A group of mothers plan to use lactation to protest new breastfeeding restrictions in Forest Park.


Mothers Plan To Fight Breastfeeding Ban

The mothers are upset over a new public indecency law that could lead to fines or jail time. Two weeks ago, the Forest Park city council approved an ordinance that bans breastfeeding children over 2 years old in public. Some women are saying the city doesn’t have a right to make that decision.

“To basically compare me to a stripper, I find very demeaning,” Katherine Frederick told Channel 2’s Tony Thomas.

She and more than 100 other so-called lactivists plan to protest at a nurse-in Monday morning outside Forest Park City Hall. They are using a Facebook page to spread the word. An online petition against the ordinance has also garnered more than 700 signatures.

Forest Park’s city manager said leaders are simply trying to be proactive and taking aim at broader nudity issues — not nursing in public.

“This ordinance allows any lady that is breastfeeding a child up to 2 years old. After that of course, we might want to have a discussion with them, but it doesn’t affect that type of conduct at all,” City Manager John Parker said.

But Frederick said mothers need to take a stand before the restrictions get worse.

“I find that incredibly offensive and outrageous. It’s a very natural process. It’s how I feed my child,” Frederick said. “The limits are going to shrink, then it’s going to be after one, or after six months, then you can’t breast feed in public anymore.”