Breastfeeding moms hold "nurse in" protest at Chick-fil-A restaurant
A Georgia mother's viral Facebook post has spurred other breastfeeding moms to come to her defense by organizing a "nurse-in" at a Georgia Chick-fil-A, according to WRDW-TV in Atlanta.
The mom, Samantha McIntosh, said she was breastfeeding her 7-month-old daughter in a booth at an Evans, Georgia, outlet of the popular chicken chain with her 9-year-old niece Monday when a manager approached. McIntosh said she was upset and embarrassed when the manager told her they'd had a complaint and asked her to cover herself.
"And now with half the restaurant watching this scene unfold, including my young niece, I have a decision to make," McIntosh posted on Facebook. "So I quickly unlatch and tell the manager I will finish feeding her later ... but as I sit there in this family friendly restaurant I start to simmer. I'll admit it. I got angry."
McIntosh's post had been shared more than 1,400 times by Friday.
Let me start by saying I am in no way, shape, or form a “breast is best” mom! I am a HUGE believer in FED IS BEST! I...
Posted by Samantha Dawn McIntosh on Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Chick-fil-A, which is based in Georgia, on Friday did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Associated Press. But a local newspaper quoted McIntosh as saying the restaurant owner apologized to her.
The Facebook post prompted several moms to rally to defend McIntosh. Some drove more than an hour to be there for the protest on Tuesday, according to WRDW-TV. They told reporters that breastfeeding is natural and that it's legal in Georgia to nurse — covered or uncovered — anywhere a mother is allowed to bring a child.
Jessica Gaugush, who helped organize the nurse-in, said that whoever complained about the issue in the first place is "part of the problem."
"We need to normalize breastfeeding and make sure that people are as comfortable as possible with moms feeding their kids however they decide," Gaugush told the Augusta Chronicle.