Breastfeeding Victory in West Virginia
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Friday, March 30, 2007
Heidi over at me, Molly & the Moon writes to tell me the pending West Virginia breastfeeding legislation is going to be signed into law on Monday.Governor Manchin announced this week that he'll be signing SB 148 into law at 10:30am on Monday at the Capitol building.
The bill will exempt breastfeeding from West Virginia's indecent exposure laws. It also provides $20,000 in funding to West Virginia's WIC program for the specific purpose of a week long training program to educate West Virginia medical professionals about breastfeeding.
If we've got any West Virginia moms reading, (apart from you Heidi!) I'd encourage them to consider attending the signing. At the very least, check and see if your representative or senator voted in favor of the bill and drop them an email to say thank you.
Labels: Lactivism, Nursing in Public
I am a WV mom who breast feeds and I just don't think that is enough but yeah for small victories. At least now I can't be arrested for nursing my child in public! However I can still be asked to leave a public place if I'm nursing my child and can't do a thing about it. I guess it is just one baby step at a time.
I'm a WV mother and I was dismayed to discover that Governor Manchin vetoed the legislation because of a conflict with other legislation affecting the indecent exposure law. It really bothers me that the most natural thing in the world has to be differentiated in writing from lewd and obscene acts! I don't know what the conflict is but I hope it is resolved soon. The health benefits of breastfeeding must be better understood by mothers in our state. So many young women (everywhere) are squeamish about breastfeeding because breasts have been so sexualized in our society that mothers fear they are being immodest and overtly sexual if they feed their children the way God and nature intended. We need to get over this! Pass the legislation and encourage the utilization of our rights!
Hi! I am a WV mom and a police officer. I have been put in a position where I may have to attend a required 16 week training session where I will be away from my baby (she will be 15 weeks old at the time) all week. I will get to leave the compound on Friday evening and must report back Sunday evening. Most importantly they have told me that there are no provisions in place that will allow me to pump and store my milk. This will force me to either stop breastfeeding my child or loose my job. It seems when nursing mothers take a step forward toward victory, we are forced to take two steps back. When are we ever going to get equal treatment?
This is the only thing I can find on this...do you have a link to a reputable source. Not that you're not reputable! :)
I'm way late to the party, but SB 148 did not get signed into law. It passed and all, but the Governor vetoed it.
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=148&year=2007&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill
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