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Like the Pediatric GI specialist I took my son to when he was 5 months old. “Just keep breastfeeding, that’s best for him, but add a tablespoon of cereal to every ounce of milk to help the reflux.” Um, yeah Doc, let me just pop open the secret hatch here.

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I think it’s really sad that kids are locked out of so much of real life. First people totally forget that banning the baby is often banning the mom. My first daughter was a bottle refuser so if she couldn’t go I couldn’t go. Being a good mom should not lock you out of life.

Second I think it does a serious disservice to society. How do we expect kids to learn to become adults when they are banned from seeing so much of real life. We started taking our first daughter out to eat at restaurants at a few weeks old. We would leave or take her outside immediately if she was a disruption. Now at 3 she is a charming dinner companion. (And when she’s not you wouldn’t know it because we take her out.) I think children should be innocent until proven disruptive not banned without a chance. That’s nothing less then the same respect we grant adults.

Good for you for standing up for your rights!

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@Jeff – I have a lot of hope that things will continue to change for the better.

@Lis – Exactly. If Dot was a particularly fussy baby, I probably would have felt I needed to skip the conference altogether. As long as she wasn’t being disruptive, I felt that it wasn’t inappropriate for her to be there.

@Jamie – I’ve not even thought of it that way! I’ve found a couple of places that have made it a little easier (my local mall has a nursing lounge, for example), but it’s usually more of a struggle than one would expect. Espceially when people get freaked out about nursing in public. Seriously? I mean, I try to be respectful by covering myself, but to still be uncomfortable about it…again, I’m starting to feel like that just has to be the other person’s problem. I’ve got enough going on.

@Lisa – Some of the comments here show that it’s not just men who are uncomfortable around breastfeeding. I suppose it’s one of those things where actually being around it and getting used to it really changes your mind.

@Deb – Thanks for the compliment. She is a pretty good baby. I got the idea that perhaps BlogWorld can request that children be allowed, but it probably has to happen far in advance.

@Lara – Thanks for the image of Dot tossing back a whiskey and water while enveloped in a cloud of smoke and yelling “Mama needs a new pair of shoes!” I really enjoyed meeting you, too!

@Sommer-Green – I really hope things are changing, too, because it does feel discriminatory at this point. Not that I think kids should go everywhere…but there needs to be a little more logic behind it all.

@Allena – No, it wasn’t a matter of not being allowed there because of breast feeding. I was told that it’s because some conventions require the use of forklifts (no joke, this is the excuse I was given), so it might not be safe for people under 18. I talked about breastfeeding because it was one important reason for the baby to be with me.

@Debra – I don’t think the breastfeeding presenter was just flashing the group attendees. Like me, I believe she kept herself covered while the baby was nursing. I’ve always been a pretty modest person, but after eight months of nursing, I’m much more desensitized to having my breasts exposed. Still, I’m an intelligent person, and I realize that is uncomfortable for some people. If they are freaked out because I’m breastfeeding under a blanket or other covering, then I think it’s their problem more than mine at that point.

@David – The more fathers we get who feel like this, the faster things will change!

@Tara – To be fair, I thought I had a greenlight to bring her long before I ever left home. If I’d known she wouldn’t be allowed, I probably wouldn’t have gone at all. As it turns out, I’m glad I didn’t know because I still had a wonderful time and hopefully showed a few people that it is possible for a baby to be in that type of setting.

@Genesis – When your dad took you, the others probably just figured the poor guy had no other option and they should cut him some slack. If a guy showed up with a kiddo, people (myself included) would ooh and ahh over what a good father he is. It’s not the same for moms as it is for dads.

@Mary – The fact that those spending the most time and energy to bring up good people are expected to do it at the expense of everything else is so silly!

@Lyman – The way I see it, children are human being, too, and they should be respected for that much at least. I don’t think you’re a jerk at all; you just have a different opinion. Fortunately, you’ve stated it politely and without hyperbole. As I said before, I think it’s a matter of being a responsible parent. If your child is screaming or whatever, then it’s time to go. If my baby was prone to be particularly fussy, I wouldn’t have tried to attend in the first place.

I’m sure your child is very well behaved, but many aren’t. There is a pattern of behavior they’ve seen, and they’ve made a decision based on that. It’s a business – some are receptive to children, some aren’t. I’m a very firm believer in “their business, their rules.”

And if people want to have a convention while the presenters are breastfeeding, more power to them! I won’t be there – but does that mean that I’m being “excluded?” No, it’s a choice… much like having a child is.

Mr. Stranger who decided offer his opinion on how to raise your child – he just sounds like a jerk.

Of course, I realize that most of the people reading this comment probably think that I am as well.

Thanks for the food for thought… this is probably the longest comment I’ve left on a blog in a looooong time.

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You know, my dad used to have a lot of conferences when I was growing up and while it wasn`t a regular thing for us to join him, he did take me on those trips sometimes and I would actually sit in on the sessions, just coloring or whatever. I have no idea if this was ever an issue for him, but if a child is well-behaved, I don`t see the problem.

I appreciate your courage in doing something that shouldn’t have to be courageous…bringing your baby anywhere shouldn’t really be a big deal.

I hope to see you both again next year.

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And frankly, for the Blogworld bigwig to tell you that they had a presenter present while breastfeeding, well, was tacky. She should have had some self respect to realize that while people may be supportive of breast feeding in public, not everyone wants to see or be subjected to that.

You’re pissed off, I get that, but others there would have been irritated too if they paid $400+ to attend a conference only to be interrupted by a baby crying or to be seated next to you feeling uncomfrtable while you breastfeed.

Get a babysitter.

I’m not phrasing this well.

What am I trying to say here?

um, that this goes much higher than you (city level) and discriminating against BFing, right?

I guess I’m wondering (hoping) that this wasn’t an issue outside of plain old city-level liability laws. I’m hoping it has nothing to do with breastfeeding.

PS- My children travel EVERYWHERE with me. I consider it a part of their education. I’m all about a child seeing as much as possible, especially prior to age 5, when her synapses are firing and forming. There’s nothing wrong with a child being in Vegas. It’s just another city.

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I think this “gentleman” might’ve been a little misunderstanding of this situation, which is odd given that it’s not like you were sitting at a craps table with Dot on your lap and 4 chain smoking boozers surrounding you. But then again, there are weirdo assumptive meanies in every bunch, aren’t there?

I can see if this conference was of an adult nature or if there was dangerous stuff lying about, but there was none of that. I saw nothing that indicated a threat or danger – or even inappropriate material – to children.

You rock and Dot rocks. I hope to see yo both again soon.

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