Liz, my hero!

The other day a very good friend of mine was asked to nurse her baby in the locker room or restroom at a local indoor park at a nearby community rec center.   I've been to a "play group" at this rec center.  I was going to try to go the center on the day that this occurred, I even switched from my normal day off.   But I decided to sleep in and was dealing with cranky kids so we skipped it.  I'm upset with myself because I didn't go and would have been there to support Liz when they did this to her.

Apparently the Rec Centers take on the issue was that they asked her to be more discreet.  I've been around her when she has nursed.  No one could be more discreet, short of nursing under a tent, than her.  Not that that should matter anyway because Iowa Law on her side.  Funny thing is they did this to the wrong person, she's a breast feeding peer counselor so she knows her rights.

I can't help but wonder if they would have done this to one of the many girls that Liz supports.  Those who may be on the fence about breast feeding.  Would it be the stimulus to cause them to give up and stop.  Breastfeeding can be really hard work initially.  I had a really hard time nursing Trevor in the early days.  Nursing moms need support, pats on the back, hell even high fives, or at least a thumbs up as I've done on occasion.  Not sneers or being treated like you are running around in the nude.  I would have given my right arm to still be nursing Jayden and to be at the nurse in that was staged today.  Alas, I'm no longer nursing and I was unable to attend because one of my employees was giving birth today.

Our country is far behind the world views of breast feeding.  Most of the rest of the world have no social taboos when it comes to public breastfeeding.  I feel that our country has come a long way but apparently we still have a long way to go.

Please please please do something for me.  Go to the kwwl website.  On their home page there is a poll about public breast feeding.  Show your support.  And here is the story that aired about the nurse in that was held today.

To my bloggy friends, please help me spread the word and link me up on your blogs if you are inclined to do so.  Let me know in the comments if you do.  I'd love to read it.

To Liz... YOU ARE MY HERO!!!!  You rock girl!  I'm so proud of you for standing up for what you believe in and what's right!  Keep fighting for nursing moms EVERYWHERE! ~mwah!~

Out of curiosity I did a query to see how my posts in my blog mention nursing.  Here's the posts if you're interested.   9 posts come up with the search breastfeeding.  A whopping 48 come up using nursing!

Ok mamas... how many times does your blog mention nursing or breastfeeding?

Stars of the Week

I love love love our new daycare. When Travis started his new job I really struggled with the daycare dilemma. My job I have to work 1 night a week minimum until 7pm. And during our busy times or if someone calls in sick I need the flexibility to be there if need be.

Trav's new job could have some late nights as well. There are no daycare centers here open past 6pm. I really didn't want to put the kids in an in home daycare. I just have issues with that. So the one we're using now goes until 6pm and it's really close to my job. So far it's working out. Hopefully it continues to. We have yet to reach the busy season in both Trav's and my jobs so we'll see what happens then.

But the daycare is more of a preschool even in Jayden's classroom. They do field trips starting at age 3. The classrooms are divided based on ages and all kids in the classroom are within 1 year of each other. So things are very age appropriate. The do preschool every morning even in the 1 year old room. Trevor's vocabulary has exploded since there and they both really love it. They never cry when I drop them off and both get excited when we arrive.

It's is actually a small school that used to be an elementary. There is a large indoor activity area that is a mini playground when the weather is bad. There's security camera's and everyone is super friendly. It's even won awards. Price was hard to stomach at first but I'm considering it an investment in my children's education rather than just a daycare like our last one was. When I first toured it along with several others I KNEW this was it and that I had to make it work. It was cheery and warm and the kids were happy. I got teary eyed when I walked into what would be Jayden's room at naptime and the staff were sitting between the cots and rubbing the kids back to settle them into naptime. There was soft music playing and the curtains were drawn, and they were talking in hushed tones.

The other daycare that I toured that was more affordable was a very strong contrast. The rooms were a maze with only half doors dividing the "rooms" and you had to walk through one to get to the other. It was naptime as well and kids were crying and staff were talking in regular tones and it was LOUD. You could hear the babies crying in the infant room 3 rooms away. No wonder the toddlers were cranky and didn't want to nap. Also security was very poor. The 2 year old room was right next to the entry door. I child was napping on a cot within 10 feet of the door. And when I was getting ready to leave while someone unloading groceries, the front door was wide open and this child was visible from the sidewalk out front. There was no cameras and the staff wasn't nearly as friendly.

Our daycare has a bulletin board in each classroom for the "Star of the Week" and through the week their classmates talk about facts pertaining to that particular weeks star. Last week Trevor was the star and this week Jayden was the star. Here are pictures I took of their bulletin boards.