West Kelowna declines request to support breast-feeding initiative
WEST KELOWNA – A delegation from UBC Okanagan seeking support for a breast-feeding initiative got a rough ride from West Kelowna council, despite its support from other local governments.
The group was seeking council’s endorsement for the Baby Friendly initiative, plus a pledge to make district facilities breast-feeding friendly and educate employees and local businesses about the rights of breast-feeding mothers contained in the B.C. Human Rights Code.
Councillors grilled the trio of nursing students, led by a public health nurse from the Interior Health Authority, over everything from the financial to the political and social cost of supporting the breast-feeding initiative.
Coun. Rosalind Neis, herself a registered nurse, disputed the claim the program would cost the district nothing and railed against the social engineering governments engage in. “Big brother is innundating the public with signs about how we should dress, how we should talk and what we should eat,” said Neis.
She also lectured the group about the flip side of breast-feeding inclusion, where women who bottle-feed in public are criticized for being bad mothers. “There is another side to the picture that hasn’t been addressed,” added Neis.
Coun. Carol Zanon took issue with the group’s claim of greater long-term health benefits for breast-fed babies, saying there is a danger for children who are breast-fed too long. “I’m also worried about intimidation of women who do bottle-feed,” she said.
Coun. Bryden Winsby said the district will be taking a political position that some residents might not share by supporting the initiative and questioned how it might play out if enacted.
“If one puts a sticker up, posters up, endorsing a certain thing, it’s understood that the municipality takes this view,” he said. “So what happens if we have people in our facilities who do harass breast-feeding mothers? What do we do with them? Do we have to report something, do we have to admonish them, send them home, what do we do?”
For her part, public health nurse Linda Kerche said the initiative had sprung from her experience with local mothers who had been harassed when attempting to breast-feed in public.
Kerche said the group had not considered the potential for harassment of bottle-feeding mothers and told council she supports mothers no matter how they feed their babies. “I have always made an effort not to be a breast-feeding Nazi,” she told council.
In the end, council did not support the Baby Friendly initiative, despite its adoption by Kelowna and Lake Country, telling the delegation they would consider it a later date.
To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infotelnews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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28 responses
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Please tell me what coun. Carol Zanon feels are the DANGERS of breast feeding too long??????? I would love to know these risks…
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For those interested in supporting this initiative in front of West Kelowna Council please attend the next Council Meeting Match 24: https://www.facebook.com/events/795643673824861/.
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You know, I don’t know if this whole thing is getting blown out of proportion. I think we all know that it’s great (and important) for baby and mom to breast feed. And it is your choice as a mother to decide to bottle feed (some of you may not even realize that there are medical issues that some mothers actually can’t breastfeed!)I think that we are probably forgetting…. or not being told… for the reason of a complaint. MOST women are very respectful of others around them and of course they don’t want to show body parts either and they will turn away or do their best to cover up and once baby is latched on they are covered they all carry on like nothing is happening and EVERYONE is happy and if there is a slight “wardrobe malfunction’ everyone is understanding…..HOWEVER it’s that 80/20 rule as with everything… there are about 20% of women who blatantly throw off clothes and just let it all hang out for the world to see! I feel that this has nothing to do with baby and breastfeeding but everything to do with THEM and THEIR attitude together with THEIR blatant disrespect for everyone else’ right to NOT have to see this display… because heaven forbid someone might not like it! THEY are the ones that make themselves almost impossible NOT to watch. UNFORTUNATELY it’s these women who I think give this whole breastfeeding issue a bad rap. I’m a women and I find THESE women offensive NOT all the others. My husband has witnessed WOMEN SUCH AS THESE a couple of times and found it offensive… these women make a wonderful thing almost look/seem vulgar! You all know what I’m talking about and you know who you are! I feel that it’s because of these people that we even have to make this whole thing an issue in the first place!From the husband, I am totally in agreement that women have the right to breastfeed their children in public or private. This is one of the amazing functions our bodies provide much like lovemaking(procreation), wastewater management(urinating) and scrap removal(bowel movements) and like these other wonderful functions most people are uncomfortable seing this done in the open and most try to be a little discreet about them and not make others uncomfortable, nuff said.Whether you like us or unlike us, we still like you.
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Breastfeeding is a form of eating.Linda do you go somewhere private like a bathroom to eat when you’re out in public?
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So ridiculous 100% or our population was most likely breast fed everyone need to just get over it! We don’t need govt.agencys or stickers or anyone to validate breast feeding. It is what it is…food. love…if your harassed for doing it. then your just dealing with a idiot and govt cant fix stupid stick up for your selves ladies.
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To Counsellor Carol Zanon, I am requesting that you please provide to the media the scientific evidence you have that demonstrates that breastfeeding for ‘too long’ is dangerous. Considering the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding for up to 2 years and beyond (http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/), I am wondering what information you have that supersedes the WHO? Congrats to the UBC-O nursing students for presenting to a council that seems to lack care and concern for women, babies, children, and families. I recommend that the next time they have a council lunch meeting they host it in their washroom stalls at city hall to see how it feels. What an embarrassment!
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This makes me embarrassed to live here.I’m absolutely ashamed of our local government.As a mother who has both breast and bottle fed my children, I’ve seen the issues first hand.Not once have I had someone comment negatively when I’m bottle feeding my child in public.Sit down and breast feed them and it’s, unfortunately, another story. Supporting breast feeding is in no way shaming parents who bottle feed.It’s simply supporting something NATURAL that is viewed negatively by so many people.
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32 years ago my girlfriend got around breast feeding in private (ie:in the bathroom) by using a changing room while shopping. I remember breast feeding in a restaurant making sure my back was toward any other patrons,,,feeling like i was doing something bordering on illegal or at least something distasteful.So nowthe City of West Kelowna (where i have lived for 34 years) has shown to have a mindset stuck in the 80’s.My guess is that the members of our civic government have never breast fed their children and have not experienced the difficulties encountered by nursing mothers.If I were a nursing mother today i would carefully choose where i would be spending my family’s financial resources.I’dprobably choose to shop where i wasn’tmade to feel that breast feeding my baby was unacceptable while out in the public. Where is progress in your plan, members ofWest Kelowna government?
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Huh?Feeding a baby isn’t private.And FYI, I never “hung my tits out for all to see”.I discreetly breastfed my baby – nothing to see unless you’re trying to see.
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As a West Kelowna resident with a 3 year old and a baby due in May, I would love to see a petition that we can sign to get this taken back to council and reconsidered. This is simply absurd.
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this isn’t about how to feed your baby. it’s about not being shamed for your choices.
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A huge congratulations to Kelowna Breastfeeding Cafe, the UBC-O Nursing students and Interior Health for moving this forward in Lake Country and Kelowna already. West Kelowna – you have missed an opportunity to show leadership and concrete support for one of the most basic organic, fresh, economic, sustainable, food secure, environmental foods on the planet. A food that is proven to be the normal and healthiest food for infants. I think the city council is reacting without really understanding the issue, and fear making a mistake by offending people Thinking about an analogy might help us- the city council supports the local farmer’s market, right? and doesn’t fear ‘offending’ the supermarkets in the area by this action. Supporting a healthy initiative such as breastfeeding friendly places does not equate to criticizing those who are unable or chose not to breastfeed. We need to stop perpetuating the idea that there are ‘mommy wars’ – this is by and large a media concept that meets the agenda of certain large industries that are desperate to counteract the public health agenda to support more women to meet their breastfeeding goals. Reading some of the negative comments here is disheartening. There is obviously work that needs to be done in terms of community understanding of the barriers breastfeeding mothers face and the simple things we can do as a community to ‘level the playing field’ so that all mothers – breastfeeding, breastmilk milk in bottle, formula in bottle,..whatever and however, feel comfortable feeding their children in public spaces. To the people who feel uncomfortable seeing a mother breastfeed in public, please reflect on where this feeling originates. How our society has sexualized breasts to the point that their primary function is considered distasteful, yet are perfectly comfortable seeing breasts marketing everything under the sun in the media is perplexing. It’s time to move beyond this and normalize infants feeding at the breast. Go to any museum in Europe and you will see breastfeeding depicted in the art, even in the Vatican – we weren’t always so squeamish.Thank-you to the UBC-O students and Linda Kersche for presenting the the city council. Hopefully this sparks a conversation that we can build upon positively so that next time, the city council is proud and enthusiastic to support such a healthy initiative for the families in their community.
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Sounds to me our West Kelowna council members have totally missed the point of this presentation which was to encourage woman, who chooseto breast feed, feel more comfortable in public. But instead, Coun.Rosalind Neis and Carol Zanon found a way to turn this into a political debate over which baby feeding method is better. This presentation was not about baby nutrition but rather about seeking public support for breastfeeding women. Read the news Council members, in this day and age, we still encounter situations where breastfeeding women are being unfairly singled out by their actions by ignorant people. The comments you made and questions you asked don’t make you sound much different. Your response to this initiative made you sound immature, ignorant and archaic. I am ashamed by your lack of support and obtuse attitude. Thank you Mr McDonald for taking the time to write this article. Sometimes, bad publicity is GOOD publicity.
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Dear Bryden Winsby,As a member of municipal council you should know exactly how to handle harassment. As a matter of fact I would have assumed it a prerequisite. Moving forward, I’ve taken the liberty of attaching a link to the Canadian Human Rights Commission website where it is explained in simple terms. Please take the opportunity to educate yourself.http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/eng/content/what-harassmentSincerely,Mrs.Bieksa
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Seriously? The West Kelowna council is demonstrating behaviour is that’s reminiscent of small town, small minded thinking of an earlier age. Quite shameful, actually.
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How embarrassing for the City of West Kelowna and for Councillor Rosalind Neis, and for the people who voted for her. I guess you don’t have to know very much to be a councillor.
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Linda, would you personally enjoy sitting in a public restroom to enjoy a meal?Much of the problem around women breastfeeding in public comes from(the unfortunate) over-sexualization of women’s bodies, particularly their breasts.I can say that as a breastfeeding mother, I am never “hanging my tits out” and neither are any of the other breastfeeding mothers I know.Why is feeding a baby a “private” thing?This is where the lines get blurred.Breasts, when being used for their biological function (feeding a baby) don’t need to be “private”.On the other hand, if they are being ‘used’ in a sexual way, most would agree that privacy is more comfortable for everyone involved.These two acts are very separate — it is unfortunate that they often aren’t viewed that way.Breastfeeding a baby (anywhere!) isn’t shameful or inappropriate.Period.
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So does this mean we should be depriving all children of food when they are out of the house or make them eat in a bathroom stall? What is the difference!Breastfeeding is the most natural and ancient process on earth and we are fighting about it and in reality we should be empowering women! Seriously, get a grip! If a girl can walk around in barely any clothing that shows more than the side of a breast of a breastfeeding mom and not be “judged” (I really don’t care what they ware, it’s just a point), we got issues. They aren’t looking for attention; they are feeding their child…if you can’t be around this get over yourselves and maybe you should stay home, order in & shop online.*face palm*… pathetic.
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“Coun. Carol Zanon took issue with the group’s claim of greater long-term health benefits for breast-fed babies, saying there is a danger for children who are breast-fed too long.” Are you kidding me? With all the research and the WHO Code and Health Canada’s recommendations to breastfeed until age 2…this is what she comes up with? Shameful! Council Carol..you really need to educate yourself!
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Breastfeeding your child is not a “private thing” like going to the bathroom. People who say we should stick to the washrooms, I ask you – have you ever tried giving a bottle to a baby in a public washroom stall? The stalls are tiny, loud & dirty. Where do you put your bags (or other children) & what happens if your baby becomes hungry where there are no bathrooms available – let your baby go hungry or be shooed out of a building?I’m not saying breastfeeding mothers should be allowed to walk around topless but lifting a shirt a little, or a lot, and then placing a baby in it’s natural, human state of feeding should not gross so many people out. Stop staring & continue with your own life.I think this issue needs to be address by both sides but I see no negativity with a place becoming breastfeeding friendly. Otherwise it comes down to mother’s staying home cause they can’t leave their house in fear of not being able to feed their baby if it becomes hungry. Or worse, mother’s choosing not to breastfeed on the sole reason of it becoming a “nuisance” to leave the house.
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Shame on West Kelowna, as a resident I am totally in support of making our community breadth-feeding friendly.No on ever questions a mother who bottle feeds her baby in public places, but breast feeding mothers certainly don’t get the same encouragement.I speak from personal and professional experience.
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I agree, breast feeding is normal and great start for our children, But come on girls, where is r pride, there is no need to hang r tits out for all to see, this is a privet thing, show respect for yourself and other, there are public bathrooms when your out and about, go off to a privet area to nurse r little ones.
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