No "Nurse Ins" At Local Target Stores

Breastfeeding mothers held a “nurse-in” at Target stores across the nation this morning.

However, the protest did not seem to reach either of the Dublin Target locations.

According to an article today on TIME.com, the nurse-in (a.k.a., the breastfeeding flash mob) has become a protest vehicle for nursing mothers, a way to band together in solidarity over perceived mistreatment.

Moms gathered in Whole Foods stores last summer to express their frustration that a shopper had been told to cover up while nursing (Whole Foods apologized).

Today’s planned demonstrations appear to be the most comprehensive to date, with more than 100 nurse-ins scheduled at 10 a.m. local time in at least 35 states.

Michelle Hickman, the Houston-area mom at the epicenter of the protest, planned to re-visit the Webster, Texas, store where she said she was hassled last month for breastfeeding her 5-month-old son on the floor near the blue jeans display in the women’s department.

Mike Lutz, one of the managers at Target’s new Dublin East store, said there had not been any such protest at his store today, but he emphasized that moms are more than welcome to breast feed at Target.

“We want mothers to feel comfortable here,” Lutz said. “Our business is geared toward families, so whatever we can do to support moms we are happy to do so. We want them to feel as comfortable as possible in our store.”

Lutz made it clear that moms may breast feed wherever they want.

“If they want something more comfortable, we can find a place for them,” he said, such as a quiet bench in the pharmacy area, a fitting room or a break room.

“We support wherever they want to be,” he said. “We won’t ask them to move.”

Raymond Gonzales, the front end manager for Target's Amador Plaza store, had not seen any protesters at his location either. He said the store does not restrict nursing moms.

“We usually just ask if the customer would like to use a fitting room,” Gonzales said.

If they refuse?

“I don’t really know – that hasn’t happened before that I know of.”

According to the TIME.com story, Hickman had been Christmas shopping when her baby awoke, hungry. Hickman found a “remote area of the store,” according to a Facebook entry, covered up with a blanket and began nursing.

She said several employees asked her to relocate to a fitting room. One intimated that she could be cited for indecent exposure. No customers complained or apparently even saw her nursing.

Hickman called Target’s corporate headquarters the next morning and said she was told by guest relations: “Just because it’s a woman’s legal right to nurse a baby in public doesn’t mean she should walk around the store flaunting it.”

Hickman was outraged and shared her story with a group of fellow moms, one of whom suggested staging a nurse-in.

Contrary to what Hickman was told, Target spokesperson Stacia Smith said the company’s policy is quite open.

“We allow guests to breast feed in any public area of the store,” she said. “If they want to use a fitting room, we will make that available to them.”

Smith said a nursing mom would not be asked to leave or to feed elsewhere.

“We wouldn’t just offer if we see someone breast feeding – just if they ask,” she said.

Smith said that support information was sent out to all Target stores last week, including company policies for employees to review. She said her department has received calls regarding the nurse-in from some of the stores across the nation – including a few in California.

In an update in today’s Huffington Post, Best for Babes, an organization that helps moms beat the "Booby Traps" that prevent them from achieving their breastfeeding goals, asked Target last week if they could work together in advance of this event.

"Nurse-ins require a lot of time, planning and effort from busy moms," Best for Babes wrote on their website with hopes that they could come to an agreement with the chain. Target's response was unsatisfactory and the organization decided to move forward with their demonstration.

Today's nurse-in wasn't the first of its kind. On Dec. 15, a mom in Brighton, England, gathered 40 women to stage a breastfeeding flash mob in front of Christmas shoppers. A couple of weeks ago, 11 mid-western moms at a mall in Troy, Illinois. Security shut down their efforts.

Here is Target’s official policy:

As a family-oriented retailer, Target has a long-standing corporate policy that supports breastfeeding in our stores.

We want everyone to feel comfortable shopping at Target.

Guests who choose to breast feed in public areas of the store are welcome to do so without being made to feel uncomfortable.

Additionally, we support the use of fitting rooms for women who wish to breast feed their babies, even if others are waiting to use the fitting rooms.

We continually educate our team members in stores across the country on store policies to ensure all guests have a great experience.

Target has been in touch with the store to ensure all team members are aware of our breastfeeding policy.

Target is proud to support all mothers who breast feed year-round, including today.

In regards to the concerns brought to our attention: We worked with this guest directly to address her concerns and are sorry for any inconvenience it has caused.