Picnic in the Bathroom

I'm sure that at least some of you have at one time or another heard of women being asked to stop nursing  in a certain place because someone found it offensive.  I counted myself blessed to have never had personal experience with this form of ignorance until today.  I wasn't actually in the process of feeding my little buddy but, was looking for a quiet place to sit and comfortably do so.  We were out to see one of the mall Santas in our area and had a way to go before it was our turn.  I decided to try to nurse the baby or as always happens he would have decided he needed to eat as our turn to pow wow with the big guy came up.  In my breastfeeding classes I frequently recommend that mothers find themselves an empty dressing room in which to sit and nurse if they are uncomfortable breastfeeding in public or if they have other little people they need to wrangle while they feed, so I decided to take my own advice and entered a clothing store that will go unnamed.  Normally I would have waltzed in and picked my own spot but, for some reason,  I decided I would ask for permission to commandeer a room.  The sales clerk I questioned took me to a woman I am assuming was the manager and proceeded to ask her if I could nurse my baby in one of their fitting rooms.  She thought for a moment then looked at me and said "Wouldn't you rather go to the bathroom?"  Well, let me just say that I could feel the heat of anger rise from my toes up to my cheeks.  Let me see, would I like to sit on the floor or toilet of a dirty public restroom and picnic with my baby?  I think not.  Dumbfounded as I was, the only reply I could muster was the standard,  "Would you like to eat in the bathroom?".  After stumbling over her tongue for a moment she quickly said "I guess not".  After that any desire to borrow their space was lost and I mustered a sarcastic "Never mind" and walked out.  This incident angers me for two reasons.  First, I just got a pair of jeans produced by this boutique (mind you at a discount store and for 75% off) and secondly, it brought my high ideals about the progress that lactation professionals have made in helping the public to see breastfeeding as normal back down to earth.  I was perfectly happy floating up there on my delusional cloud when all of the sudden KAPOW!  Reality hits me like a lighting bolt.  After years of hard work by many people and tons of research to back up it's importance people still don't get it and breastfeeding is not the norm!  How frustrated am I?  It seems as if for every step we take forward we take the proverbial two steps back.  I guess for now I will have to be satisfied with the small victories that are made when passionate professionals and lay persons work gently and effectively with each mother baby dyad to help relieve their stress and discomfort and encourage them to reach their goals.  I am still hopeful that a cultural change will eventually be made.  Keep trudging along ladies and remember.  NOBODY PUTS BABY IN THE BATHROOM!