Feeding Time at the Zoo.
Happy New Year, everyone!
We had an eventful week, including a visit from a dear out-of-town friend and a New Year dinner at Eric's grandmother's house. One of the things we did was take Sarah and Hunter to the L.A. Zoo.
I'm not really thrilled with the L.A. Zoo. It just doesn't seem as nice as the zoo in my hometown. It's badly laid out, and it takes for-fucking-ever to walk to the widely-spaced exhibits. Still, it has improved since the last time Eric and I visited in about 2000, when you had to climb up a hill just to get to the entrance.
The worst thing about it, though, is that it is filthy. Disgusting, really. I sure hope I didn't catch anything in the rather soap-deficient bathroom stalls. Kind of weird when you consider that they're trying to promote themselves as a family-friendly location.
Speaking of which, I was angry to discover that the L.A. Zoo has no place where a mother can nurse her baby in privacy...except the aforementioned filthy bathroom stalls. This surprised me, considering that our usual family day trip spot, Long Beach's Aquarium of the Pacific, has a clean, quiet, and lovely room set aside for just such a purpose. I spent a good amount of time trying to find somewhere to feed my poor hungry Hunter.
Then, I asked a zoo employee if there was anywhere to nurse, and she recommended the outdoor amphitheater since there wasn't a show going on. Unfortunately, there were other people sitting there, which made things quite awkward--especially since Hunter vigorously resisted any attempt I made to cover him up with a blanket in order to preserve modesty. I guess he's gotten spoiled from always being fed in the privacy of his own home.
Trudging onward, I decided to try asking the zoo administration office if there was anywhere I could nurse Hunter. The guy behind the desk seemed considerably less than sympathetic as he informed me there was nowhere set aside and didn't offer any alternative. Desperate, I went to the nearby fundraising office and asked them if they knew anywhere I could nurse. I am eternally grateful to them because they said I could use their conference room. My nerves were severely frayed by then because my poor baby was hungry and fussy and I was so happy to just have a quiet place to sit. Never has a creaky office chair seemed so welcoming! I sat and nursed Hunter and felt all my frustration melt away as he finally relaxed and closed his little eyes to sleep. Adding to the absurdity of the whole situation is that the back of the zoo's map held an advertisement from IKEA touting their child-friendly environment, which included a "safe room" for nursing and other baby care (with free diapers and wipes, no less.)
I don't know if I'm going to feel comfortable taking Hunter out there again too soon. It's a shame, really, because Sarah had a great time. Maybe if Hunter didn't mind being covered up, I could have done what another mother did and just nurse him on a bench along one of the trails under cover of a loose blouse. Still, it seems like there must be another way. Whether you believe that breastfeeding is beautiful or that women shouldn't be allowed to whip out their super-soakers in public, surely you can agree that facilities should be provided for breastfeeding in public areas such as zoos, theme parks, etc. California state law provides that women have the right to nurse babies in public areas, but between the letter of the law and the spirit of cooperation there must be room for a frantic mother and a hungry infant to find a little peace.
We had an eventful week, including a visit from a dear out-of-town friend and a New Year dinner at Eric's grandmother's house. One of the things we did was take Sarah and Hunter to the L.A. Zoo.
I'm not really thrilled with the L.A. Zoo. It just doesn't seem as nice as the zoo in my hometown. It's badly laid out, and it takes for-fucking-ever to walk to the widely-spaced exhibits. Still, it has improved since the last time Eric and I visited in about 2000, when you had to climb up a hill just to get to the entrance.
The worst thing about it, though, is that it is filthy. Disgusting, really. I sure hope I didn't catch anything in the rather soap-deficient bathroom stalls. Kind of weird when you consider that they're trying to promote themselves as a family-friendly location.
Speaking of which, I was angry to discover that the L.A. Zoo has no place where a mother can nurse her baby in privacy...except the aforementioned filthy bathroom stalls. This surprised me, considering that our usual family day trip spot, Long Beach's Aquarium of the Pacific, has a clean, quiet, and lovely room set aside for just such a purpose. I spent a good amount of time trying to find somewhere to feed my poor hungry Hunter.
Then, I asked a zoo employee if there was anywhere to nurse, and she recommended the outdoor amphitheater since there wasn't a show going on. Unfortunately, there were other people sitting there, which made things quite awkward--especially since Hunter vigorously resisted any attempt I made to cover him up with a blanket in order to preserve modesty. I guess he's gotten spoiled from always being fed in the privacy of his own home.
Trudging onward, I decided to try asking the zoo administration office if there was anywhere I could nurse Hunter. The guy behind the desk seemed considerably less than sympathetic as he informed me there was nowhere set aside and didn't offer any alternative. Desperate, I went to the nearby fundraising office and asked them if they knew anywhere I could nurse. I am eternally grateful to them because they said I could use their conference room. My nerves were severely frayed by then because my poor baby was hungry and fussy and I was so happy to just have a quiet place to sit. Never has a creaky office chair seemed so welcoming! I sat and nursed Hunter and felt all my frustration melt away as he finally relaxed and closed his little eyes to sleep. Adding to the absurdity of the whole situation is that the back of the zoo's map held an advertisement from IKEA touting their child-friendly environment, which included a "safe room" for nursing and other baby care (with free diapers and wipes, no less.)
I don't know if I'm going to feel comfortable taking Hunter out there again too soon. It's a shame, really, because Sarah had a great time. Maybe if Hunter didn't mind being covered up, I could have done what another mother did and just nurse him on a bench along one of the trails under cover of a loose blouse. Still, it seems like there must be another way. Whether you believe that breastfeeding is beautiful or that women shouldn't be allowed to whip out their super-soakers in public, surely you can agree that facilities should be provided for breastfeeding in public areas such as zoos, theme parks, etc. California state law provides that women have the right to nurse babies in public areas, but between the letter of the law and the spirit of cooperation there must be room for a frantic mother and a hungry infant to find a little peace.