Building bridges to breastfeeding

LINCOLN, Ill. (WAND) - Inmates and visitors at Logan Correctional Center now will be allowed to breastfeed their infants during family visits. 

This comes after a recently-released mother spoke out against a previous ban at the facility.  

Emily French gave birth to her son in February 2019 while serving a seven-month sentence at Logan Correctional Facility in Lincoln. 

She nursed her son while she was able to before they had to be separated. She regularly pumped breast milk while she was incarcerated, and family members arranged to collect and deliver the milk to feed her baby. 

When family brought the baby to visit French, she was told she would not be allowed to breastfeed.

"It was upsetting and painful. Seeing and holding my son triggered a physical reaction, and I produced breast milk.  It was cruel that instead of being able to bond with my son, I was forced to go into a bathroom and express the milk into a sink. I was sad and depressed," said French.

French was released on parole in May 2019.

Lawyers at the ACLU of Illinois contacted the Illinois Department of Corrections to express concerns about the policy and its impact on breastfeeding parents. The ACLU said the ban violated the Illinois Right to Breastfeed Act, which guarantees a parent who chooses to breastfeed has the right to nurse their infant in any location, public or private.

In June, IDOC decided to revise its policies to allow parents to breastfeed their infants during visits.

"We welcome this change by the Department of Corrections and look forward to its immediate implementation," said Amy Meek, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU of Illinois. "Breastfeeding is a fundamental and personal reproductive decision protected by state law, including when a parent is incarcerated. It is time for the Department – and all entities – to recognize and accommodate the rights of parents who breastfeed in Illinois. We are happy for Ms. French that her story has helped make this important change for women incarcerated at Logan now and in the future."  

"It was great to be reunited with my son and I will never do anything in my life again to risk being separated from my child. But what happened to me should not happen to other mothers, no matter if they are in custody or not. I'm glad to see that the policy will change," said French.