To Educate the Educated: 

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." Benjamin Franklin

As I sat one night in my masters public health ethics, policy, and law class the topic of breastfeeding in public was brought up. Our professor asked us if we thought it was OK to breastfeed in public. With a mix of people in my class, different ages, some with kids, some without kids, some who don't even want kids, our answers were all different. As a daughter of a mother who is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, I knew exactly how the questions should be answered, but I was shocked to hear the reaction of my fellow colleagues. If a mother needs to breastfeed in public, she should do it without any question, point blank. If a mother is out in public and needs to breastfeed her baby and doesn't want to cover up, she should be able to do it without questioning. Most importantly, no mother should ever be directed to the bathroom to feed. This was the problem we had in class. A lot of my colleagues believed that a mother should be covered up in public and those who were mothers agreed. It's sad that we live in a society today where wearing a "bralette" out in public is completely acceptable, but feeding a hungry baby is not. I may only be 23-years-young, but I still can't get over how much we over-sexualize the breasts and not look at them for what they really were meant to do. As I sat in class arguing I realized one thing, you are never too old or too young to learn something new or look at a situation differently. Though it is ultimately a mother's preference on how she wants to breastfeed, covered or uncovered, no one should have the right to scold a mother for doing her job. 

Education is key. If we continue to teach others about the powers of breastfeeding, then maybe we can all live in a world where breastfeeding is the norm again and mothers don't get directed to the bathroom to feed. 

Ronya Nassar is from Allentown, Pa., She is an Outreach Specialist with the Allentown Health Bureau and a Master of Public Health student at East Stroudsburg University. Her passions of public health are nutrition and physical activity advocacy. You can read other blog posts by Ronya  at http://ronyanassar001.wordpress.com

#LVMilkyMeeting Prize Giveaway

Prizes:
Bag of breastfeeding swag
Gift certificate for local products/services 
Past prizes include: Milkmakers Lactation Cookies, Gift Certificate to Ju-Ju Monkey, Gift Certificate to Chipotle

How to enter the prize giveaway:

1. Attend a support group or class focused on breastfeeding, baby care, or postpartum issues.
2. Create a post on Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Twitter that includes:
• a photo from the class - either a selfie with identifier sign or a photo of demo items/written info,
• a takeaway - something you learned, and
• #LVMilkyMeeting - so we can find your post.

You can attend ANY of the many "Milky Meetings" offered in the Lehigh Valley to get an entry. One (1) entry for each "Milky Meeting" you attend and post. Attendance will be verified via class/group sign in sheet. Prize winners will be announced at the LVBC October Meet and Greet at Casa Guadalupe, Allentown.

Example of a qualifying post:

Example Instagram Post

OFFICIAL RULES:

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING.

1. Eligibility: Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is open only to those who sign up at the online sweepstakes page and who are 18 as of the date of entry. The sweepstakes is only open to legal residents of United States and is void where prohibited by law. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited.

2. Agreement to Rules: By participating, you agree to be fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and you represent and warrant that you meet the eligibility requirements set forth herein. In addition, you agree to accept the decisions of Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, as final and binding as it relates to the content. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws.

3. Sweepstakes Period: Entries will be accepted online starting on or about August 6, 2016  and ending October 7, 2016. All online entries must be received by October 7, 2016 11:59PM EST.

4. How to Enter: The Sweepstakes must be entered by attending a class or support group focused on breastfeeding, baby care, or postpartum issues then posting about it on social media with a photo from the class, a takeaway, and #LVMilkyMeeting. The entry must fulfill all sweepstakes requirements, as specified above, to be eligible to win a prize. Entries that are not complete or do not adhere to the rules or specifications may be disqualified at the sole discretion of Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition. You may enter one (1) time for each class or support group you attend and post. If you use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules your submission may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition.

5. Prizes: Winners will receive one (1) of the giveaway prizes to be determined by Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition. Total retail value of each prize may differ at time of prize award. The specifics of the prize shall be solely determined by the Sponsor. No cash or other prize substitution permitted except at Sponsor's discretion. The prize is nontransferable. Any and all prize related expenses, including without limitation any and all federal, state, and/or local taxes shall be the sole responsibility of the winner. No substitution of prize or transfer/assignment of prize to others or request for the cash equivalent by winners is permitted. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission for Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition to use winner's name, likeness, and entry for purposes of advertising and trade without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.

6. Odds: The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

7. Winner selection and notification: Winners of the Sweepstakes will be selected in a random drawing under the supervision of the Sponsor. Winners will be announced at the LVBC Meet and Greet on October X, at Casa Guadalupe in Allentown. If the winner(s) are not present at the announcement, their names will be posted on this blog lvbreastfeeding.blogspot.com within five (5) days following the winner selection announcement and/or an attempt will be made to contact the winner(s) via phone, text, or email as possible with contact information provided by the winner . Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition shall have no liability for a winner's failure to receive notices due to winners' spam, junk e-mail or other security settings or for winners' provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information. If the selected winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim the prize within 15 days from the time award notification was sent, or fails to timely return a completed and executed declaration and releases as required, prize may be forfeited and an alternate winner selected. 

The receipt by winner of the prize offered in this Sweepstakes is conditioned upon compliance with any and all federal and state laws and regulations. ANY VIOLATION OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES BY ANY WINNER (AT SPONSOR'S SOLE DISCRETION) WILL RESULT IN SUCH WINNER'S DISQUALIFICATION AS WINNER OF THE SWEEPSTAKES AND ALL PRIVILEGES AS WINNER WILL BE IMMEDIATELY TERMINATED.

 8. Rights Granted by you: By entering this content you understand that Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, anyone acting on behalf of Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, or its respective licensees, successors and assigns will have the right, where permitted by law, without any further notice, review or consent to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use, worldwide in any media now known or hereafter in perpetuity and throughout the World, your entry, including, without limitation, the entry and winner's name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image or statements about the Sweepstakes, and biographical information as news, publicity or information and for trade, advertising, public relations and promotional purposes without any further compensation.

9. Terms: Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition reserves the right, in its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes should (in its sole discretion) a virus, bugs, non-authorized human intervention, fraud or other causes beyond its control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes. In such case, Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition may select the recipients from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition. Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or website or violates these Terms & Conditions.

Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Sweepstakes, to void votes for any reason, including, but not limited to; multiple entries from the same user from different IP addresses; multiple entries from the same computer in excess of that allowed by sweepstakes rules; or the use of bots, macros or scripts or other technical means for entering.

Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any web site or undermine the legitimate operation of the sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.

By entering the Sweepstakes you agree to receive email newsletters periodically from Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition. You can opt-out of receiving this communication at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the newsletter.

10. Limitation of Liability: By entering you agree to release and hold harmless Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from (i) such entrant's participation in the sweepstakes and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof, (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunctioning of any computer, cable, network, hardware or software; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions or telephone or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error which may occur in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.

11. Disputes: THIS SWEEPSTAKES IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF United States AND Pennsylvania WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of participating in this Sweepstakes, participant agrees that any and all disputes which cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in Pennsylvania having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorneys' fees, other than participant's actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. costs associated with entering this Sweepstakes), and participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.

12. Privacy Policy:  By entering this content you understand that Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, anyone acting on behalf of Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, or its respective licensees, successors and assigns will have the right, where permitted by law, without any further notice, review or consent to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use, worldwide in any media now known or hereafter in perpetuity and throughout the World, your entry, including, without limitation, the entry and winner's name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image or statements about the Sweepstakes, and biographical information as news, publicity or information and for trade, advertising, public relations and promotional purposes without any further compensation.

  

13. Winners List: To obtain a copy of the winner's name or a copy of these Official Rules, visit lvbreastfeeding.blogspot.com.

14. Sponsor:  The Sponsor of the Sweepstakes is Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition