A lady and her husband and baby were eating at burger king. The lady started to nurse her baby, fully covered. One of the employees came up and said she would have to go do it in the bathroom or leave the restaurant. This happened right here in "happy valley" Utah.

Burger King actually has no policy regarding breastfeeding.

I feel so bad for the mother. She was on the news and was so embarrased over what had happened. She said she won't ever eat there again. And, she also said that she may not breastfeed in public again.

While I don't really have a "position" on breastfeeding in public, it doesn't bother me. I see it all the time at the malls and at nicer restaurants than Burger King. I admire the mothers who do breastfeed in public. I don't know if I would have the guts to do it or not. But, I've never breastfed one of my kids...so that maybe would change things.

By Gammiejoan on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 06:10 pm:

Of course, I don't know the details of this particular incident; but it always upsets me when I hear of something such as this. In my opinion, this is just one example of some of the things that are wrong in our society. Practically every time I go out I see women dressed in a sexually provocative manner. They go into restaurants or anywhere else they want to go, and no one says anything. Some of the same people who would criticize a woman for breastfeeding her baby in a public place see absolutely nothing wrong with women dressing provocatively. I for one do not feel that a woman should have to go to the bathroom to feed her child. It is possible to breastfeed a baby in a room full of people without exposing oneself. People need to get their priorities in order. I certainly hope this incident doesn't cause the woman to quit breastfeeding her child in public. In my opinion she has every right to continue to do so. I wouldn't be surprised, however, if there are as many people who disagree as agree. I will be interested in hearing the opinions of the other moms on this site although I doubt if the opinions of the moms on here will be representative of the general public.

By Sunny on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 06:33 pm:

I've heard of stories like this before and it always makes me angry. It really is a sad reflection on our society when we ask moms to go in the bathroom to nurse their babies. Would you ask the same of an infant feeding from a bottle? Of course not, but a baby sucking on a part of the body that society (generally) views as sexual should, as some people might think, be done behind closed doors. Bull****. The only difference I see is the method of delivery.

This really is a sore subject for me. I wish there was a national law to protect women who choose to nurse in public. As it is, there are a few states with some laws already in place, but sadly, my home state isn't one of them.

http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/breast50.htm

By Mommyathome on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 07:44 pm:

Here's an update. The mother and father wrote a letter to BK asking for an apology. BK made a formal apology over the TV, and the first time the mother and father saw the apology was on their evening news. I guess nothing was sent to them in the mail.
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Here is the link with the update: http://kutv.com/topstories/local_story_317100632.html

Here is what it says(in case you don't want to follow the link):
An apology from Burger King was a little bland for one Utah family's taste.

Catherine and Michael Geary feel an apology issued in a prepared release from the fast-foot giant does not make up for sending an employee to tell Catherine Geary to nurse her child in the restroom instead of the dining room of a suburban Salt Lake City restaurant.

The Gearys sent a letter to the Burger King Corp. on Wednesday, saying they are frustrated with the company's issuance of a ``blanket apology,'' which ``might just as well be apologizing to the patron who complained about the breast-feeding, or even a patron at the drive-through whose order may have been delayed due to the drive-through employee being sent to talk to us.''

The Gearys also said Burger King got the date wrong. It was Nov. 8, not the 10th as suggested in the apology, that a female employee of a Burger King in Sandy asked Geary to use the restaurant's bathroom to finish nursing, the family said.

``As the restroom in the facility is made up of two walls, a sink and an air hand dryer, it did not seem a suitable place to nurse a child,'' the letter said. ``We feel that the only real option given to us was to leave the restaurant.''

Burger King has said the employee was acting on a customer complaint.

Michael Geary told the Deseret Morning News he'd like to see Burger King clarify where it stands on mothers nursing in restaurants.

``If they don't want mothers nursing in their restaurants, well, I think that's something that ought to be made public so that consumers can respond with their patronage, or lack of patronage,'' Geary said.

The Gearys want a specific policy for or against breast-feeding from Burger King and a section in the employee manual explaining how to appropriately and discreetly handle similar situations.

``We have asked for nothing more than an apology for the way that Catherine and our family were treated . . . and are disappointed by their response to this date,'' added the Gearys, who said they may ``escalate'' the issue if the fast-food company doesn't comply with their requests.


Copyright © 2000 The Associated Press


I can't find the link with the original story. It should be on that same site somewhere though.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 08:13 pm:

For the record, I nursed by younger daughter at the Burger King in Marshfield, WI as my older daughter played. I was in the play area and none of those parents cared!

I would much rather see a woman nursing her baby than have to listen to a hungry baby complain loudly about not being fed. In fact, I think I saw more than one woman nursing a baby at our local Burger King and no one said boo.

I just hate when stuff like this happens. It was breasts were made for after all.

By Feona on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 08:13 am:

Really a corporation can't make an apology. It isn't a person just a business. The person who asked the women to go into the bathroom should have apologized.


Once a company did something to me, the owner hired someone to call me and apologize. That isn't an apology. They paid someone to apologize to me. Not even the person that insulted me.

By Insaneusmcwife on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 04:12 pm:

So Burger King, a place you go to EAT is telling a mother who is FEEDING her child that she has to go in the BATHROOM to FEED her child...Hmmm...that is interesteing...would this person that is suggesting she take it into the bathroom, which is not all that sanitary and probably stinks, eat in the bathroom themself? I didn't nurse my ds but I did nurse my dd. If she was hungry I fed her, end of story. I didn't go anwhere special to feed her, as long as we were comfortable that is where I fed her. I did wear shirts that were designed for nursing and still covered her with a blanket...mainly to keep her warm but also so that I didn't expose myself. I could see if the person complaing was offended because the mother was exposing herself. Then I think it would have been appropriate for Management to very politely and very quietly ask the mother to please cover herself a little better because it was offending some of the other customers. I have heard of places, mainly on and around the base ask people who are dressed very revealing to leave, but they also post a dress code. I know some fast food chains like Wienersnitzle have stickers in thier window that say "We encourage breastfeeding." If Burger King has a problem with it then I agree they need to make it clear whether or not nursing is acceptable in their establishment so that we the consumers, can decide to eat there or not.

By Fraggle on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 05:32 pm:

With first DD I generally did not breastfeed her in public-I guess I just wasn't that comfortable with it. But when I had second DD we got out of the house a lot for my own sanity and I nursed her in lots of places-never had anyone say anything to me and I feel awful for this woman in Burger King. In respect for other people, I did usually try to pick a quieter and more secluded spot than in the middle of the mall or something but I would NEVER feed my baby in a public restroom-gross-where are you supposed to sit-on a toilet! I think that people who are offended by a person nursing a baby in public probably should just mind their own business-unless you sit there staring at someone the whole time they are nursing-you are probably not going to see anything "offensive" anyways.

By Annie2 on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 10:45 pm:

I have four kids. I nursed in public everyday and never had a complaint or an awkward glance my way. I would shop and nurse, if I had to, at times. Covered, of course. If someone looked my way I would smile back and say hello. I didn't think rude comments about nursing happened anymore.
I certainly hope this doesn't turn into a lawyer fueled issue to sue Bk out of billions of dollars.
Keep us posted

By Mommymindy on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 - 01:07 pm:

I hope she does sue BK. How embarassing!!! I'd be so pi**ed!!! I would have asked to see a manager & let them have it. Not rudely, but I would have told them that my child needs to eat & what is offensive about a baby eating. I didn't nurse in public because I couldn't do it so suavely like I see some moms. It wasn't ever as easy for me s just throwing a blanket over my shoulder & putting the baby on. Maybe that was just me, but I would go to the car or just plan it. It was awkward sometimes, but worth it to me to give them those few months of breastfeeding!

By Mommyathome on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 - 02:31 pm:

I agree Annie, regarding the lawsuit issue, and it seems as if there won't be one. The mom isn't like that...very quiet, reserved, just a normal mom. Not wanting a lot of attention over the whole thing. All they asked for was an apology from Burger King, which they finally got. Also, BK's around the state have now made a policy regarding breastfeeding that is posted at every BK. It says that as long as it's done in a discreet manner, that breastfeeding moms are always welcome. It seems to have just been a big mistake on the employers part to tell the mom that she couldn't do that there.