Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Building Museum Says Boobs Yes, Bottles No

I took Nathan Jr into work with me today. After a nap and making the rounds with my colleagues, Nathan Jr left to meet Bump, Lumpyhead and Lula at the Building Museum. I went along because he can't reach the buttons on the metro elevators.

Have you been to the Building Museum? There's this great little playroom with a miniature house and building blocks and other toys. It was packed today, and the surly women who staff the room were surlier than ever, what the line and the impatient children and the human interaction.

Nathan Jr got a little fussy, so Bump pulled out a bottle. "You can't do that in here," Elder Surly barked at him.

"Really?" Bump asked. "No baby bottles?"

"Nope," she told him.

He left the room to feed the baby while I stayed to monitor Lumpyhead and Lula. When he returned, he reported that nursing in the playroom was okay, but bottle-feeding was not.

He had apparently inquired of Younger Surly, who informed him that "Bottles leak."

"Breasts don't?" Bump asked, mystified.

"No," Younger Surly answered sharply.

I can say - from experience - that breasts do, in fact, leak. But I get it. A resigned "I'm sorry, that's the policy" might have been a better answer, but a Surly gotta do what a Surly gotta do, I guess.

Bump felt a little indignant about it all, but I can see how such a policy evolves. You say "No food or drink" and then one day some mom whips out a boob and you can't say "No boobs" so you let it happen and suddenly you've got a policy that unfairly inconveniences bottle-feeding moms. And dads.

4 comments:

Julie said...

I do so enjoy encountering Surlies at places that cater to children. Never fear, though, my series of injectable hormones for dads who want to breastfeed are almost complete. That, and a little minor surgery, and Bump will be all set. Tell him to call me.

Melissa said...

You mean he didn't jump on that opportunity to whip out a man-boob in public?

Xdm said...

You know what also leaks? DIAPERS.

Em said...

Ridiculous policy! Funny comments!