Card-carrying breastfeeder?

In Kansas, 40,000 laminated cards hope to spread the word about new nursing law.

Published May 5, 2006 10:23PM (EDT)

Score one for the lactivists.

Kansas is arming 40,000 nursing mothers with a new laminated card that explains the state's breast-feeding law, which guarantees women the right to feed their babies in public places. It's part of an education campaign to spread the word that nursing is permitted by law, according to the Associated Press.

If a nursing mom is confronted by someone who doesn't approve, she'll be able to flash her card, which clearly states the law on one side. If she's asked to stop nursing or to leave a public place, there's a number on the back that she can call to report the incident to the state.

"The law is really no good unless moms know about it," Brenda Bandy, professional liaison for La Leche League of Kansas, who helped develop the cards, told the Associated Press. Many new mothers quit breast-feeding out of fear of nursing in public, according to Bandy: "These cards are handy, they're durable, and they might just be the little bit of added confidence some moms need."

Well, baby, it's not free theater tickets, but that breastfeeding card sounds pretty tasty to me.


By Katharine Mieszkowski

Katharine Mieszkowski is a senior writer for Salon.

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