I was not allowed to use rocking chairs at Baby Care Center

[letsgoagainsoon]

I also encountered a rude employee at the BCC, but it didn't have anything to do with nursing. I have twins and I needed to change one of them and the other one was asleep in the double stroller. My DH was not with me at the time, so I thought it would be a great place to change and feed them. I didn't know you couldn't bring strollers in there (obviously it depends on which CM is working, because I see on this thread somebody has a picture with two strollers in there!), anyway they wouldn't let me in, told me I had to park it outside, and I said but there is no way I can handle two babies and their gear myself. They were very UNaccommodating. SO, my other choices are to change them in public, use a companion (family) restroom or have my stroller in the way while changing them in a regular restroom and feed them elsewhere. No matter what decision I chose I can see most people would complain about all of them! Sometimes, we can never win!

 

[NemoMOm]

And if you are shy about exposing yourself perhaps you should make arrangements to breastfeed your child in the privacy of your hotel room. Not in the park. I know if it were me, I'd make arrangements to be sure my baby had what they needed. If the chairs and quiet room are not a guarantee, then I'd have other plans. But if they provide the room, it should be in a fair manner.

Just FYI, a nursing baby can nurse every 1-3 hours due to the small curd of breast milk. Not exactly conducive to running back and forth to the hotel. And again Disney provides a private room so that "other" guests do not complain about seeing the back of a baby's head under a shirt. And yes, it happens regardless of the state laws. I live in NY where we have very liberal laws regarding the subject and I always get comments addressed wither to me or even around me just enough so I can hear them. People are very rude and this is why Disney has a private room so that they do not have to deal with them. If they had the room available to everyone, then just like the common room, mothers would bring in their other children and then we would hear them complain about how their older children saw something in a family place.

Also just to let you know that everyone whom has recieved complaints regarding bottle feeding, I can assure you that b'fding moms receive complaints as well. After all, it is not the breastfeeding moms that complain that they see the horrors of NIP, it's bottle feeding moms that do the complaining.

 

[mom2maggie]

OP here. I can't believe this thread is still going - and has gone waaaaaay off tangent.

To clear up:

When I visited the first time, there was 1 mother in the nursing room when I was told I couldn't go in. A mother in the main room told me to knock and ask if it was okay to go in, and I did. The mother in the nursing room said it didn't bother her. The mother from the main room followed me in and bottlefed her baby, and we had a nice chat about how hard breastfeeding was for us (she had issues too).

The 2nd time I was turned away, there was no one in the room.

When I said that the CM was rude, it wasn't because of what she said - logically, yes, I know she was just stating policy. It was her tone and attitude that I found to be rude, and her lack of empathy when I stood there crying in front of her. Did I expect to be coddled and cuddled by the CM at the BCC? No - but there is a little bit of Disney magic missing when someone is crying in front of you and you just shrug at them.

The 2nd time, the CM pointed at the main room to direct me where to go, and when I protested, she crossed her arms across her body and snapped the policy. Yes, again, just stating policy - but in my opinion, I felt she was rude.

 

[Suellen]

thank you for clarifying how she was rude. Though I wish there weren't a need.

I am so sorry those CM not only did not spread pixie dust ~ it sounds like they stole a little from you with their attitude.

 

[candielips]

OP here. I can't believe this thread is still going - and has gone waaaaaay off tangent.

To clear up:

When I visited the first time, there was 1 mother in the nursing room when I was told I couldn't go in. A mother in the main room told me to knock and ask if it was okay to go in, and I did. The mother in the nursing room said it didn't bother her. The mother from the main room followed me in and bottlefed her baby, and we had a nice chat about how hard breastfeeding was for us (she had issues too).

The 2nd time I was turned away, there was no one in the room.

When I said that the CM was rude, it wasn't because of what she said - logically, yes, I know she was just stating policy. It was her tone and attitude that I found to be rude, and her lack of empathy when I stood there crying in front of her. Did I expect to be coddled and cuddled by the CM at the BCC? No - but there is a little bit of Disney magic missing when someone is crying in front of you and you just shrug at them.

The 2nd time, the CM pointed at the main room to direct me where to go, and when I protested, she crossed her arms across her body and snapped the policy. Yes, again, just stating policy - but in my opinion, I felt she was rude.

It's funny how a little empathy and a different tone of voice/attitude would have made the experience completely different for you.

Sorry for the rude CM.

 

[NemoMOm]

I have found lately that a lot of CMs have not been very Disney-ish. The DVC reps are really rude lately Also whenever I go to the BBC it is usually attended by young people that do not have children. People do not understand how difficult it is to breastfeed. Its a shame that she could not express some empathy for you.

 

[Creekermom]

Although I did nurse it WRONG to discriminate! I hope the
do something soon to
make changes as I would hate to have someones
visit ruined by se "tacky" rules! Please keep
us updated.

 

[Suellen]

I have found lately that a lot of CMs have not been very Disney-ish. The DVC reps are really rude lately Also whenever I go to the BBC it is usually attended by young people that do not have children. People do not understand how difficult it is to breastfeed. Its a shame that she could not express some empathy for you.

Funny you say that about the DVC reps ~ DH dealt with one for about 90 minutes on something the other day and I was apologizing for asking him to call and he said it was fine ~ she was really nice.

That being said while we were there in January/February we also ran into several rude CM's and twice giving bad information that screwed up our plans for the day.

Though I do admit I hold disney CM to a higher standard based on past expierences .

 

[tartemis]

Maybe I'm just cynical, but I don't even think that Disney provides the bf rooms because of complaints about NIP. They are sponsered by a formula compnay and these days formula companies are required to give lip service to "Breast is Best" -- which is why I think we have these rooms.

BTW, I NIP all the time, but I am grateful for the rooms (no matter why they are there.) Neither one of my girls would let a blanket cover them when they nurse and it is always a struggle to keep myself somewhat covered. The rooms let me just relax and not care about who I'm flashing.

I also think that while it is important that bottle-feeding moms not feel bad for the fact (and I won't say choice because I know that is not always the case) that they bottle-feed, as a society we should be encouraging people to breastfeed and it is amazing that something as natural and beneficial as breastfeeding was almost completely washed out of our culture just a generation ago. If that means that we should give some "perks" to breastfeeding moms, so be it.

 

[JEWLSVERN]

I have been following this thread since it started and have not posted yet. I just returned from WDW with my DS7months who is BFed. I did not use the BCC the entire time I was there though I knew they existed. It was much easier to feed DS in a show, on a ride, bus, monorail, or a bench. The BCC was just not convenient. I did get a few looks and comments from others. I even BFed on the Jungle Cruise.

Most BFing moms do not even use the BCC. It is nice they have it but I think the reason it is there is solely that when someone complains about a mom NIP Disney can say "Well we provide a BCC with a room for nursing mothers." They can't make moms use it but the provision of the nursing room is really there for them to counteract the complaints.

 

[maxiesmom]

Although I did nurse it WRONG to discriminate! I hope the
do something soon to
make changes as I would hate to have someones
visit ruined by se "tacky" rules! Please keep
us updated.

So would you be on board with the men who then will claim they are discriminated against if they can't bottle feed in the same room? Cause that is bound to happen.

What is so wrong with providing a place to breast feed where a woman doesn't have to expose herself to whoever happens by?

 

[gisgt]

I also think that while it is important that bottle-feeding moms not feel bad for the fact (and I won't say choice because I know that is not always the case) that they bottle-feed, as a society we should be encouraging people to breastfeed and it is amazing that something as natural and beneficial as breastfeeding was almost completely washed out of our culture just a generation ago. If that means that we should give some "perks" to breastfeeding moms, so be it.

And people wonder why bottle-feeders feel compelled to explain themselves.

 

[maxiesmom]

Does anyone know yet what kind of refurb they are giving to the BCC in the Magic Kingdom? Maybe they are adding more rocking chairs, and another quiet room.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

There are multiple definitions for the word nurse and several dictionaries that clearly define it to mean the care and feeding of an infant.

But whatever.... that is not really the point.

All the people who do not agree with this policy should write in, as I said in my first post in this thread. Because really, it does not matter what is said, or how rudely it is stated, in this thread. If enough people write in and express their dismay at the policy, it will change. Because as someone pointed out, Disney is a company and they will respond to what their customers want.

And if you are shy about exposing yourself perhaps you should make arrangements to breastfeed your child in the privacy of your hotel room. Not in the park. I know if it were me, I'd make arrangements to be sure my baby had what they needed. If the chairs and quiet room are not a guarantee, then I'd have other plans. But if they provide the room, it should be in a fair manner.

The same could be said of bottle feeders. If they need a dark room with a rocking chair then they should make arrangements. Of course I am just saying that to be fair regardless of how you feed your baby. Another thing I am curious about it that the OP was crying because she couldn't feed her baby in a rocking chair in a dimly lit room. I have never stayed in a room at WDW that had a rocker in it so what did she do when the child had to eat in places other than MK or a place with a BBC? What if they were at the pool or in DTD?

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

If that means that we should give some "perks" to breastfeeding moms, so be it.

That was rude.

 

[NemoMOm]

And people wonder why bottle-feeders feel compelled to explain themselves.

They same can be said about breastfeeding moms, as we often have to.

Again, the reason why women have a nursing room is so tha no one complains to Disney. I notice that no one that bottle feeds and can see this side of the argument.

 

[mom2maggie]

The same could be said of bottle feeders. If they need a dark room with a rocking chair then they should make arrangements. Of course I am just saying that to be fair regardless of how you feed your baby. Another thing I am curious about it that the OP was crying because she couldn't feed her baby in a rocking chair in a dimly lit room. I have never stayed in a room at WDW that had a rocker in it so what did she do when the child had to eat in places other than MK or a place with a BBC? What if they were at the pool or in DTD?

OP here. For our hotel room, I purchased a folding camp chair that rocks. We didn't end up needing it because our room at CSR had a desk chair that rocked, so we used that at night, whenever we were at our hotel. Just like anyone else, my child does not REQUIRE a rocking chair to feed. It does help her to relax and eat, especially when we have been in a environment that is ultra-stimulating...like, oh, I don't know....Disney World?

I was upset and crying because of the rude CM, and because it was a reminder of my failure to breastfeed, not because I was having a hissy fit that I couldn't rock my baby. I do still think it is unfair that the rocking chairs are reserved for nursing mothers only. It is not unfair that they have their own room - I understand and respect that some mothers need privacy. I do not understand Disney's decision to only put rocking chairs in the nursing room, plain and simple! If there had even been one rocking chair in the main room, I never would have complained, because like I said in a previous post - I could have dealt with the television.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Maybe the policy should be amended. A bottle feeding parent is allowed to use the room until such a time that 4 breast feeding moms want to use the room.

In other words, the breastfeeders have priority, but the bottle feeders could still use the room when not busy. Maybe that is something someone should suggest.

 

[NemoMOm]

I think they do not have rocking chairs where other children are because they can be dangerous. Too often I see parents that do no watch their children at Disney, even more so in the BBC. Just imagine all of the toddlers climbing all over the rocking chairs. It seems that parents feel that if they are in Disney, they do not have to be careful.

I was upset and crying because of the rude CM, and because it was a reminder of my failure to breastfeed, not because I was having a hissy fit that I couldn't rock my baby. I do still think it is unfair that the rocking chairs are reserved for nursing mothers only. It is not unfair that they have their own room - I understand and respect that some mothers need privacy. I do not understand Disney's decision to only put rocking chairs in the nursing room, plain and simple! If there had even been one rocking chair in the main room, I never would have complained, because like I said in a previous post - I could have dealt with the television.

 

[mom2maggie]

I think they do not have rocking chairs where other children are because they can be dangerous. Too often I see parents that do no watch their children at Disney, even more so in the BBC. Just imagine all of the toddlers climbing all over the rocking chairs. It seems that parents feel that if they are in Disney, they do not have to be careful.

There are many things at Disney that can be dangerous if parents aren't attentive to their children. Sorry, I don't see this as a valid reason.