CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) A Clarksville mother who said she felt discriminated against after a blanket was placed over her and her son while she was breastfeeding at the Department of Children’s Services Office (DCS) in Montgomery County held what she called a “nurse-in” and breastfed her child on Tuesday, May 31.
Amber Berger, a mother of three, held the protest in response to what happened to her and her child on May 18. “I’m basically trying to raise awareness about breastfeeding for mothers. We don’t need to be discriminated against or told to cover up when we’re breastfeeding,” said Berger.
Berger was joined outside the DCS office at Veterans Plaza by two other mothers who are also supporters of breastfeeding in public. Carrie Weir, Deputy Director of Communications for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, said DCS supports breastfeeding moms and supports the law.
“This was an isolated incident and that it’s given us a great opportunity to talk to our staff and remind them of both our beliefs and also the state law that a nursing mom has every right to nurse her child wherever she needs to do that,” Weir said.