Mom speaks out on breast-feeding rights

Angie Carlson's face still flushes as she recalls a confrontation with a pool area manager over breast-feeding at The Summit Medical Fitness Center.

"He made me feel like I was doing something shameful," she said.

Even after she received an apology from the human resources department a week later, the incident bothered her. She knew Kalispell Regional Medical Center strongly supported and advocated breast-feeding.

"It's a natural thing to do," she said.

In a first effort to educate the public, Carlson, who lives in west Kalispell, tried to get a discussion going on a local radio talk show. She wanted to inform listeners about Montana law.

Montana law states that "breast-feeding a baby is an important and basic act of nurturing that must be protected in the interests of maternal and child health and family values. A mother has the right to breast-feed the mother's child in any location, public or private, where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be present, irrespective of whether or not the mother's breast is covered during or incidental to the breast-feeding."

The law forbids a unit of local government from prohibiting breast-feeding and states that the act of breast-feeding may not be considered a nuisance, indecent exposure, sexual conduct or obscenity.

Carlson was disappointed when the male radio host refused her request to discuss the topic.

"He said, ‘I get uncomfortable when I see a breast-feeding woman. I want to look down,'" Carlson recalled. "He said ‘It's such a controversial subject.'"

It seemed a reflection of the pool manager's attitude at The Summit after a lifeguard questioned the manager about Carlson's right to breast-feed in public. The confrontation continued to replay in her mind.

The mother of a 5-year-old girl and 5-month-old boy, Carlson enjoys taking her children to the swimming pool.

"My daughter was learning to swim," she said. "It's amazing to watch kids swim."

On this day a few weeks ago, Carlson's son was showing signs of hunger. Following pool rules, she took both children out of the pool.

Carlson said she wasn't in the line of parents watching children in the swim class. She retreated into a corner with her baby and little girl.

"When I breast-feed, I'm discreet," she said. "I went to a corner. I had a towel. Every part of me that needed to be concealed was covered."

When the manager approached her, he said she was not allowed to "do that" in the pool area. Carlson said at first she thought it had something to do with the water and the health of her baby.

"Then he said, ‘We have a family bathroom for that,'" she said. "Indirectly, he was telling me I had to use the bathroom. The only place to sit in the bathroom is the toilet."

She promptly left the pool area because she didn't know her rights under the law. Another woman who witnessed the event expressed her shock at the pool manager asking her to leave.

"I was embarrassed," Carson said. "I needed to leave."

Just the night before, she had breast-fed her son with a woman on duty at The Summit and nothing was said.

She was still thinking about it the next day so she began doing some research, starting with the La Leche League, an international organization that promotes breast-feeding. Carlson learned that laws vary in each state and she was referred to a lactation consultant.

Since she had legal insurance through work, she contacted an attorney to learn about Montana law. The attorney told her that the law allows breast feeding in public but if a facility has an area set up for breast feeding, employees have a right to ask a woman to use it.

"I agree with that," Carlson said. "If they have a designated area, I would be glad to use it."

She does not agree that a family restroom, sitting on a toilet, amounts to an area suitable for feeding her baby. Carlson was stunned that The Summit, a facility owned by Northwest Healthcare, didn't have a policy.

She began making inquiries and was referred to a risk manager, apparently as a legal precaution. About a week later, a woman in the human resources department called to apologize and convey plans to better inform staffers about breast-feeding rights.

According to Bob Norwood, manager of health and fitness operations at The Summit, employees now have been educated about the law. He sent a memo around that required signatures of all employees, certifying that they had read and understood the law.

"We were just not aware of the law," he said. "We've now notified the staff of the state regulations."

Norwood doesn't expect any other women to experience an incident like Carlson did. He said the pool manager had no idea that he was violating the law by asking Carlson to go to "a more discreet" location.

"It's not something we were trying to discourage," he said.

Norwood added that he wishes that his foresight had been as sharp as his hindsight has been in this situation.

Carlson gives Kalispell Regional Medical Center high marks for promoting breast-feeding.

"I had my baby there," she said. "They're wonderful about breast-feeding. They have a breast pump you can use there for free. That's a wonderful feature."

Carlson said she has breast-fed both of her children. She remains a strong advocate for the health of the child who gains immunities while bonding more closely with the mother.

She pointed out it costs less than buying formula and is very convenient.

"I was given this gift to be able to do this. I feel strongly about it," Carlson said. "I'm proud to breast-feed."

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.