Told to stop breastfeeding

[cinnamonbun]

Took my two children (DD 4 and DS 4 months) to soft play at my local leisure centre today. While DD played I sat down to BF my little one. A few minutes in a (female) staff member came and said I had to stop. I was stunned and asked her why. She said because there were children around and her manager had said so. I had a long scarf wrapped around my boob so it was definitely not on display. I feel both angry and ashamed. This was only the 3rd time I've BF in public (I never dared to with my DD) and now I don't want to do it again.

[cfc]

Name and shame them.

Give up bf whenever you want but make sure it's whenever YOU want.

I bf all three of mine until a year or so each and never, ever had any problems. I'm sorry you've been through this.

[traininthedistance]

It was illegal of her to tell you to stop. Make a written complaint to the store citing the Equalities Act - you should soon get an apology!

[stargirl1701]

It is illegal to ask you to stop in Scotland. Where are you OP?

[traininthedistance]

www.maternityaction.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/breastfeedingpublicplace.pdf

[cinnamonbun]

Thanks for your replies. I'm in London.

[cantthinkofagoodone]

That is shocking. The kids most likely won't notice or care and if they do notice it's easy to explain that DS is having breakfast.

Complain in writing and explain that they can't ask people to stop as it is illegal.

[Ladybythebeach]

So sorry to hear you've had such a negative experience....especially after you've built up the confidence to feed in public. It is actually against the law to ask a woman not to feed her baby in a public place. They have no right at all to ask you to stop feeding your child. I understand this is going to make to you feel self conscious but please don't feel put off by these idiots. Lots of places welcome breastfeeding mothers.

[Nanny0gg]

Is it a chain or a privately run one?

Complain to head office if the first, to the owner if the second.

Have they a fb page? Complain on that.

Report to the council that licences them. What they did was illegal.

[Nanny0gg]

And I love the way the manager didn't have the nerve to do it themselves.

[stargirl1701]

It says here that the Equality Act has made it illegal throughout the UK.

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/breastfeeding-in-public.aspx#close

Contact your MP? The local newspaper?

[DoYouNeedAWahhmbulance]

You should name and shame them, it's disgusting they feel they have the right to do this

[cinnamonbun]

Thanks all, I think I will complain. It's a public leisure centre, or funded by the council anyway. Swiss Cottage.

[Sleepyhead33]

In a soft play!!!! Obviously outrageous anywhere but seriously, a soft play is one of the places you feel really safe and not at all self conscious doing it. Full of mums and little ones none of whom care a jot.
You should definitely complain but please don't let it put you off feeding in public. I did it for over a year with my two and never encountered such ignorance-you have just been really unlucky.

[catgirl1976]

I would go nuts on this

It is illegal and frankly, disgusting.

Name and shame. To the press and all over Facebook and Twitter. And complain like hell.

They need re-educating and they need to apologise to you

Don't let it put you off BFing in public. I never had any issues which suggests most people are normal and you have just been very unlucky coming across these idiots.

[angeltattoo]

You have a legal right to feed your baby wherever you have a legal right to be.

Absolutely disgusting behaviour on their part. And you could have been breastfeeding while topless and still had a right to do so!!

The bastards. Complain, loudly and publicly get the fucker sacked

I also can't believe that a place that caters to children an families do not have mums breastfeeding in their on a daily basis.

Please don't let this put you off. I have BF my baby put and about for the last 8 months and never had any negative comments. Sorry you had to experience this.

[HavantGuard]

That is utterly out of line. It would be bad enough anywhere but in a soft play area aimed at young children???

Complain.

[angeltattoo]

In there. My anger on your behalf is to blame...

[gamerchick]

Name and shame in militant breastfeeding sites and get a nurse in going.

[KungFuBustle]

I'm sorry they were so rude. Please don't stop unless you want to.

If it's council funded their ignorance is shocking.

[stargirl1701]

Is this them, OP?

www.better.org.uk/leisure/swiss-cottage-leisure-centre

[mistermakersgloopyglue]

Yep, it's totally illegal to do this. Write a letter to head office and threaten with newspapers etc!

[Purplehonesty]

Oh I'm so tempted to pop down and feed dd in there myself!
However she is nearly 2 now and doesn't bf and I am in Scotland.
But you know, the thought was there!

That's really crappy, nobody will tell you that again so just carry on wherever you are. I only ever had positive comments.

[Gruntfuttock]

You should have insisted on speaking to the manager and told him or her that it is illegal to stop you breastfeeding in there.

[TheCrackFox]

Name and shame.

I always regarded areas which were small child friendly to be a safe place to breast feed.

[BloominNora]

Definitely don't let it put you off - DD1 was FF but I BF DD2 and fed her in all sorts of places.

I never had any negative comments but I was fully armed with a repertoire of responses in case I did. Bit disappointed really that I never got to use them.

I was dying for someone in a shop or restaurant to tell not to so I could go off on one politely explain to them that it was illegal to ask me to stop