Have you seen this news video clip re the ABC nurse-in?

[sbjf]

Some reporter named Schram (?), the guy compares breastfeeding to urination, anyway, watch till the very end of the clip, it's great.

www.komotv.com/qt/schram_060705.wmv

[mamicka]

OMG! That's classic! I *love* it!

Thanks so much for posting that link!

Allison
DS #1 6/03
DS #2 4/05

[deborah_r]

I saw this, someone posted a link in the feeding forum too. What an idiot! It really p*sses me off when people compare nursing to urinating and defecating.

[urquie]

ken schram is an idiot! a friend of mine wrote him a great email after seeing this (one of his typical comentaries) saying all those things you'd love to say to him. it ended with something about maybe breastfeeding in his office one day - that would be a hoot! i wish i hadn't deleted the email! i loved that the news anchor at the end of the clip used his catch phrase "get over it!)

hhhm, maybe we need a nurse-in at his office :)

[kijip]

I so wish Komo would fire him....I don't even watch local news but I really don't need to see his face on ads and such.....

[octmom]

The anchor's comment at the end is great! Someone posted a link to a male columnist's response to the Schram piece on the link in the feeding forum. Definitely worth reading too.

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[elliput]

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=86&topic_id=24791&mesg_id=24791&page=

This is the link to the comments from the fedding forum with the link for the article from Robert Jamieson of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. This guy is now one of my heros!

ETA - the link is in Rachels comment #5.

[C99]

maybe that should be a seattle retreat activity: a nurse-in by ken schram's office?

[nd93]

I live in the Seattle area and the local news here can be pretty bad at times. This guy is embarrassing, and often makes stupid commentaries. Congrats to the anchor for calling him an idiot on air!!

What's also interesting, is that Seattle is a pretty pro-breastfeeding population. A lot of the hospitals promote breastfeeding, and there is one that I know of that does not even offer formula! If you want to bottle feed you have to bring in your own.

What a dolt. Not all of us in the NW are like that!

I don't understand why people complain - what on earth do you see? When a baby is nursing it just looks like they are snuggling in your arms.

[mommy_someday]

Okay, I just have to say that Schram's comment about men not being able to transition from seeing breasts as sexual objects to them being "take-out food" is just over-the-top ridiculous! HELL-O! What does he think women HAVE breasts for? Sorry, Schram, but they weren't put there for your personal eye candy. They are there so future generations don't go hungry! What an @ss!!! I'm still fuming about the link that someone posted yesterday where BFing was compared to urination. I'm truly disgusted.

[MartiesMom2B]

Bonnie:

I'm so glad that you put a note in there to watch until the end. Yeah for that anchor. She's awesome and I'm glad she called him an idiot after the piece.

-Sonia
Mommy to my Strawberry Shortcake lovin' Martie

[HannaAddict]

I am terrible (uncoordinated) at NIP, but I would do this and wondered if the LLL was planning one.

Kimberly
DS 3/18/04

[Karenn]

I think there are some Seattle women on the Mothering boards that are planning a "Breastfeeding Awareness Day" for June 27. (My understanding is that they didn't want to have a "nurse-in" because they thought Ken Schram would feed off of the attention.) I haven't read the whole thread, but here's a link where they discuss it: [http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=298585]

[Phoebe]

Did he say it makes most people uncomfortable to see a nursing mom? Huh, it makes me uncomfortable to look at his ugly face and overweight, out of shape body. He should hide it from public view.

Mary
DD 4/01
DS 6/03

[Phoebe]

>I don't understand why people complain - what on earth do you
>see? When a baby is nursing it just looks like they are
>snuggling in your arms.

Exactly! That's what I've always said. A woman's own sense of modesty (for herself! - not out of consideration for other's delicate sensibilities) will prevent her from giving eye-full to anyone. A babies big round head hides everything anyway.

After seeing that news clip, I truly hate this man. I really do. And all those $%@!'s at The View as well.

Mary
DD 4/01
DS 6/03

[caridura]

ROFL!! That woman is my hero!! :)

[caridura]

oops, double post!

[jd11365]

For some reason, I can't open this. :(

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

I'm pecking one handed...
but all my speechless mouth can up with is he is an f'ing moron!!!!!

i can't understand how he can't think that a baby nutrition...and pretty constantly...and if he only sees boobs as sexual then that is his problem!...should babies allover the worls starve due to his stupidity...

i find it hard to believe that any station could air his elaborate thoughts on this...
Neve
Reichen (6), Karsh (3), Tristan (2) and baby girl Bronwyn born March 10th!!!!

[bluej]

go to http://www.komotv.com/kenschram/ and click on the speaker symbol next to "I'm All For This 'Cover Up'" on the right column and you should be able to listen to it from there.

[himom]

I like this response:

An open letter to Ken Schram

Dear Mr. Schram,

I have a few thoughts regarding your recent commentary about nursing mothers, urinating in public, and sexual objects.

It is not the breast that makes people so uncomfortable. Big or little, bare or covered in sequins, straining out of a tiny bikini or filling up a Victoria’s Secret ad, the truth is America loves breasts. You’d think a country that supports a billion-dollar porn industry would take a nursing mother in stride, but not so. Strangely, it is the tiny baby getting sustenance from the breast that makes some people unhappy.

Fortunately not everyone shares this opinion, but for those who do, let me share what the rest of the world has already figured out. Breasts are multi-functional. Yes, that’s right, they can do two completely different things. They’re for food and recreation, dinner and a show. Other body parts can do this too, and it only requires an attitude adjustment to understand this. How is it we can view a penis as a sexual object when its primary function is actually waste elimination? Hey, that’s where pee comes from! Why would we want to play with that? Breasts produce a much less offensive liquid, so I submit you should learn to appreciate, even admire, their versatility instead of getting grossed out by it. And as your colleague so concisely put it, “get over it.�

And shame on you for calling nursing mothers immodest! To breastfeed in public is not to abandon modesty, and you do an enormous disservice to mothers by stating that it does. This exposed breast is not out looking for a good time, squirting innocent passerbys with reckless abandon, or attempting to entice nearby penises. Instead it is covered by a round, fuzzy infant head and can be viewed only by someone staring long enough to see a quick flash of it pre- or post-latch. Most Mamas are trying to keep as covered up as possible, no easy feat with a screaming, squirming, hungry infant. They are simply looking to feed their babies, not get their jollies by waving bare breasts around. No doubt if that were the actual situation, people would be rushing to Tivo it rather than complaining how “uncomfortable� it made them.

Mothers nurse in public so their babies can eat. Walk a mile in these shoes, Mr. Schram, if only in your imagination. Spend an uncomfortable hour with a breast pump trying to express enough milk for one bottle only to have Junior reject the bottle anyway and scream for the breast instead. Spend every day trapped at home alone with your infant because you’re not sure when your baby will get hungry, and because of our ignorant sex-fixated society, you’re ashamed to nurse where anybody might suspect what you are doing. Get on a plane where apparently your choices for feeding your child are the tiny, malodorous bathrooms, a parachute, or making Baba Wawa uncomfortable. Which do you choose?

What I fail to understand is what exactly you are upset about. You’re unhappy about seeing the baby eat, but seem to make no protest about what is inevitably going on under his diaper. In all likelihood, that same nursing baby is probably sporting an erection and is performing the other natural function you claim doesn’t happen in public – he’s urinating. It may not be into a glass jar, but he’s peeing right in front of you! The horror! And let’s not even mention what those tiny explosive sounds from his nether regions are about to lead to. Yes, with children around. And how rude! That kid fell asleep right in front of you – sleeping in public! Banish them and their mothers to the bathrooms until they can act like grown ups.

Perhaps you will only be content once infants are completely banned from the public arenas? Shall a child be confined to his own residence until he is civilized enough to eat off a plate and utilize a public restroom? If we do that can we also confine obnoxious commentators until they learn to view the public they serve from a broader perspective instead of assuming everyone else in the world is a focused on sex as he is? Because I’ll vote for that measure.

Thank you,
P. Bruce

[email protected]

[mysweetboy]

What an idiot! And Barbara Walters' harmless comment was idiotic too. Did she expect the nursing mother to take her baby to the lovely airplane lavatory to nurse? Please!

The's anchor's comment was priceless. Love her!

Lori
mommy to Charlie, 5/04
and a sweet baby girl due 10/05!

[mommy_someday]

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been fuming since I first watched the video, trying to word something in my head... Your letter was PERFECT! I really couldn't have said it better myself. *I* am the mom who's stuck at home because I'm too afraid to offend someone by nursing in public. Thank you for giving me a voice!

[nd93]

Well done.

[AngelaS]

So are any of the BBBers on this list: http://www.komotv.com/kenschram/story.asp?ID=37352

[Rachels]

The whole thing about anybody expecting nursing mothers to feed their babies in bathrooms grosses me out. I don't take MY meals in a bathroom-- why on earth would I expect my baby to do that? Same with blankets over the head. If I don't like seeing somebody eat in a restaurant, is it at all okay for me to go over and ask them to cover their heads with a blanket while they finish their meals? NO?! Shocking.

Last time I was a new nursing mother, I was lucky to learn to NIP around a lot of other women who were also learning to NIP. And the first few times I did it, it was purely terrifying. Next time it's time to feed my hungry baby when I'm out and about, I'll just do it and not think twice about it. And if anybody has anything to say about it, bring it on. :)

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02
New baby coming in October!
(Holy smokes, it's a boy!!!)


"When you know better, you do better."
Maya Angelou
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amethyst_36m.gif
Nursed for three years!

[elliput]

Hmm, do you think Schram got the message? }(

[himom]

Does anyone know the name of the anchorwoman who called this guy an idiot? I've been trying to figure it out so I can send her a nice "Thank you!" email.

TIA!

Jodi

[mommy_someday]

Jodi,

I just read a similar thread in the feeding forum and I think her name is Kathi Goertzen, if I read the post correctly. Thanks again for your great letter, btw. I've been emailing it all over the place. I read it aloud to my parents this morning, all the while nursing DS! LOL! Really, your letter made me proud to be a part of this board. :O)

[casey118]

A post under the feeding board said her name is Kathi Goertzen. Love her.

[himom]

Hi Erica,

Thanks! I think that's one of the nicest compliments I've ever gotten.

Oh, and thanks for the anchorwoman's name, too! I hope she didn't get into too much trouble.

Jodi

[VClute]

Thanks for posting it! It gave me a good laugh. I wish they would have you read it as a commentary. PERfectly phrased.

Amy in NC
mom to Dixon, born 2/14/05

[nd93]

I sent her a thank you e-mail.