Mothers, Advocates Gather To Celebrate 20th Anniversary Of Breastfeeding Law
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mothers and breastfeeding advocates gathered Friday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of a state law protecting a woman's right to breastfeed anywhere, WCBS 880's Monica Miller reported.
Mothers, Advocates Gather To Celebrate 20th Anniversary Of Breastfeeding Law
"It's natural, it's cheaper and easier," one woman said.
More than 100 mothers jumped on the A train for Friday's breatsfeeding "subway caravan."
The law allows women to breastfeed in public without being harassed or facing a fine for indecent exposure.
"That means they can breastfeed in the subway, they can breastfeed in the park, they can breastfeed in Barnes & Noble," advocate Theresa Landau said.
As Miller reported, the advocates say it's not simply a life choice, but a public health issue.
Researchers say breastfeeding prevents infant deaths and saves $13 billion a year in the United States.
"It helps support decreasing infection, it helps support brain development," Aletha Maybank with the Health Department said.
The controversial city-wide program, Latch On NYC, took effect in September 2012 and aimed as supporting mothers who choose to breastfeed their newborns.
But despite the law and city-wide push, some see breastfeeding as an act to be done in private.
"It galls me to know that we have a naked cowboy in New York, he's not breastfeeding, but for me, who's doing something natural, I'm discriminated against," one mother said.
In April, a Long Island mother contemplated suing the Riverhead Police Department after being scolded for breastfeeding her daughter.
Breastfeeding was again a hot topic this week as new mother Olivia Wilde made headlines for a breastfeeding photo published in Glamour magazine.
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