A baby nurse accused of sneaking formula to an infant against her breastfeeding mother’s wishes says the Manhattan mom’s allegations against her are just a “bully tactic” to get back at her for another lawsuit.
Doula Marcia Chase-Marshall had been sued by mom-employer Lynn Wojton, who claimed that Chase-Marshall fed her baby formula at night because she was tired and it was easier than helping her breastfeed.
But Chase-Marshall says in the new court documents that is totally false — and that she has the text messages to prove it.
Chase-Marshall — who owns her own business, “Marcia’s Baby Nursing” — worked for the Union Square mom and quickly became concerned that Wojton wasn’t producing enough breast milk.
So shortly after she started her job with Wojton on Sept. 11, the nurse told Wojton “that the baby’s feedings should be supplemented with formula so as not to starve the baby,” which the mother “reluctantly agreed” to, according to the Manhattan Supreme court papers.
On Sept. 13, Wojton texted Chase-Marshall, “Just about done Breast feeding! Can you come in and grab her. She may need just a few mouth fills of formula,” according to copies of the messages contained in the new court papers.
Then Sept. 14, the mom texted the baby nurse, “If you think you need to give her some formula you can. Then I can do the next feeding,” according to the court papers.
The next day, Chase-Marshall says, she was abruptly fired.
She was paid $4,200 but sued Wojton on Oct.4 in Pennsylvania, where she lives, for the rest of the $8,400 that she says she would have made if she’d been able to finish out her six-month contract.
After Wojton filed suit, which The Post covered, Chase-Marshall has faced “a deluge of vitriol” online, including people calling her “an awful person,” “pretty lazy” and “not someone to trust with your child,” the court papers claim.These comments are harmful to her career and reputation since her “online reputation is extraordinarily important to her ability to continue working as a baby nurse,” the court documents say.
“The plaintiff’s entire case is based on a false premise, was filed for retribution and as a bully tactic, and appears to have been a means for the plaintiff to get her name in the newspaper,” the court papers allege.
Chase-Marshall’s lawyer, Andrew Buzin, told The Post, “I can’t figure out why they would file something like this except for retaliation.”
Wojton — who has her own cosmetic nursing practice — told The Post at the time that she has a new nanny and her now-7-month-old daughter Wilder is doing fine.
Wojton’s lawyer declined to comment.