GRAND FORKS-Leeah Gingell sat Friday afternoon on the lawn of the Grand Forks County Courthouse and breast-fed her 5-month-old infant-mostly to make a statement.

"I really want to affect those people who feel the need to shame mothers for simply nourishing their children," she said moments before near a handful of fellow protesters and picket signs. "They need to realize that we're not trying to show you our breasts, we're not trying to offend you; we're simply trying to feed our children. A woman shouldn't have to be locked up in her house just because she wants to breast-feed her children instead of bottle-feeding her children."

Gingell, who organized a local portion of this year's "Nationwide Nurse-In," described herself as a Grand Forks mother with direct experience with public discomfort and reactions to breast-feeding. She was joined by about more than a half-dozen fellow protesters, several of whom brought and nursed infants and small children, including a 2½-year-old child.

"I have had times where people look at you a certain way," Gingell said. "I had a thing happen to me yesterday where I had a man keep staring at me-almost kind of intimidatingly-because he was offended by it, and you could tell,"

She offered the story of a mother in a North Carolina courtroom reported earlier this month by the Washington Post in which the judge, despite a state law protecting public breast-feeding, scolded the mother for doing so and asked her to leave.

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"And the woman knew that she was allowed to be there, but she didn't want to fight the judge because she felt intimidated," she said.

Friday's Nationwide Nurse-in, according to its website, was a multistate effort to "bring awareness to breast-feeding and pumping laws and legislation," with nurse-ins expected at multiple locations around the country. Local media outlets reported a nurse-in on capitol grounds throughout the country, including in Michigan, North Carolina and Iowa.

A similar event was held in Moorhead last summer after an employee at the city's pool told a woman to cover up while breast-feeding, which city officials admitted was a mistake. Minnesota law allows mothers to nurse in public.

Kim Hinnenkamp, a program coordinator with the North Dakota Department of Health, said breast-feeding is an important part of childhood development. It can reduce the risk of cancer in mothers as well as reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and childhood obesity, among other benefits.

An array of health organizations say breast-feeding can be a sole source of nutrition for up to six months of age, Hinnenkamp said. However, some health experts say breast-feeding can be a component in a child's diet even after 2 years of age, with the practice tapering off at the mother and child's comfort.

In North Dakota, a law passed in 2009 regulates public breast-feeding. A woman can breast-feed a child anywhere so long as she "acts in a discreet and modest manner," the law states.

A federal law offers protection for some workers, Hinnenkamp said, but not all. The Affordable Care Act grants North Dakota's hourly workers the right to break time and a private place to express breast milk but does not extend those rights to salaried workers.

Gingell took issue with North Dakota laws, especially language that requires the act be "discreet and modest," which she'd like to see removed.

"A mother can take it into their own hands what it means, but also someone viewing it can take it into their own hands what it means." Gingell said, adding she'd like to see stronger North Dakota workplace provisions for nursing women. "It should be something every woman has a right to."

Colleen Pearce, division director for nutrition and physical activity with the North Dakota Department of Health, offered her own support for breast-feeding.

"The Health Department's position is that whenever you can eliminate barriers to breast-feeding, it's always in the interest of both mom and the baby."

State Sen. Tom Campbell, R-Grafton, said he appreciates the health benefits of breast-feeding, but he thinks current laws deal with the issue just fine and a common-sense approach to breast-feeding shouldn't lead to any problems.

"I think it's one of these things where she's trying to draw attention to something that doesn't need to be addressed," Campbell said. "We've got way more important things in Bismarck that need to be addressed this session."

State Sen. Connie Triplett, D-Grand Forks, said she didn't take one position or the other on the matter of the "discreet and modest" language. She did caution that in a particularly conservative climate, like the one in North Dakota right now, reopening the debate actually could lead to more conservative breast-feeding laws.

Sam Bush, a fellow Grand Forks mom nursing an infant Friday at the courthouse, explained breast-feeding a child in private is much easier said than done.

"There is no time and place to feed your baby," she said while holding her infant daughter. "You feed your baby when (he or she is) hungry, whether you're at the grocery store, at a restaurant, walking down the street. She lets you know-they let you know when they're hungry."