By Nicole June

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – A Clarksville mother of three has planned a ‘nurse-in’ protest after she said she was discriminated against while breastfeeding her son without a cover in public.

Amber Berger, a mother of three young children, visited the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) office in Montgomery County on May 18. She was breastfeeding her 6-month-old son while waiting in the lobby.

Berger said she does not use a cover while breastfeeding because it causes her anxiety, but does try to use as much discretion as possible.

She said that while she was feeding her son, she felt like one of the female employees in the room was reacting negatively. As she was called into a counseling room, she said the employee followed her and allegedly approached her with a blanket.

Berger claims she told the woman she did not want it, but said the employee threw the blanket over Berger and her son without saying anything before walking away.

Berger was stunned.

“She touched me and I did not want her to,” Berger said. “I did not just feel assaulted. I felt harassed and discriminated against.”

She later filed a miscellaneous (non-criminal) report with the Clarksville Police Department.

DCS Communications Director Rob Johnson said DCS is aware of the incident and the department is looking into it.

“They have a formal inquiry going on to find out the facts,” Johnson said.

The inquiry could take several weeks.

In the meantime, Berger has decided to stand up for breastfeeding mothers by staging what she calls a nurse-in. Breastfeeding mothers and those who support them are invited to attend the protest.

She said she does not intend to break any laws, but simply wants to peacefully stand outside the DCS building without obstructing any entryways while feeding her child with other mothers.

“Women need to know that they’re not alone in this. It’s not right for them to do this to us,” Berger said. “You shouldn’t be shy about it and you should stand up for yourself. There are laws in place for women like us who breastfeed their children.”

Details about the protest can be found on Berger’s Facebook event post.

The TN Dept. of Health lists the following laws regarding breastfeeding protections in the state:

TCA 68-58-101: A mother may breastfeed in any public or private place she is authorized to be.
TCA 68-58-102: Breastfeeding shall not be considered public indecency or nudity, obscene, or sexual conduct.
TCA -68-58-103: Local governments shall not prohibit breastfeeding in public by local ordinance.
TCA 50-1-305: Employers must accommodate breastfeeding mothers at work.