Most of you probably know that relative to most places in the U.S., the good people of Vermont are pretty open to breastfeeding (even in public!!)  We even have the laws to prove it—Vermont is just one of eight states that has laws protecting nursing in public (with a provision for enforcement).  What this means is that any woman who has experienced a violation of her right to breastfeed can file a charge of discrimination with the human rights commission, and can summarily seek compensatory/punitive damages including payment of legal fees.  Despite these laws, in 2006, a woman on board a Freedom Airlines/Delta Airlines flight preparing to depart from Burlington, Vermont was asked to de-plane after she refused to stop breastfeeding her daughter on the plane.  This woman, Emily Gillette of New Mexico, has since filed a complaint with the Vermont Human Relations Commission.  I’d like to think of this case as a rare exception within an otherwise civil community where breastfeeding is normally not just tolerated, but embraced.  Certainly, there exists the possibility that the airline crew were unaware of Vermont state laws that protect the right to breastfeed in public.  Horrifyingly, there are still several states that have absolutely NO LAWS in place to protect the right to nurse in public.  These states include Massachusetts (yes, this one was a surprise to me, too), Pennsylvania (no surprise there), Nebraska, North Dakota, and Idaho.  Federal laws do exist to protect the right to breastfeed, however, these laws lack an enforcement provision, making it essentially useless in those states that do not otherwise provide protection for breastfeeding mothers.  

 

So where does the coffee come in?  One of the cooler things to crop up in Burlington, Vermont within the past few years is a coffee shop started by two women who wanted to create a breastfeeding-friendly environment in which moms could come grab a cup of joe and chat with their friends.  Viva Espresso opened in 2006 in Burlington’s Old North End and has been enormously successful.  They have even been featured in Food and Wine magazine during their short tenure as a local, socially-conscious, purveyor of caffeine, art, baked goods, and community.  Viva is awesome in concept, and does not disappoint in the tangibles—The coffee is phenomenal!  We’re looking forward to many walks up the street for a cup of coffee with the little one in tow….

All in all, a great weekend despite the INSANE heat wave that is still plaguing us at this very moment. For those of you who live south of VT, I concede that while yes, it is hotter where you are, you probably also get to relish in the luxury of CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING. Our pets are miserable, and so are we. This is honestly the first time in the 6 years we’ve lived in VT where I’ve been tempted to go to the store and pick up a small window AC unit. For the majority of the summer, AC is overkill in VT, and window fans will suffice. I keep telling myself that if I had AC I would be able to clean the house, but we all know that is a dirty lie.

Jazz Fest wrapped up in Burlington on Sunday—while we didn’t hit up any of the shows, it was fun to walk around town and hear the music wafting along the street.  We went on several more dates this weekend.  R reminds me that I am a spoiled gal, and he is right!  Saturday R went climbing with a friend, and I accompanied them to the climbing site.  I sat in the shade for a couple hours, reading some books and generally enjoying being outside.  We left once it started to get really hot, and picked up greasy food for lunch at Al’s French Frys, followed up by creemees.  We spent some time in the garden, and I actually was able to do some weeding.  We topped off our day with a fun visit in the ‘burg with A & S, and a friend of theirs who is hiking the Long Trail (and soon to be taking 6 months to hike the Appalachian Trail).  Yesterday we grabbed iced lattes from Uncommon Grounds, went to the library and the used book store, devoured some Mexican food, caught Iron Man at the theatre (I REALLY liked this movie), and then got creemees at the Beansie’s Bus.  

I have been eating so much fattening stuff in the past 4 weeks—normally I don’t permit myself to eat so much sugar, but for some reason, I feel oddly compelled to just eat with reckless abandon.  Gone are the 2nd trimester days of veggie wraps.  I have been making heavy pasta dishes with cream-based sauces, topped with heavy meat like sausage.  This is not typical hot-weather fare, but if my body is saying I need it, I will gladly indulge.  I’m still drinking about $10 worth of milk a week.  Milk has been a 3rd trimester addiction that I will indulge without question.  It’s fat free milk anyway, so I’m not going to lose sleep over it.  Time to attempt cleaning my humid house….