Mothers and Families Stage Nurse-in at Hirshhorn Museum

Public breastfeeding is a right, but on February 12, over 125 families took it to a whole new level when they staged what’s being called a “nurse-in” to increase awareness about a woman’s right to breastfeed in public.

The event was held in the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, in protest of an incident that occurred there on January 30. A woman, Noriko Aita, stopped to breastfeed her child on a bench in the museum, but was asked by a security guard to move into the washroom if she wished to continue.

Unaware of her rights, Aita did move to the washroom, but couldn’t find room to sit. She instead opted to move to another bench, where she was once again asked to stop what she was doing and was advised to “sit on the toilet” if there was no other option available in the bathroom.

The museum was quick to offer an apology for the comments of the guards, and has chosen to use the incident as an opportunity to educate their staff on the rights of new moms to breastfeed in public. This was favourable to organizers and attendees of the demonstration, who emphasized that the focus of the nurse-in was not to blame, but to empower mothers and increase public awareness and support.

New moms often run the gamut of emotions on the subject of breastfeeding, with some having no qualms about feeding their children in public and others preferring to keep it an intimate experience whenever possible. Regardless, the right for mothers to breastfeed in public is on the books, and should be respected.

Of her experience, Aita said, “I didn’t know the law. This can never happen again…I don’t want my daughter to have this trouble.” Positive demonstrations that serve to educate the public, such as the nurse-in at the Hirshhorn, could help make her desire a reality.