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

[HappyDznyCamper]

You in all these sentences are used as a general you.

So let's just paint this scenario and see how you would feel on the opposite side of it.

You are sitting in the TV room trying to feed your easily distracted infant when a family comes in to warm food and feed toddler with 4 or 5 year old sibling and dad in tow.

Your baby is distracted and not able to focus on eating yet needing to be fed. Let's say this goes on for 20 minutes and the ENTIRE time you deal with this there is an empty, quiet room you COULD go into to feed your infant in a decent environment that he/she is more used to ~ yet you are told you can't use the room that has sat empty the ENTIRE time because of the method you are using to try to feed that infant.

The feeling I get from this thread is "too bad ~ I MIGHT need it ~ sorry your child isn't getting the nutrition they need ~ but should I decide at some point in the future to use that chair you best not be in it"

Even though it has gone unused the entire time? No.... too bad. You struggle with feeding your child while I think about MAYBE using that quiet spot that would solve your problem.

I don't get it.

Again ~ so glad I don't need to use these BCC anymore.

What if the parent feeding the bottle is Dad?? Does he have the same "right" to use the nursing room? What if a breastfeeding mom wants to use the room and is uncomfortable finding a dad in there? Disney keeping it to nursing moms only also keeps it women only, and for some breastfeeding moms that is not only important but necessary, the milk won't let down as easily if mom is not comfortable.

 

[Suellen]

I think I clearly said the room was EMPTY.

I.E. no nursing mom in there.

I guess we could expect that dad to take his baby to the bathroom to feed the infant.

 

[El&Asmom]

I think I clearly said the room was EMPTY.

I.E. no nursing mom in there.

I guess we could expect that dad to take his baby to the bathroom to feed the infant.

The point is with bottle feeding there are no parts considered private exposed. A dad could easily choose a quiet bench to bottle feed his child. If he so chooses a quiet environment. Even if someone walked by he wouldn't get glared at for feeding that child. A bfing mother might. Bfing thankfully has gained a lot of public and legal support over the last several years. Unfortunately not all believe that it is acceptable to bf in public. A woman should not have to expose herself if she chooses not to when there is an acceptable alternative in a nursing room. If that room is occupied by men bottle feeding, she risks loosing that safe place to feed her child.
A bottle feeding dad does not need to use the bathroom to feed his child to find a quiet place to feed her.

 

[Suellen]

My point is an unused commodity is a waste.

There is no point in making someone feel like crud because they wish to use something unused.

It is rude the way this woman was spoken to. End of story.

You don't want to share... don't.

You can't justify leaving something completely unused IMHO when there is someone in need of it.

 

[littlbugmom]

I think I clearly said the room was EMPTY.

I.E. no nursing mom in there.

I guess we could expect that dad to take his baby to the bathroom to feed the infant.

In your scenario, the room was empty but it wouldn't stay that way and that's my point. The 4 chairs open to all would turn the room into a quiet room and at that point, fathers could be in there, too.

There is no reason for a Dad to take the child to the bathroom. Yuck and believe me, sitting on a toilet trying to feed your child is not nice and it's not quiet. People come in and pee and poop and flush and the echo in there is awful. Those are just a few reasons I refused to move to the bathroom when the restaurant manager told me I had to. He offered to take a chair in there so I wouldn't have to sit on the toilet but I still declined. His other great idea was for me to bundle my baby up and go out to a cold car to nurse.


Unfortunately, Disney doesn't have a small quiet room for parents whose babies need it to be slightly dark and quiet in order to eat. I agree with the poster who said it's not Disney's responsibility to provide a quiet room to bottlefeed. It would be nice if they did, though. They provide the private room for nursing women because they saw it as a need, not because they think those women are special. If they are convinced that the main room needs to changed, they will change it.

 

[designermv]

I am all for having Disney switch the rooms. Let's put the couches (which I think would be much more comfortable than those hard rockers) in the nursing room, and let's put the TV in there too. We can move the rocking chairs to the main room. Then lets wait a couple of months and see if there is someone who comes on here and posts:

"Wow! Did you know the nursing room has couches instead of those uncomfortable rocking chairs? They even have a TV! Their discriminating against us. Why do they get comfy couches and a TV?"

 

[tartemis]

WHAT?????

This has to be one of the rudest comments I have ever read on these boards. I don't even know what else to say.

I've wrote a few things but erased since I can't afford the points.

Nice selective quotation. Some people just need a reason to get riled up I guess.

I specifically said that there is no reason to be ashamed of bottle-feeding your kid.

 

[annette20071]

My point is an unused commodity is a waste.

There is no point in making someone feel like crud because they wish to use something unused.

It is rude the way this woman was spoken to. End of story.

You don't want to share... don't.

You can't justify leaving something completely unused IMHO when there is someone in need of it.

Did she ever say "how" she was spoken too? All I recall seeing was that they were "rude" to her. How were they rude is what I would like to know? I think her emotions affected her perception of the encounter. Every commodity has specific uses. You don't just change the use because someone else could use it differently than its intended purpose. Also, I don't believe the OP said the room was empty. She said it was not full.

 

[maxiesmom]

My point is an unused commodity is a waste.

There is no point in making someone feel like crud because they wish to use something unused.

It is rude the way this woman was spoken to. End of story.

You don't want to share... don't.

You can't justify leaving something completely unused IMHO when there is someone in need of it.

No where in the OP's post does it state the rooms were empty when she tried to use them.

If they open up that room to bottle feeding parents, then there would not be any privacy for the nursing mothers, thereby ruining the purpose of the room. To give nursing mothers a place to nurse, without feeling they are being watched or judged. It wouldn't be very private if people were constantly going in and out.

And while many people here post that they would get up and move out of a rocking chair for a nursing mother, we all know that there are people who would not! And I'm sure Disney doesn't want there to be fights in the nursing room over who was there first, and who needs to leave for whom.

 

[littlbugmom]

My point is an unused commodity is a waste.

There is no point in making someone feel like crud because they wish to use something unused.

It is rude the way this woman was spoken to. End of story.

You don't want to share... don't.

You can't justify leaving something completely unused IMHO when there is someone in need of it.

Yes, the CM was rude to her. Not only is that not the end of the story....it's not the story at all. We all agree that the rudeness is unacceptable. Nobody thinks rudeness is ok.


You're taking this entire discussion back to a "don't want to share" angle? The nursing moms just don't want to share something really cool with those bottle feeding moms? If that's still all you see after pages and pages of discussion, there's no reason to continue the discussion.


I'm very happy that disney provides 4 chairs in a private area for a woman who exposes her breast to feed her child.

 

[iheartdisney]

There are only 4 chairs in that room. It is a room for nursing mothers to use for a bit of privacy. Because she pulls out her breast to feed her child. If 4 moms using bottles are in there and a nursing mom arrives, the nursing room is not available. It can no longer be called a nursing room if it is not available when a nursing mom needs it because it is being used by non-nursing moms. If your position is to get rid of the nursing room altogether, please read all of my other posts in this thread because we've already talked about talked about why the room is needed. (complaints about bfing in public, bfing moms being insulted and made to feel uncomfortable etc..)


I think all parents have a certain way they want to feed their child...things that they do at home can't always be duplicated at an amusement park. I do not think bfing moms are the only ones who need privacy or quiet rooms or a rocking chair. (I've said that a few times in this thread, too) I do, however believe that a small room with 4 chairs in it is a good thing for Disney to offer women who expose their breasts to feed their children.

The point you are missing is Disney is a company, and they are never going to satisfy every mother in how THEY want things to be. It is not DISNEY'S responsibility to provide a quiet place for you to bottlefeed. You are at a theme park for goodness sake. It is also not Disney's responsibility to provide a nursing room. However, they CHOOSE to for the various reasons stated repeatedly on this thread. Disney provides FOUR chairs in a private room for nursing moms. Apparently Disney thinks that the complaints about NIP are more important than providing a private room for you to bottlefeed when you are at their theme park.

ITA, and I think this gets the the heart of the matter, the entitlement attitude.
Bottom Line: No matter how you choose to feed your child (bottle, breast or fork and sppon) if your child needs a quiet dark serene place to eat, maybe it is not the best time to visit a theme park, or consider planning your day accordingly and if you can't find a quiet dark spot in the park, go to your hotel room for a break.

 

[Minniemama350]

I can understand if theya re just overflowingwith nursing moms that they would reserve the chairs for priority because it is so much easier to nurse that way, but if there is room? Dumb rule. Very insensitive! I am sorry you had this experience. I hope they really listen to your complaint.

 

[designermv]

If Disney makes it a policy to let anyone use the room when it's empty, then what happens when a breastfeeding mom wants to use it but it is occupied by four bottlefeeding moms? Does the breastfeeding mom get to kick a bottlefeeding mom out? Will the bottlefeeding mom get angry? If you open the room to everyone, then that takes away the guaranteed private space for breastfeeding moms. I don't know how many times I've said that in this thread! The rule has to be black and white because shades of gray in this scenario will make things get ugly fast.

WDWinfo.com also states that women who need to use a breastpump may do so in the Nursing Room. I would not feel comfortable using a pump around women who do not breastfeed. I would feel very self-conscious.

Bottlefeeding moms have an entire theme park as well as a big air conditioned room with couches in the Baby Care Center to feed their babies without being given dirty looks. That people are turning a small room with hard chairs into a discrimination issue is comical.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

If Disney makes it a policy to let anyone use the room when it's empty, then what happens when a breastfeeding mom wants to use it but it is occupied by four bottlefeeding moms? Does the breastfeeding mom get to kick a bottlefeeding mom out? Will the bottlefeeding mom get angry? If you open the room to everyone, then that takes away the guaranteed private space for breastfeeding moms. I don't know how many times I've said that in this thread! The rule has to be black and white because shades of gray in this scenario will make things get ugly fast.

WDWinfo.com also states that women who need to use a breastpump may do so in the Nursing Room. I would not feel comfortable using a pump around women who do not breastfeed. I would feel very self-conscious.

Bottlefeeding moms have an entire theme park as well as a big air conditioned room with couches in the Baby Care Center to feed their babies without being given dirty looks. That people are turning a small room with hard chairs into a discrimination issue is comical.

To true, making an exception even one time, then makes people expect it every time. To keep this room for breastfeeding and pumping only is the best Disney can do, or they can close it all together, then no one will fight over those 4 chairs. Since it clearly makes no money for Disney, and people feel left out, Disney could choose to spend more money and add more quiet space for bottlefeeding(but this will cost not make money), or if the complaints about discrimination become too much of a problem they can just close the baby care center all together. Be careful what you wish for. I can just see moms sitting on benches at MK with a breastpump and kids asking, "mom what is she doing?". Keeping a private place for this is best for all.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Well said.

It seems that if the bottle-feeding moms can't see this point, it seems likely that they are insecure with the fact that they bottle-feed their kids (which is not something to be ashamed of).

Nice selective quotation. Some people just need a reason to get riled up I guess.

I specifically said that there is no reason to be ashamed of bottle-feeding your kid.

Fine! There's your whole quote. Still rude and very judgemental! IMOP

 

[Suellen]

Now you want her to justify her feelings that she was treated rudely?

Honestly.... you women are amazing to me.

Lock the door and hand out keys to people you find needing of the room for all I care.

I will continue to treat people with empathy and try to help them feel comfortable in any way that is in my control. The room obviously isn't in any of our control ~ and it is really up to Disney how they enforce their own rules. There is however an understanding way to enforce those rules.

 

[rhpools]

I would definetly follow up on this complaint. If not for you, for all mothers. As the primary income provider in my home I was not capable of keeping up with the pumping schedule , so I had to bottle feed. That doesn't make us any less parents that breast feeding mothers.

 

[El&Asmom]

I would definetly follow up on this complaint. If not for you, for all mothers. As the primary income provider in my home I was not capable of keeping up with the pumping schedule , so I had to bottle feed. That doesn't make us any less parents that breast feeding mothers.

Again, this is the root of the problem in this discussion. NO ONE is saying that bottle feeding mothers are any less worthy than bfing mothers. Just that you do not have to expose your BREASTS to the public while feeding your child. That is the only issue here. Some women feel very uncomfortable exposing private parts of their body in public, therefore a room was created for them to feed their children in a private place. It has nothing to do with Disney favoring mothers who bf over bottle feed.
If you were pumping at Disney, I'm sure you would have appreciated the private room without bottle feeding dads in that room with you.

 

[Zeebs]

I would definetly follow up on this complaint. If not for you, for all mothers. As the primary income provider in my home I was not capable of keeping up with the pumping schedule , so I had to bottle feed. That doesn't make us any less parents that breast feeding mothers.

Absolutely NOBODY has said that you are less of parents for bottle feeding in the entire 22 pages. However, how would you feel, if you were sitting in the room, pumping and a Dad walked in to feed his child?

Because if you open the nursing room up to bottle feeding, you then will have to open it up to anyone who wants to bottle feed. Dad, Grandad, Aunty Betty.

While I am sitting in there with my chest out pumping away cause quite frankly pumping is very very difficult if not impossible to do discreetly, and all in sundry comes in then Disney will get complaints.

I wonder how many of the bottle feeders, would feel the same way if they had succesfully been able to breastfeed or chosen to if it was a choice they made.

Personally, I don't use the room as I someone who is happy to feed in public, but I can see why it is kept for nursing mothers.

Kirsten

 

[kidshop]

Again, this is the root of the problem in this discussion. NO ONE is saying that bottle feeding mothers are any less worthy than bfing mothers. Just that you do not have to expose your BREASTS to the public while feeding your child. That is the only issue here. Some women feel very uncomfortable exposing private parts of their body in public, therefore a room was created for them to feed their children in a private place. It has nothing to do with Disney favoring mothers who bf over bottle feed.
If you were pumping at Disney, I'm sure you would have appreciated the private room without bottle feeding dads in that room with you.

Except the bottlefeeders! It's projection, it's very clear. There are none so blind as those who will not see. No one is saying that, but that is what is heard, over and over. The story will never change.

Who knew the most sought after attraction at WDW is a small nursing room with 4 chairs in a Baby Care Center!

I'll be out on a bench nursing away.