Breastfeeding and Dirty Pictures - Press Release for Lege Action Day, Dirty Car Art Event, & Art Exhibit

Contact: Krisdee Donmoyer, Legislative Chair

   Texas Breastfeeding Coalition

Phone: 512.655.9647

TXBFLeg@gmail.com

Texasbreastfeedingcoalition.org

Press Release

Breastfeeding & Dirty Pictures

The Dirty Car Artist Creates Piece to Coincide with Breastfeeding Legislative Action Day

Austin, Texas, February 17, 2015:  World-renowned artist Scott Wade is creating a Dirty Car Art piece as part of a breastfeeding art exhibit to support Texas Breastfeeding Coalition’s legislative efforts on Feb. 18, 2015 at the Texas State Capitol.  Breastfeeding significantly reduces the risk for many illnesses and diseases, impacting healthcare costs for families, businesses, and government.  It is a public health imperative to improve rates through support and public awareness.

“The only thing dirty about this picture… is the dirt.”

This tagline, conceived by the father of three breastfed children, inspired world-renowned Dirty Car Artist Scott Wade to create his first permanent piece – a breastfeeding mother forced to hide in a car to feed her child.

Scott’s art is usually temporary – reverse graffiti created in the dust on car windows.  He has created pieces all over the world.  Only photographs remain of the work – photos that have gone viral.

Scott was a stay-at-home dad for four years and would pick up expressed breastmilk each day from his librarian wife to feed to their daughter.  He was excited to create this piece in support of legislation that would support more mothers to express milk at work for their babies, and to protect mothers to breastfeed in public.

This first permanent piece is on exhibit at the Texas State Capitol through February 24^th, as part of Texas Breastfeeding Coalitions collection, “Mother Nature’s Masterpiece.”  The exhibit intends to raise awareness of the importance of breastfeeding as a public health issue, and the need for support to improve breastfeeding rates.

Scott will create another breastfeeding-themed piece, on 11^th Street in front of the Capitol, from 11am-4pm on Wednesday.  This event coincides with Texas Breastfeeding Coalition’s first Legislative Action Day.  The bills they support include:

·         HB 786 – Right to Express Breastmilk in the Workplace by Rep. Walle – Gives public salaried employees the same support as the FLSA gives hourly employees, requiring time and a place to pump milk at work.

·         HB 232 – Strengthening the Right to Breastfeed by Rep. Farrar – Current law is regularly violated without recourse.  HB 232 informs businesses of law, makes it illegal to violate the right, and gives harassed mothers the right to file a civil suit. 

·         SB 26 – Mother-Friendly Worksites by Sen. Zaffirini – Requires state agencies to set up policies supporting mothers to express breastmilk at work and to seek the Mother-Friendly Worksite designation.

·         Licensure of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) – improves access to qualified lactation support when mothers experience complex breastfeeding problems.

Those who wish to support breastfeeding mothers and babies are encouraged to come see Scott work, enjoy the art, and visit with legislators/staffers about the bills.  Scott will work from 11am-4pm, and TXBC will coordinate visits from 9am-5pm.  Stop by for as long as you can – 1 hour or 8, with or without children.  More information can be found at texasbreastfeedingcoalition.org

Improving breastfeeding rates in the United States could save 911 lives and over $31.2 billion every year.  Breastfeeding helps to prevent obesity, diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, asthma, and more in children, and reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer for mothers.

About Scott: "Scott's work has been featured on the History Channel's Modern Marvels, The CBS Early Show, CMT's Country Fried Videos, and on many other national and regional television shows, as well as several in Japan, Germany, Brazil, South Korea and Mexico. He is featured in Ripley's Believe it or Not, Maxim, Car and Driver, Nickelodeon, Playboy, The National Inquirer, and in major newspapers around the globe."  More at DirtyCarArt.com.

Link to Facebook post - time lapse of creating the permanent piece, “Fast Food Sucks”: tinyurl.com/fastfoodsucksvid

 

Legislative Action Days for Texas Breastfeeding Bills

In lieu of a spring meeting, Texas Breastfeeding Coalition will host two legislative action days – and breastfeeding mothers and babies need you there!

The following is from TXBC's website.  If you have difficulty accessing the site to register, email me at TXBFLeg@gmail.com.

The first action day is February 18th and coincides with an exhibit of our breastfeeding art collection, Mother Nature’s Masterpiece, including a Dirty Car Art event.

The second is March 3rd and coincides with a House Resolution commemorating the 20th anniversary of Health and Safety Code 165, which asserts the Right to Breastfeed in public and establishes the Mother Friendly Worksite designation.

Come to one or both days and visit with legislators and staffers to ask for their support of the billsthat TXBC is promoting.

(Can’t make it to Austin, or not on these days?  You can still contact your legislators or even visit them in district.  Explore our website for more information and resources on supporting the bills!)

Legislative Action Days

Texas is the size of 11 other states.  We are the second largest state in both geography and population.

Legislators want to hear from their own constituents – the voice that matters is the one that may or may not vote for them.

That’s why your involvement is important to passing bills that will improve support for breastfeeding mothers.

When you attend a legislative action day, you will meet with staffers or legislators, usually paired with another advocate.  You’ll be provided with materials to help prepare you for your meetings.  You’ll pass along a packet of information and talk about why breastfeeding support is important to you and imperative for maternal and child health.

You may bring your child(ren).  If you’d like, you could bring them in a doctor’s jacket or with a stethoscope, to highlight that breastfeeding is a public health issue.

Your dress should be business attire or business casual.  Very comfortable shoes are advised.

You may want to bring a tote bag (and maybe a stroller, if you’re bringing children) to carry your packets and the small gifts that we will likely send to offices.

If you have a smartphone, please take photos on your visits and share on social media with the hashtag #txbfleg.  (Anyone not attending can use the hashtag to find these and repost & retweet them.)

You are encouraged to invite friends, your ob-gyn/pediatrician/midwife/doula/LLL leader/neighbor/mail carrier, etc.  Please spread the word through email, social media, and phone calls to the people and groups of people in your circles.  You can share the Facebook event pages and invite friends that way, too (click here for Feb. 18th page and Mar. 3rd page).  The more attendees we have, the more offices we can visit, and the greater impression we can make.

You will need to register so that we will know your availability and can determine whom you should visit.

Please register for February 18th here.

Please register for March 3rd here.

Register for Feb 18th

Details for Feb. 18:

We will meet at the north end of level E2, between the E2.400’s and E2.700’s wings.  (This is where our art is being exhibited that week.  You’ll want to be sure to check out Scott Wade’s Dirty Car Art creation in front of the Capitol on 11th Street while you’re there, as well.)  Our legislative chair, Krisdee Donmoyer, will be on E2 from 9am to 5pm to coordinate visits – giving you your assignments/appointment times, and materials to pass along.  You can check in with her after your meetings in the same place, to give her notes on your meetings, or you may want to use a smartphone or tablet to send them as you go.

Register for Mar. 3rd

Details for Mar. 3: 

We will meet in the House Gallery before 10am.  The Resolution will be presented by Representative Farrar, probably in the first half of the 10:00 hour.  Rep. Farrar will recognize a few advocates on the House floor, then everyone in the gallery.  After the resolution we will take a group photo on the stairs outside the House chamber (exit the Gallery and take the stairs on the right of the west wing down to the 2nd floor), then disseminate assignments, packets and gifts.  At this point, depending on the time and appointment times you may have, you might wish to have lunch (there is a cafeteria, the Capitol Grill) before you begin your visits.  Krisdee will be available in the cafeteria until 5pm to coordinate, answer questions, and receive visit notes.

If you have questions or concerns you can reach Krisdee at txbfleg@gmail.com or 512.655.9647.

Parking:

You may want to park at the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage, east of the Capitol, located at 1201 San Jacinto located between Trinity and San Jacinto Streets at 12th and 13th Streets. Parking is free for the first two hours and $1.00 for each half hour thereafter (maximum daily charge: $8.00).  If you go to the top floor and park near the elevator (there are stairs at each corner with glass doors; the elevator has concrete walls), you can take the elevator down to the 2nd floor, turn right, and it’s just a one-block walk to the Capitol grounds.

Getting around:

Coming from the Capitol Visitors Parking garage, you can enter the east side of the Capitol (or go to the left and enter the main entrance of the capitol building.)  There are more maps here.

TO E2 on 2/18 – Just take the North Wing elevators down to E2, and walk straight all the way down to the other end of the building.  You will go around the Central Court, an open-air rotunda. It gets confusing here.  You should pass one hallway, then at the next hallway – which is the main hallway again – you should be able to see our exhibit.

TO HOUSE GALLERY on 3/3 - Take the North Wing elevators to 3rd floor.  Head south out of the elevators into the rotunda, and turn right to go into the west wing and enter the Gallery at the end of it.

TO THE CAFETERIA - Take the North Wing elevators to level E1.  Follow the hallway until it opens up into the Seal Court.  The Capitol Grill is on the left of the court.

Photo courtesy of The Good Body Project.

#GratitudeChallenge

I just shared a positive NIP story, & it has emboldened me to share something else positive that I have been considering for a year. 

I have not done it yet for a couple of reasons. First, most of what I share here is about breastfeeding advocacy. It's evolved over time, but every time I branch out I feel a little nervous that what I'm sharing is something people won't be receptive to, or that's incongruous with what I started - like maybe I'm breaking some unwritten rule.

Second, what I'm going to share is very personal, in a way, and it makes me feel strangely vulnerable, even when I share it on my personal profile with just friends.

So what is it?

A list of things I am grateful for.

Every day (or at least that's the goal), I express gratitude.

Because what you appreciate appreciates.

Where you put your energy - you'll get more of that.

I have had chronic depression my whole life. It come and goes. Sometimes it's a big deal, but mostly it's just been... normal.

When I had my negative NIP incident over two years ago, and the stakes of getting AISD to adopt a law-abiding NIP policy felt so high, and then the stakes of working on breastfeeding legislation felt even higher - then, oh my word, did the anxiety kick in. I'd been anxious before, to be sure, but not so chronically as I was "just" depressed. The anxiety that started the day I was told to go to a private room sometimes made it hard just to function. I don't even have words to describe its intensity.

Over the past year, my depression and especially my anxiety have dissipated. I don't think I'll never be depressed or anxious again, but I'm amazed at how much happier and calmer I am. And I'm certain that focusing on the positive, on the things I'm thankful for, has made all the difference in the world.

You've heard it before, maybe. Expressing gratitude is a key to happiness. I had. For years - but I didn't do it. Then I joined Carrie Contey, PhD.'s Evolve group, & made it a habit.

It's had such an impact that I've thought about doing it here, because I'd like to share this tool with others, because it is a game changer.

So I'll go first, and if you feel moved to do so, comment with your gratitudes below - or do it on your private social media page or in a journal or even just close your eyes for a moment and list them to yourself.

There are no rules to this #gratitudechallenge. You aren't limited to just the month of November or a list of five things per day for five days. Just think of at least one thing - or maybe 100 - and take a moment to appreciate!

One thought - this isn't about bragging and being "Facebook Fake." I complain about my kids on fb, I whine about my messy house. My *real* life is definitely on my personal Facebook profile. But this is about focusing on the awesome, so yes, it's all good stuff.

Here goes:

I'm thankful to Jessie Warren for letting me share her positive NIP story, and for the amazing gentleman who was encouraging to her. I'm thankful my sick husband is starting to feel better; thankful my big kid has had a breakthrough about how he wants to interact with his family, and he's working hard to be respectful and to stay calm when he's frustrated; thankful for watching Bellybean put train tracks together - he's amazing! So grateful for the opportunity to homeschool Sweet Pea for kindergarten, and for doing so with a friend on Mondays and Wednesdays. Super thankful for an impromptu science experiment during today's co-op, which made me feel like I'm getting it right! Grateful for watching Sweet Pea learn to read, and be fascinated by addition and subtraction and counting, and that he's learning so much even when I don't feel like I'm doing 15% of what I want to do for him.  Thankful I said yes when Sweet Pea wanted to do Legos together, instead of telling him I had to make dinner.  It was worth bedtime being a little later than intended.  Thankful our garage is finally organized enough to feel like a playroom, that art is coming in for the breastfeeding art exhibit in February, that we'll have a House resolution marking the 20th anniversary of Health & Safety Code 165. Thankful for Health & Safety Code 165, even if it does need strengthening. For representatives and senators who stand behind moms ready to support their choice to breastfeed. That I'm warm in my (mostly) clean house on this cold night, and that tomorrow I'll get to take my middle son to a fun acting class and my big kid to a great new school that is a much better fit for him than public school was this year. I'm thankful to be leading such a blessed life!

I don't know how long I'll keep this up. I don't know why it feels vulnerable. So let me know if it's something you enjoy - something that moves you to express gratitude yourself. Because if it is, it'll be worth it to me to keep going with it here each evening. It really has been a game changer for me - I hope it will be or you, too!

My Little Lego Maniac

A Guardian Angel: A Positive Breastfeeding/NIP Story

This story was shared in a local breastfeeding support group on Facebook. I asked to share it here because I think it's important that we hear about the positive stories. Social and traditional media are over-saturated with negative NIP stories, to the point that it may seem discrimination is inevitable. But it's not. Sometimes when someone approaches you as you breastfeed - it's to tell you how awesome you are!

If you have a positive story to share, email me at KeepAustinNIP@gmail.com. I'd like to make this a habit!

Here are Jessie's words:

"I was having an incredibly hard day today (car broke down, bills arrived in the mail that I can't pay, agonizing sinus issues, trying to move past family drama, yet another job interview that didn't pan out) and brought my four month old son to Sprouts Farmers Market off Manchaca to do my weekly grocery shopping that I had been putting off for days.

Eight minutes and a half full cart in, Brave starts having a hangry meltdown. Already scatterbrained and overwhelmed, it doesn't occur to me to set my cart aside and go out to my car - I just frantically look for a place to sit down to nurse him because I couldn't get the position right in my Ergo. So, I 'pull over' near the eggs, sit on the edge of the cooler, and pull my cart as much out of the way as I can. I'm so emotional that I forget to put on my 'what I'm doing is natural face,' and I keep my head down while blushing at my gulping, teary-eyed infant.

Suddenly, a man in his late fifties or early sixties who is looking at the vegetables to my left speaks up to me and says... (get your tissues, I'm crying as I type this), "I honor you for what you do. You are doing such good by your son! My mama, she fed me like that until I was two years old - and it made me different, it made a difference for me. Women in Europe they do it everyday; I do not understand why women here cannot feed their sons without shame. It is natural!"

I was expecting him to berate me, and it took me off guard. I got choked up and thanked him as my eyes started to water. He nodded and started to walk away when he thought better and turned back to me to look me straight in the eye and say, "Anyone can be a mama..." Then he pointed at me and continued, "...but you are a great mama." I couldn't speak and tears streamed down my face. He smiled at me and told me to have a great day, and walked away. I so needed that, right then. What a guardian angel!"

An angel indeed!  As Jessie put it, "I wish EVERY mama got this kind of love when they need it most."

Jessie with her son, Brave

Jessie is a 27-year-old transplant living in Austin from the Pacific Northwest, and a single mama to both a four-month-old ginger named Bravery and a four-year-old Labradoodle named Maggie.

Let Me Count the Ways: A Love Letter to My Husband on His 40th Birthday

My husband's 40th birthday is today.  This is my love letter to him:

I've known you for half of your life now, Adam. I met you when you were 20, and I was your dresser for - what play was it? Cat Among the Pigeons? That's not as sexy as it sounds, of course. I just placed your costumes and sprayed your shoes out with Lysol every night. I remember you couldn't hang dress pants properly. Hanging clothes still isn't really a strength.

Today you are 40. You're understandably upset by this new age bracket. This getting older thing is kind of unsettling sometimes. But every year you age has meant more to adore. So, while this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are 40 things I love about you:

1. The gray in your hair. I find it thrilling. It excites me so much to be growing older with the love of my life. There really just aren't words for my visceral response to those gray hairs. Suffice it to say, it is so fucking sexy.

2. Watching you with our kids. We both make tremendous mistakes on a regular basis, what with being human and all. But you are so good at it, too. So full of love and humor and decency and *you're here*, doing it. I know my kids will always have a dad, and as an orphan with two living fathers, I cannot thank you enough for toughing out the rough spots and showing up every day. I get to see my children grow with a relationship that was always missing for me. That is such a gift.

3. Your sense of humor. Even when you're just trying to shock me, and I act irritable because you're being gross, I still love that you to want make me laugh.

4. That you get my dry sense of humor. Usually. I love making you laugh. So much. Sometimes I have to point out that I've just said something funny, because you acknowledging it means a lot to me.

5. That you are strong enough to be my man. That song was on the radio a lot when my mom got sick when we were in college. I know it wasn't easy for you to date someone with such a huge, scary thing going on. But you stuck by my side, you nursed me through her cancer, made me let you take care of me so I could take care of her. You let me grieve her death and be selfish for a long, long time. And when it was time to try to come out of my funk, you found a Hospice support group for me that made all the difference in the world. I don't know how I could have survived it all without you.

6. Magoo.

7. Sweet Pea.

8. Bellybean.

9. Your support of me as a breastfeeding advocate. It brings us no money (in fact I spend money on it), but you respect that this is my work. You are more involved in it than I think the majority of people are involved in their spouse's work. I couldn't do even half of what I do if it weren't for your support.

10. Your monstrously large feet.

11. Your ridiculously huge head.

12. Your scruff, when you have it. So hot.

13. That we have the same taste in entertainment. I adore watching TV with you. I remember having boyfriends in high school with whom it was hard to find a video to rent (because we used to do that, at Blockbuster or Hollywood Video - my, how times have changed since you started getting old!). We're always on the same page. Love that!

14. Sex. It has just gotten better over the years - which is saying something, cause it started out great. You are skilled, my love.

15. Pet names. I'll never forget the first time you called me sweetheart. It was the first time anyone had, at least any guy friend. You were pretending to be my boyfriend as we made our way out of a nerve-rattling experience with a homeless guy who wanted to show us his knife. "Come on, sweetheart," I think you said. I wasn't afraid of him. I (thought I) knew he wouldn't hurt us. But I was completely willing to play the role of your girlfriend as we made our exit.

16. Our courtship. Crazy shit we did to impress each other - breaking into an abandoned school, jumping the fence at the city pool. Fun times.

17. Your number one goal in life. You told my mom, before she died, that your number one goal in life is to make me happy. I feel like that's still true. And you do.

18. That thinking about how effing much I crazy-love you, writing it down, has me in tears. (It's a lot. I love you a lot).

19. I love your cooking. Particularly fond of your lasagna and your burritos, boy. I love that you DO the cooking. That we are in a relationship with, if not equal task-sharing (cause I don't always feel I'm doing enough!), then certainly an attempt at balance.

20. Your music. You are the soundtrack to my life. Not everyone is as insanely lucky as I am, to have a personalized soundtrack.

21. I love the movies you make with our boys. They are such treasured memories.

22. The way you love me. Unconditionally. I always know you love me. And considering how awesome I think you are, I must be pretty awesome, too. It's a nice reminder, when I'm down on myself. You love me, therefore I am awesome.

23. I love your writing. Gotta say, I was scared when, after a lifetime of hating writing, you suddenly announced that you wanted to support our family as a writer. But you rock it. So much cleverness.

24. How you support our family. It's amazing to me that we have the freedoms that we have, thanks to your hard work.

25. How you prioritize our family. You work hard, but you play hard, too. You don't miss important kid events, and you spend a fantastic amount of time with our kids even when it's not a special event like a field trip or a scary doctor's appointment.

26. Your interest in... everything. You are always listening to podcasts, always learning new things.

27. Your politics. Not sure how we'd manage if they were otherwise!

28. Your spirituality.

29. Being held by you. I feel so safe in your arms. Spooning.

30. Your habit of doing the dishes every night. It's life-changingly awesome.

31. Kissing you. Since that first, slooooooooow lean-in, giving me every chance to shy away and preserve our friendship. But you were my Harry, and I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life kissing you.

32. Your mad gift-giving skillz. I love that you are so tuned in to people that you are amazing at thinking up lovely gifts to give them.

33. Including me! I adore the special antiques I get each Christmas. They're always so meaningful. (Except maybe for the oil can. I can't remember what that one was about.)

34. Your empathy. Your emotional intelligence. You're brilliant.

35. That you've wanted to wear our babies. ‪#‎APDadsAreHot‬.

36. Your hair. It's so thick and gorgeous. I love to run my fingers through it...

37. Your eyes. I'll never forget staring into them while I was in transition delivering Milo, blowing your hair off of your forehead - trying to focus on you, and not the excruciating pain and the undeniable-but-too-soon NEED to push. Your eyes have never been more beautiful to me than in that moment. And those same eyes watched me birth our other two children, too, and were amazed at my strength and power. Never afraid of it. You are too strong and good to fear powerful women.

38. That you're as crazy as me. That we live life, at least sometimes, full throttle. Disneyland visits are best from open to close. October is best with Halloween events every weekend - and in themed costumes, as a family. And you're a geek like me. Because geek is chic, baby. I love all of our geeking out moments together - watching Doctor Who, bingeing on Battlestar Galactica, a Lord of the Rings marathon, wearing costumes to Race for the Cure that one year when we still did the Race...

39. That you're crunchy like me. AP like me. A feminist like me. We have so much in common - it makes living with you easy.

40. That you know how to rest and relax. You balance my frenetic, overdriven work ethic.

And one to grow on - I love you for this beautiful life I am so privileged to live. Everything I love is part of my life because you are part of my life.

Thank you, Adam. Thank you for being the great love of my life.

Texas Breastfeeding Coalition Is Starting an Art Collection

This is an idea I've had percolating for awhile, and it's finally happening! Texas Breastfeeding Coalition is in the process of building a collection of breastfeeding art.  The art is intended to be exhibited throughout Texas in the coming years, in an effort to normalize breastfeeding and to educate those who see it on the benefits of breastfeeding and the need for support to bring those benefits to fruition.

This project is in its infancy.  There are no hard and fast rules at the moment, and most of the plans are a wish list we would like to make a reality.  What we hope for is a permanent art collection that will travel the state in galleries, restaurants, libraries, coffee houses, etcetera, with the coordination of breastfeeding advocates and local coalitions.  We are looking for support and involvement in a number of ways.  You can become involved by reading for more information below and contacting TXBCArt@gmail.com.

ART SUBMISSIONS

We are accepting submissions of art, and will continue to do so indefinitely.  Please email TXBCArt@gmail.com for more information as you plan your submission. Please note that our first show is currently scheduled for February 16-24, and we would like to have enough pieces together by then to fill a gallery at the Capitol.  Pieces for the Capitol exhibit will need to be - and I hate this word, but for lack of a better one - modest.  Pieces to show elsewhere do not need to take that into consideration.

Art should be framed (if appropriate), and we would prefer donations.   If a piece is on loan, we will need a signed liability release.  There is no budget allotted at this time for shipping, so artists should plan to be responsible for delivery of their piece(s).  At this time, art is being collected in Austin.  

Pieces are intended to be shown with informational signage - stats on breastfeeding benefits, personal stories of the impact of facing discrimination for breastfeeding in public or of having support (or not) to pump at work.  If you feel moved to include such information with your piece, please do so.

Pieces are not intended to be sold or judged. (It's possible that we could include photos of pieces on the TXBC website that could link to the artists so that prints could be sold. But pieces would not be for sale from exhibits.)

We would like to show diversity in ethnicity of the subjects and in feeding methods.

EXHIBIT SPACES

We need help securing spaces to show the collection.  Please contact us for available dates, then work to secure dates for shows in any venues that may want to display art.

LEADERSHIP

We need someone passionate and committed to take the lead on organizing this project.  This person or team will maintain the calendar, make arrangements for travel/shipment, and be responsible for the educational element (signs to display with each piece, with information as described above).

DISPLAY

We need a way to display the art, at least at the Capitol.  This could mean borrowing easels, or having something custom-built.  If you are available to help with either, please contact us.

SIGNS

The educational elements described above, we are imagining having printed on foam core signs.  It would be wonderful to have the printing of these donated.
We will need help in writing, designing, editing, etc.

FUNDRAISING

We may need to raise funds for displays, signs, and shipping.  If you can donate money, please contact TXBCArt@gmail.com.

LIABILITY WAIVER

We need a liability release drafted, to be signed by anyone loaning art.

TITLE/THEME

We need a title for the exhibit, that will sort of tie things together thematically (beyond the theme of “breastfeeding.”  The theme should be something along the lines of “It Takes a Village” - only clever instead of clichéd.  Point is, the collection and the educational signage with it will be used to educate, and to stress the need for support of breastfeeding mothers and children.

TRANSPORT
It would be great to have some boxes donated to transport the framed artwork safely.

Love this submission from Brian the Birth Guy!
(And now the song lyric, "I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it!"
is running through my head.)

While this has been in my head for a long while, the time to make it really happen is now short. Please spread the word and help out in whatever way you can. I'm so excited! Really! This is going to be awesome!

What's Kim Kardashian Got to Do with Alyssa Milano?

I'm adding the "(insert sexy/nude stuff here) is ok but breastfeeding is not" complaints to stuff I'm *OVER* regarding breastfeeding advocacy. (The list so far includes nurse-ins getting all the glory while preventative measures like legislation lack the same passionate involvement, trolls, comments sections, & anyone who likens breastfeeding to any natural functions we perform in private, from sex to pooping to nose picking.)

It's been a pet peeve for awhile now, but this here article ("Alyssa Milano Gets Heat for Breastfeeding Selfies But Kim Kardashian Nudes are Celebrated?") has me seething.

A. It's not okay that Kim Kardashian posed nude - people are freaking the frak out about it. It SHOULD be okay - celebrated even, perhaps, but opinions are like... Well, everybody's got an opinion, & some of them are really judgmental.

B. Did Alyssa Milano get heat for her breastfeeding selfies? Probably, I guess, because internet trolls. But surely most of us are all "BOOYAH!" about it, right?

C. To answer the question posed in the article, "What do you find more offensive..." I'll say this: the fact that the author refers to Kim Kardashian's booty as her "giant rump," and "overly ample backside" is what I find most offensive. I don't follow the Kardashians, so it's not that I'm a fan. It just really ticks me off that someone is either advocating for breastfeeding while being a jerkface about another woman, or they're *pretending* to advocate for breastfeeding while being a jerkface about another woman for double the media hot topics.

In short:

It's okay for Kim Kardashian to pose nude on the cover of a magazine.

It's okay for Alyssa Milano to post breastfeeding selfies.

It's NOT okay for anybody to act high & mighty judging either choice, or by judging how they look doing it.

End rant.

Screenshot courtesy of Victoria S.

It's Time! We Need You Now!

The picture below is from a screen grab of an email I wrote to my friend almost seven years ago, after we went to the Capitol together with other mothers and advocates to legislators in support of Rep. Farrar's second filing of her bill to strengthen the NIP law.

SEVEN years ago. 

And the bill still has no enforcement. 

It has been filed every session since, & each time it has failed. No more. It's time to get this bill passed, y'all. 

Our right to breastfeed our babies wherever we are authorized to be is routinely violated. And a law that is flouted with impunity is one which needs strengthening. Otherwise, what is the point of anything our legislators do?

I was so anxious that first time I went to advocate for mothers and babies. As an introvert, I was completely out of my element. I'm still an introvert, but now I know that when I'm telling lawmakers that they need to take responsibility for supporting mothers and babies through policy - I am IN my element. 

But we need y'all there with Texas Breastfeeding Coalition. Please join us for some or all of the TXBC Fall Meeting & Legislative Action Days this month.

tinyurl.com/TXBCFall14

In anticipation of the start of the 84th legislative session, we are meeting with legislators this month, and we need people (whether you're a TXBC member or not) in attendance from all over this huge state. Legislators are most interested in that which their constituents care about, so we need a lot of involvement for our 31 large Senate districts and our 150 Representative districts. There will be training before you meet with legislators/staffers, and efforts will be made to pair people together for meetings, so the meetings won't be as intimidating as they may sound!

The TXBC Fall Meeting and Legislative Action Days are just a week and a half away now, on Nov. 17 & 18. To register for the meeting, click here.

There is a downloadable flyer on the Fall Meeting page of the website if you want to share meeting information with other breastfeeding advocates. You can also help to promote the event by inviting friends on Facebook.

If you are only able to attend Day 2 (Tuesday, Nov. 18) of the meeting, there will be no registration fee for Day 2 only attendance. To register for Day 2 only, please complete this two-question survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RTSNPQF

This meeting will be held in the Banquet Room of the Capitol Grill (E1.002) at the state Capitol in Austin. There is limited power, so bring your electronic devices fully charged.

In addition to our legislative agenda, the meeting will include TXBC business, an ethics E CERP and a screening of the incredible documentary, The Milky Way.

If you need to bring your baby/child, that's perfectly alright! If they become distracting, you'll be able to step out into the cafeteria or even stroll around the Capitol to settle them, & then rejoin the meeting! If you are interested in child care, that is something we may be able to arrange for. Email txbfleg@gmail.com with "Child Care" in the subject so we can gauge interest.

If you are unable to attend, please visit the lege page of our website at TXBFLeg.com for a menu of ways to support pro-breastfeeding legislation.

See the flyer on the website for more details, and please register or complete the survey as soon as you are able, to facilitate appointment making.

No.

No.  No no no no no no no.  Just, NO.

A HOSPITAL has discriminated against a breastfeeding mother.

We have hospitals in Texas doing things right - the Texas Ten Step Program, the Star Achiever Initiative, hospitals seeking Baby-Friendly status.

Then there's UMC, where someone decided to tell a mother with a four-month-old infant waiting for her appointment - to breastfeed in private.  In a restroom, in fact.

Someone who thought that the health of that baby was trumped by the discomfort of some adults.

NO!

I have no doubt this will go viral.  And everyone will be talking about Texas law.

Sec. 165.002. RIGHT TO BREAST-FEED. A mother is entitled to breast-feed her baby in any location in which the mother is authorized to be.

And who will be correcting the people who comment that what that hospital did was totally illegal?

You.

We need you to spread the word while this is being discussed in articles and social media that it is not illegal to violate a mother's right to feed her child. And until it IS illegal, this kind of discrimination will continue to jeopardize breastfeeding relationships.

Texas Breastfeeding Coalition is meeting November 17 and 18 and we will make a presentation to legislators and staffers on legislation we will support in the coming session.  We will also have meetings in their offices.  The bill closest to my heart will be filed by Representative Farrar.  It will make it illegal to interfere with or restrict breastfeeding, it will educate business owners that the law exists, and it will allow mothers to sue businesses for a max of $500 if they are harassed.

If that sounds like something you want to make happen, register for the TXBC meeting and help us.  It will take people from all over this humongous state (politely) demanding that their representatives and senators take responsibility for supporting mothers and babies.  Policy is vital to changing this systemic problem, where even in a hospital, a mother must worry that she will be confronted by ignorance.

Photo Courtesy of The Good Body Project

If you cannot make this meeting, plan to attend the next one in February, and go to TXBFLeg.com to see how else you can be a part of making change happen.