Wilson Signs Bill on Right to Breast-Feed

Legislation protecting a woman’s right to breast-feed her baby in public was signed Monday by Gov. Pete Wilson, who said nursing promotes maternal and infant bonding while reducing health care costs for children.

“By signing this bill, I am removing the barriers of embarrassment, harassment and charges of indecent exposure when a mother breast-feeds her child in public,” Wilson said. “Breast-feeding . . . is a normal, healthy way of nourishing infants.”

Surveys show that 74% of women breast-feed their newborns, but only 17% continue after nine weeks. The rate drops to just 5% for babies a year old.

Nursing advocates say a fear of public disapproval contributes to the low rate of breast-feeding in the United States. Although there is no state law forbidding the practice, nursing mothers have been asked to leave restaurants and other establishments after customers complained.

“This is one of the few places in the world where the natural act of breast-feeding is as controversial as it is,” said the bill’s author, Assembly Majority Leader Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles). “This bill protects women and hopefully will begin to make everyone feel more comfortable.”

Villaraigosa introduced a similar measure in 1995, but it was killed in an Assembly committee after some Republicans called it unnecessary and others expressed concern that it might lead to public nudity.

This year, opposition remained--some foes predicted “frivolous lawsuits”--but was not sufficient to block the bill, (AB 157). When the law goes into effect Jan. 1, California will become the 13th state to expressly permit breast-feeding in public.

To underscore the importance of nursing, Wilson has designated August as Breast-feeding Awareness Month.