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Breastfeeding Mom Asked To Leave CT Courtroom, Even Though Public Breastfeeding Is Legal
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 9, 2013
Modified Dec 9, 2013
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WTNH
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 9, 2013
Modified Dec 9, 2013
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A Connecticut mother was understandably upset when she was asked to leave a courtroom last week—all because she was breastfeeding her three-month-old baby. So she went to the local news station with her story.
Connecticut allows mothers to breastfeed their children in public, and so breastfeeding in the courtroom is totally legal. However, Danielle Gendron encountered a very uninformed family court marshal. She told WTNH News 8, "I went to feed him and the marshal, just you know she immediately just waved me out. That's never happened to me so I wasn't sure she was speaking to me at first so I kind of looked around and she was like you know get out."
Gendron, who was then unable to testify, said, "It almost make you feel ashamed which is terrible because you shouldn't feel that way," pointing out that this kind of treatment discourages moms from breastfeeding. She added, "If we could all sit home with our babies 24/7 that would be great but no one can do that and no one would be asked to leave anywhere if they were giving their baby a bottle."
WTNH News 8 spoke to the court spokesperson, who said the court marshal was in error: "The judicial branch taking action to make sure this doesn't happen again. News 8 helping to get the word out." However, there are other issues for breastfeeding mothers in courtrooms: A breastfeeding juror in Missouri was held in contempt for breastfeeding her five-month-old during jury duty. The judge told the mother to pump breastmilk or bring a caregiver; unfortunately he child doesn't take bottles and the family doesn't have child care.
Here's a list of states that allow public breastfeeding—New York and New Jersey also allow it. We've contacted the New York Courts spokesperson to find out about accommodations for breastfeeding jurors, because they are not exempt from jury duty.
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breast is best
breastfeeding
connecticut
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danielle gendron
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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