Jax Airshow Nursing Experience

Two years ago, in October 2012, we were at the Jax Airshow that was at Jax Beach that year and I had my worst nursing in public experience ever. Some of you know this story to a certain degree, but I thought I’d post about it especially given it is 2 years later and today I was feeling particularly defensive nursing at the airshow at NAS Jax. Lucky for all the strangers there, nobody said anything to me, as it should be! wink emoticon Two years ago, we were sitting on the beach, watching the air show for hours at that point, when a stranger approached me and demanded I cover up or stop nursing and called me white trash, that I was trying to sexually “turn on” little boys playing nearby (which included my son!), and that I should be ashamed. I stayed calm and politely informed her of Florida law that I can breastfeed anywhere I legally am allowed to be. When I would not stop nursing and just kept politely informing her of the law, she started calling me names and threatened to go “get the sheriff to force me to stop.” She was so unkind to me, I was choking back tears and many strangers from all around me put their hands on my shoulder or offered words of support, saying that I was in the right and did nothing wrong. The lady stood and waited and talked to the sheriff. Then the Jax Beach police officer came up to me and knelt down on the beach next to me and told me to cover or stop nursing. He said I know you aren’t doing anything illegal, but please stop, “multiple” people are offended... Because the lady got one of her friends to go with her to complain. I told him I would not stop nursing or cover up more (and honestly, I was nursing pretty modestly, but that is completely beyond the point!). He then asked me to cover up "as a favor to him". I told him I did not have to cover up by law, and what did he expect me to do? To use a sand covered towel on my child? He said that to just do it as a favor to him and that more than one person was upset. I said, well, I AM upset that my right to breastfeed is not being protected, it is not against the law and I WILL NOT STOP. I told him I am upset that my family is being yelled at and ridiculed by a stranger, yet, I'm being asked to stop when I'm in the right. He should be telling her to stop harassing me. He quickly walked away after that and I was left in tears because I was so upset at this point. The police officer was no where to be seen the remainder of the event, this happened between Fat Albert flying and the rest of the Blue Angels flying, about 3:15pm until 4:30pm. He was in a golf cart but I didn’t see him after that. But you bet, that woman stood right nearby me, staring at me and my family, the rest of the event, smugly, because she felt that she was in the right because the Sheriff had asked me to cover. I had a few strangers come up to me and say that they thought I was completely fine and that breastfeeding was protected, etc, but by that point I felt so hurt by everything that had occurred no amount of comforting really was much use. But I insisted to stay through the rest of the air show, as my son Joey LOVES the blue angels. As it turned out, my baby had become very ill and I did not know it yet. Ina started puking violently as we left and was hospitalized for the entire week following - I am sure glad that as a mom, I followed my instincts and let her nurse constantly for the hours and hours that we were at the air show, she clearly needed all the milk she could get to try to fight off that virus. I had a LLL leader go and talk to the Sheriff’s office, and I called and talked to them on the phone. They did verbally apologize to me, mostly because I was so upset, but said that because the other lady complained first, that he was “forced” to address the situation and talk to me. Evidently, crazy people who have a problem with breastfeeding truly are more protected than breastfeeding is here. Sad, but true. Thank you to everyone that helped me that day, and after that day to help get through this traumatic day. heart emoticon Love you Rob, Elisabeth, Janet, and Harley. Below: photo of me being soooo "inappropriate" nursing Ina at the Air Show in 2012.