Mothers in public places such as restaurants and shopping malls are asked not to breastfeed their hungry children. They are directed to the bathroom. (Would you like to eat your meal while sitting on the toilet?) They are told to cover up. (Would you like to eat your meal with a blanket over your head?) They are shown the door.

Often such behavior violates state law. (The National Council of State Legislatures has a nice summary of state laws available.) But I don’t believe that it is intended to be malicious. I may be naïve, but I think it is due to a lack of education. That’s why I was thrilled, recently, to hear of a new group concerned with this issue: FirstRight.

The brainchild of several mothers who were galvanized into action following the recent Applebee’s incident, FirstRight is a new breastfeeding advocacy group that is “committed to ensuring freedom from discrimination” for breastfeeding dyads. The group’s purpose is to channel activist efforts into “positive, professional, and productive action.” When a mother feels she has been discriminated against while breastfeeding in public, FirstRight wants her to file an online report. The group will use the information provided to determine how best to help the mother. They might contact the offending organization to educate them on the mother’s rights and breastfeeding issues. They might encourage the business to provide training to their staff. They might organize a nurse-in or coordinate a letter-writing/e-mail campaign directed to the organization.

FirstRight also has some independent projects in mind, such as the development of a celebrity breastfeeding promotion ad campaign, the development of training materials for businesses who want to be breastfeeding-friendly for their employees and/or customers, and compiling a database of breastfeeding advocates across the United States. (More details about FirstRight’s committees, focused on discrimination, rights education, and legislative action, is available. FirstRight is looking for volunteers.)

So, breastfeeding mothers (and breastfeeding supporters), this is one site you might want  to bookmark. I know I will. As the mother of three, I have breastfed in public many times over the past five years with no problem. Still, it’s good to know that the mothers of FirstRight are ready and able to help. Just in case.