation .

Be classy. Get a cover-up. Stop doing these retarded flash mobs and focus on your family, not on breastfeeding in public for all to see. I'd be pissed if I were one of your husbands. What a disgrace! YOU DON"T BREAST FEED, IN PUBLIC, IN A HUGE GROUP! There's something wrong with you people. Especially when you do it in a huge circle.. Lock em up!

I will never go to Somerset mall again. Not because of the people that work there that kicked these dumb women out but because of the people kind of people that go here. These women weren't even shopping. They wanted attention and got it. Shame on these women, for taking their God given right, out of context. A normal mom will not gather round with a bunch of women and say, "Hey, let's go to a HUGE public place, and breastfeed for all to see, because we have the right!!" Who are these women?!? Go get a freaking job.. You must be bored so you feel the need to whip your boob out in a public place, in front of Santa's castle, where other kids are, and are forced to see your nastiness.. How dare you! I'd kick you out too and never let you back into that mall ever again. Grow up! No one cares whether you breastfeed or not but COVER YOURSELF UP! That's why people get uncomfortable. And just because babies get hungry, at their own times, then be a mom! Get organized and come prepared with either a bottle or a cover-up garment, and stop doing it for ALL TO SEE! Good grief! It's women like them that makes this gift a completely, disgusting act. I'd be extremely uncomfortable if I were to see any woman breastfeeding in public with no cover-up on. It's wrong.

Most people I know expect others to be descrete about things in public. Yet I often am offended by woman who wear clothes so tight you see the outlines of their private areas or they show their breasts and mid riff what's the big deal As my father taught me and my husband often tells me : modesty is more sexy then exposure . Why do t these woman wish to drive drive great distances to expose themselves in the mall . I agree cover yourself be descrete .

The comments on this thread make me sick. Does this mall have a Victoria's Secret? If so, I'm quite certain there are many displays of uncovered breasts in the mall. Please, those of you who are so prudish as to demand women to cover, I hope you are also complaining about those displays.
My child is breastfed. My child doesn't need bottles, nor does he need a cover because *you* think he should. I don't eat my food in a bathroom, and I am FEEDING him, not eliminating on him, so enough with the food/feces comparisons. What I do with my breasts is simply none of your business. I find many, many more offensive people out shopping than the typical breastFEEDing mother.
And by the way, we happen to have a right to flash our breasts as much as we chose, previous poster. We cannot be ticketed for indecent exposure for FEEDing our children. We have that right.

Every day we lose more freedom in this country. Every day. If it doesn't scare you, it should.

Brad This is not about freedom . It is about modestly . Women have feed their children in public for many years the just used modest methods . Also individual freedom ends where anothers begins . That was decided by the supreme court shortly after the consitution was signed . Thats why one should be modest in public .

the people that complain about a woman breastfeeding in public are just ridiculous. There is more exposure on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine, or at the beach, or walking down the street in summer than there is when a mother feeds her child. To the people that insist a mother should feed their child at home, get real! you don't control when a child is hungry. The next time you're out and get hungry, make sure you go home to eat. or take your food to the public bathroom for those of you that think a mother could or should feed her child out of your vision. Why is it ok for a woman to wear a bikini, or a low cut top with half of her breast exposed, but it's not ok for a mother to feed her child in public? I have never, ever seen a mother take her shirt off, or completely expose her breast in order to feed her child. That is why they make the nursing bras and nursing tops. All of you holier-than-thou self righteous people need to grow up already.

I've been reading all these comments, most of which seem to miss the point. The flash mob was a deliberate attempt to make a mockery out of the process. There isn't much way that can be disputed.

Most kids are fed on a schedule so it's not like there is an "oops, time to suckle the tot" moment here. A lot of kids are fed breakfast or lunch at home before Mom totes them off for a day of productive shopping.

I think events in a mall courtyard would be something that's promoted as entertaining for the customers. A flash mob of breastfeeders could be considered less entertainment than a distraction -- and clearly it's not a pleasant distraction for everyone, considering the comments here. Considering that, the mall's objective is to make a profit, not create friction with the customers.

The issue here, as I see it, isn't about how you should feed your children, where or even how ... but the flash mob was at best childish, boorish and contrived. There are places to breastfeed in that mall, but a dozen women gathering up their tots, floppin' out the old milk jug and making mockery of it in a flash mob, sorry, I can't support that.

Let's see ... we have a mayor who openly flaunts her bigotry against the GLBT community, and now one of the largest business owners of Troy has discriminated against womens' rights to feed their babies in public; based not upon their own policies or upon the law, but upon their arbitrary objection to the particular circumstances under which the women in question chose to excercise their rights. I think there is a case, here, to challenge in court whether or not a business owners' discretion can override established state laws, let alone contradict their own policies. There are plenty of precedences set for state and federal jurisdiction over-riding discriminatory and unevenly enforced business practices. Personal or proprietary offense felt over an individual's choice to exercise their rights as guaranteed by law is NOT a sufficient excuse to discriminate against any individual or group of individuals.

Well, as long as the lawyers benefit, that's all that mattered in the first place.

There are plenty of nice lounges at Somerset Collection for mothers to use for nursing their babies. They are set up with a nice sofa and lounge area for just that reason. Why in the world would you want to sit on a hard bench in the middle of a mall to nurse your child. So many distractions and not at all comforting for the infant or that fact the mother. When a normal person nurses they don't call their friends and set up a nursing party they find a nice relaxing spot and nurse the baby.

Oh please, Johnu1! If human rights weren't violated on a daily basis in this country, the lawyers would be out of work in fairly short order. And clearly, Johnu1, you know nothing of breastfeeding or you'd realize that nursing babies is done on demand, not on a schedule.

It doesn't really matter to me whether this was an organized demonstration or just a group of nursing moms whose babies all coincidentally cried to be fed at the same time. The ignorance of our culture in viewing the natural act of a woman breastfeeding a baby as offensive is something worth protesting! There are plenty of shops in the Collection that display images of unnaturally thin, tall teenaged female and male models, intended by fashion marketing media experts to represent "sex that sells" without a thought to the negative messages such images send to young men and women in our culture. For decades, the proliferation of such images have influenced teenagers towards anorexic/bulemic behaviors, and they continue to encourage stereotyping women as "sex objects" for the viewing pleasure of men. This is far more offensive and damaging to our culture than the sight of a mother breastfeeding her baby, and does nothing to promote healthy "family values"

Public breastfeeding has only been become "unfashionable" during the last century or so, out of thousands of years of human civilzation, Perhaps those who feel offended by the sight of a mother nursing her child should rethink their own value systems.

LOL I think people are just getting bent out of shape because the term flash mob is being used. Flash mob is just a sensationalistic term. If they had called it a sit in or some other term . . .

Women expose their breasts darn near completely just through revealing clothing at the mall (esp in the summer time), I dare say that most women who breastfeed are covered up more than the average teen or women who dresses provocatively.

I think most people just don't want to think about blurring the line between mom breasts and sexy breasts, it should be one or the other *sarcasm* and apparently Americans can't handle the thought of a breast being both.

Sure I got a couple stares will accidentally exposing myself juggling baby, blanket and breast but you know I just glared right back. Piss off if you can't handle my motherly breasts and yes I would join in with other mothers and breastfeed publicly at a mall, I would be discrete about it but then again what mom wouldn't?

Oh and my husband thoroughly enjoyed my enlarged milky breasts when I was breastfeeding (breastfeeding breast can be sexy!) and if some insane man like Chris tried to overtly stare at me while I was breastfeeding in public, well let's just say my husband would be the smuggest man in jail that day for defending his wife and her right to breastfeeding public without being gawked at by an idiotic wanker.

Yes, women should always cover their breasts in public. But I am having a hard time with the people who say women should NEVER nurse in public, even when covered. Have you ever tried pumping a bottle? It can take a day or two of pumping to get one small bottle (some women just don't get much when they pump). Not to mention, if you are out for more than a couple hours without nursing it gets painful and can mess up your milk supply if you don't nurse or pump. And you certainly can't pump in public! Women who are discreet and covered should not be made to feel they are doing something wrong for feeding their baby.

I agree women be able to breastfeed in public,they are just feeding their baby,if you don't have to look.Ive seen women breastfeed in public and it didn't bother me a bit if women want to breastfeed in public i say go for it.