Applebee’s To Offer Blankets for Breastfeeding!
I wanted to draw your attention to this new story, straight from the frontlines from the feeding wars :o)
(thanks Queenmommy, Christy, and Melissa B!)
Posted by: “Brooke”
Tue Aug 28, 2007 6:57 am (PST)
On June 14th (my anniversary) a few of my children (I havetook
me to Applebee’s for lunch. For my own privacy I asked for the
corner booth. I sat facing into the corner not facing the room. My
then 7 month old baby boy needed to nurse so we did. A server
(Jessica Balswick) came to me and stated that the manager asked her
to come speak to me because she was a female. She said the manager
said if we wanted to breastfeed we had to cover the baby’s head with
a blanket. I told her since it was hot out that I didn’t have a
blanket. She reiterated so I stopped nursing and asked to speak
with the manager. As we waited the baby cried so I passed him
across the table to my oldest son (almost 18 yrs old) so he could
help comfort his as I was a bit shook up. The baby was inconsolable
so I told my son to take him to the van and I would come to nurse
him as soon as I spoke with the manager. When the manager (Justin
Arnolds) came I handed him a copy of the KRS 211.755 law that I keep
in my diaper bag. I said “I would like you to educate yourself and
your employees of this law that protects breastfeeding mothers.” He
handed it back to me after glancing over it and said “I know but
somebody complained it was indecent exposure so you have to cover
the baby with a blanket if you want to breastfeed here”. I again
held out the paper saying “look at part 3 of the law, it says no
person shall interfere with a woman breastfeeding her child”. He
said the same exact thing as before “I know but somebody complained
it was indecent exposure so you have to cover the baby with a
blanket if you need to breastfeed here.” At that exact moment our
server came back with our meal and I said “We can not eat this
because I have to go breastfeed my baby.” As I exited the hostess
asked what was wrong and I told her very briefly and said “I don’t
see anyone else eating under a blanket in here.”
I went to the van, nursed my baby, cried, and called my local LLL
leader Karen. She told me to get the manager and servers name. She
gave me names and addresses of people I needed to let know about
this incident.
Our lawyer wrote a letter on June 27, 2007 to Applebee’s restaurant
(4009 Nicholasville Rd., Applebee’s Corporate Headquarters 249 E
Main St. (Mike Scanlon) The Lexington-Fayette County Health Dept.
(Doraine Bailey), The KY Breastfeeding Promotion Coordinator (Becky
Derifield) and the LLL Karen Brown.
The letter was ignored.
Our lawyer wrote another letter on July 25, 2007.
On August 3, 2007 Thomas & King, Inc. Legal Department finally
responded. Mr Jonathan R. Weatherby, Jr. Associate General Counsel
wrote “we regret that Ms. Ryan left without being served and would
like the opportunity to personally invite her to return” …. “we
are also considering keeping blankets in the restaurants for use by
breast-feeding mothers that may not have them readily available as a
result of this incident.”
My husband gasped when he read this response. They just don’t get
it. It is like saying “Rosa Parks still has to sit at the back of
the bus but we will give her a pillow so she is comfortable back
there.”
My midwife suggested I speak with the Senator that spearheaded
getting the KRS211.755 law. I left a message for Senator Tom Buford
and the next day he called me back. I asked him what recourse I
had. He said “If you take them to small claims court you could get
up to $1,500.00″ …. “if you take them to a higher court you may
not even get enough to cover your legal fees.” I told the Senator
I was not interested in money. I want things to change. I want
public attention on this cause. I have daughters that will someday
breastfeed. I want action not money. I told Senator Buford about
my nurse in/out idea and he thought it sounded great. In fact he
said “let me know the date and I will come by and support you” ….
he also said “hold a sign up saying -small children are not allowed
to eat in this restaurant.” I said “can I quote you on that” and he
said “yes!” Senator Buford said “next time any one does this tell
them to call the police and get a police report written up on it.”
Since August is “World Breastfeeding Awareness Month” I am having
one nurse-out at the Fayette Mall just to raise awareness. This is
not in any way to attack the mall …. it is just a place to hang
out at. I am late arranging this so it will not actually be in
August but then again what is one day. It will be September 1st.
The second event is actually to draw attention to Applebee’s
restaurant. Friends and supporters will decorate posters and
display them for all to see.
I will paste a copy of the flyer for each of the two events here for
all to copy and share.NURSE-IN
Fayette Mall Lexington KY
Childrens Play Area
Saturday, September 1, 2007
1 pm until 3 pm
Celebrate World Breastfeeding Awareness Month
Please join us for a local “awareness raising” event.
Look for this universal Breastfeeding symbol.NURSE-OUT
SPEAK-OUT
Applebee’s violated KRS 211.755
Educate Lexington that KY law protects public
breastfeeding and mothers should never be
asked to move, hide, cover up, or leave.
Decorate posters and display them
at a peaceful Nurse-Out.
THEME: Breastfeeding in public is Legal
DATE: Saturday, September 8, 2007
TIME: 12 pm to 2 pm
(in case of rain date 9/22/07)
LOCATION: 4009 Nicholasville Road
Lexington KY
On the public sidewalk
in front of Applebee’s
Exercise caution and do not block the right of way.
News crews will be reporting.
Do not park in Applebee’s parking lot!I hope everyone can pass this on to as many as possible.
Every “quotation” is in the exact wording.
I am also willing to share copies of the actual correspondence
between our lawyer and Applebee’s.
Even if you do not live in KY please share this with everyone
because Applebee’s is nation wide.
Thank you for your support,
Brooke Ryan
Mom pushes Applebee’s on breast-feeding
By Linda B. Blackford (thanks devoted fan!)
In June, Brooke Ryan walked into a Nicholasville Road Applebee’s restaurant to celebrate an anniversary lunch with her children.
She walked out humiliated, in tears and without the lunch.But the incident over breast-feeding her 7-month-old son at Applebee’s has spurred the soft-spoken 34-year-old to start a public awareness campaign on the rights of breast-feeding women in Kentucky.
and this one Applebee’s, woman in dispute over breast-feeding (thanks Virginia M.!)
When contacted yesterday, Mike Scanlon, president of Thomas and King, said he didn’t know about the incident. However, he called the Herald-Leader back to say that Applebee’s had no policy against breast-feeding.
“It is perfectly legal to breast-feed in public and we support that,” Scanlon said. “I’m not sure the manager said cover the baby’s head, I think he said cover yourself modestly. This was by no means intended as interference, but a request to do it modestly, which I believe is an appropriate response.”
Ryan says that as an experienced breast-feeder, she is extremely modest, and, in that instance, made sure that she was facing into the corner.
“Some women think it’s fine to cover up with a blanket, but a woman shouldn’t be forced to,” said her husband, Michael Ryan.
Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, who sponsored the breast-feeding protection bill, agrees.
“She was not treated right under the new law,” he said. “There should have been no comment made to her at all; the restaurant overstepped its boundaries. There’s no way they can explain their way out of this.”
Have fun!
Love,
Heather
janaki said,
August 31, 2007 @ 8:28 am
Wow that sucks. I was in an Applebee’s about a month or two ago and breastfed my baby girl and no one gave me any problems. This was in Michigan. Of course, she was also in her sling, so I think people just thought she was sleeping. Who knows. But no one was disturbed or said anything.
sheepdoc said,
August 31, 2007 @ 10:02 am
What is the point of keeping the law with you if you unlatch your baby and send them out of the restaurant to debate the issue? Bottom line this mom should have said “No.” while nursing her child. Then it would really be a nonissue, just an annoying coversation that went nowhere with no consequences. Maybe thats why I never had nursing issues - I never asked permission and I ignore stupid people.
Rosa Parks is a good analogy. She said no and kept her seat. She didn’t get off the bus and then complain about it.
mamaluxe said,
August 31, 2007 @ 10:55 am
sheepdoc–
I think mom was in shock. I also think the point is to stop telling moms what they “should” or “should not” do, when they are making good and healthy choices, and support them.
It is wonderful that you are confident enough that annoying people shrink away in fear, but I suppose some of us just don’t have that sort of presence.
You make a good suggestion to just reply, “No.” I just wish it were phrased in a manner that would help other breastfeeding moms prepare themselves for potential confrontation so they can react in a way that is comfortable for them…rather than attack this specific mom who IS standing up for her rights and for others’ rights and drawing attention to this issue.
night_nurse said,
August 31, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
I think I also would just have continues breastfeeding. But I do applaud this mum’s actions, because after this, not only the manager of this restaurant will never again try to interfere with breastfeeding mum’s, I think it will scare a lot of other restaurants and shops too. We need to let people hear we as breastfeedin mum’s are people with rights, not afraid to stand up for them. If not, we will have to sit in the back of the busses, restaurants and will have to hide in toilets forever.
sheepdoc said,
September 1, 2007 @ 6:06 am
I don’t mean to attack this mom.
As I see it, if I were the managaer and the waitress and the offensive patron, I told the mom to stop and stop she did. That is positive reinforcment that BF in public can be stopped. This mothers actions did not benefit her nor her child . As for the manager, if I were him next time I wouldn’t offer a blanket - I would just ask the mother to leave my reasturant. Much quicker - same result, customer and manager are happy and “offender” leaves quicker w/ less fuss.
Its hard when you are flustered. However, she did choose a corner booth and was faceing into the corner. She was the one who used her body language to show she wasn’t comfortable breastfeeding in public and that she could be intimidated. And she was. And the anti-BFers won that round and it doesn’t matter what the law says. Its all about actions - not intentions.
BTW - the rare objecters haven’t slunk away, I IGNORE them. I’m 5ft. tall w/ a very high squeeky voice - I rarely get taken seriously. I simply made the decision when my children were born that I was going to take care of them.
Really picture same sceene (except not facing away except _maybe_ for latch on) in Applebees. “You need to cover up.” Continue to nurse, “No, I don’t. I’ll have the chicken fajita thank you.” “One of the other customers feels this is indecent.” “No, its not.”
Anyone here have kids? Isn’t a child who simply says no the hardest to argue with?
-Lori
Robyn L. Coburn said,
September 1, 2007 @ 10:50 am
Does anyone else think it is bizarre that they kept talking about covering “the baby’s head” with the blanket, rather than the woman’s breast?
Like the manager couldn’t bear to say the word “breast”, or even “chest area” or “bosom”.
I agree that the Rosa Parks analogy is a great image, (although the failing of the analogy is that she was challenging existing laws rather than protected by the law as breastfeeding is). And in passing I mention that it is so extremely healthful for a baby’s breathing to have its head covered by a blanket!
I think the most effective place for the Nurse In would be the restaurant in question, not some other place.
Robyn C.
wiffersnapper said,
September 1, 2007 @ 2:43 pm
I wouldn’t have budged, either. And the fact is, THEY were breaking the law by interfering with the baby’s right to eat. I wish I were closer to KY- I hope 2,000 nursing mothers all show up! And what do you want to bet that the original objecting patron was some old biddy who never had kids? They’re always the ones who know how everything should be!
sewathomemama said,
September 1, 2007 @ 3:44 pm
if this ever happens to me, i will request to know WHO complained. if they’re eating meat, i’ll tell them that since they’re offended by what my son is eating & want him to throw a blanket over his head, then they should put a blanket over their own head because i’m offended by what they’re eating! ha!
angelohara said,
September 1, 2007 @ 10:21 pm
Ugh I hate Applebees anyway.
I admit, I’d be one of those flustered moms. Thankfully I was never bothered when I nursed my son
cielymar said,
September 3, 2007 @ 7:43 am
To bad we don’t have an Applebees in Puerto Rico. I would really love to do a nurse-in there.
tsrainer said,
September 3, 2007 @ 9:37 am
I don’t think targeting Applebee’s in general is the way to go. These are privately managed. This was the error of that manager, not the chain in general. When people attack an entire business, it makes all of us NIPers look crazy. That’s why we have the image we have. Really, people need to see us as just normal people, doing normal things, like nursing our children. Untill they see us as normal, they will never change their minds about NIP. So, as someone else said, have a nurse in at THAT Applebee’s.
I will add that I’ve never, ever had a problem nursing in Applebee’s. It’s one of our favs, so we are there fairly regularly.
wiffersnapper said,
September 3, 2007 @ 3:15 pm
And, if they give out blankets, go ahead- cover the baby’s head! (The back part only!)
If they ask, just say, “I don’t eat with a blanket over my nose… why would anyone?”
The International Breastfeeding Symbol » Blog Archive » Applebee’s Nurse-In, Nurse-Out said,
September 4, 2007 @ 8:04 am
[…] and many other bloggers, agree with him. See this story on: The Lactivist, Hathor the CowGoddess, Women’s Health News, and Breastfeeding 1-2-3 (contains a Google map of Applebee’s […]
thordora said,
September 4, 2007 @ 11:42 am
Any updates on the nurse-in?
I found open mouthed gum chewers offensive-can we get them blankets? Or loud talkers?
amyphilo said,
September 5, 2007 @ 7:45 am
If corporate supported the actions of that store, then this is about all Applebee’s. Nationwide we can show them the impact that this incident wil lhave on their business unless they create a corporate-wide family friendly training policy.
See the link to the nationwide nurse-in yahoo group on the front page of www.babywhys.org
amyphilo said,
September 6, 2007 @ 6:43 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRVR_Sg_z7E
Check it out…. Applebee’s Protest / Nurse In Announcement FYI
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