Breast Feeding in Leeds City Centre

[LittleNemo]

Not sure if this is the right thread for this, but...........

Am about to venture into Leeds for my first shopping trip with DD (4 weeks) and will need to find somewhere to breastfeed once I'm there.

Does anyone have any recommendations of decent baby feeding rooms? The last one I saw was in Debenhams and it was very stinky having not been cleaned all day. Not really conducive for feeding in.

[dinosaur]

My advice would be - find a nice cafe and feed baba there - once you get him/her latched on it's really pretty discreet - much nicer than feeding in a smelly changing room! Just do it, it's much easier than you think it will be!

'Fraid I haven't been to Leeds for years so can't help much more than that.

[Tetley]

I've always just used a quiet corner of a cafe - as dinosaur says. I think the best I found in Leeds was Mothercare or M&S - but still not that nice.
Perhaps Harvey Nicks would have a better class of feeding room

[NotQuiteCockney]

I find Starbucks are always good for feeding. Any sort of "nice" cafe will do.

[dinosaur]

Yes to Starbucks, although I did cripple my back getting up from one of their "comfy" chairs with DS3 in my arms...

[NotQuiteCockney]

I don't think the chairs are meant to actually be comfortable, you might hang around! They're just meant to look comfortable.

I've ordered my coffee, and then demanded table service, saying I could stop angry hungry DS1 from crying faster that way! I think other customers brought me my coffee.

DS1 was such a hungry baby, I swear I started getting let-down whenever I saw a Starbucks. DS2's such a better nurser, I've barely fed him in public at all!

[Yorkiegirl]

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[HUNKERMUNKER]

Is there a Gold Card lounge in Debenhams in Leeds? MUCH nicer than feeding in their stinky baby change!

[LittleNemo]

YorkieGirl - I live in Shipley (bradford), but spent 10 years in Leeds. Will keep any eye out for your next daytime meet up. DD is only 4 weeks old so a little early for me to do evenings.

Not sure if I'm ready to try public feeding yet. Like the concept makes life a lot easier. Might wait til I'm more confident about it.

[Yorkiegirl]

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[roisin]

I was at a wedding yesterday and the bride breastfed her youngest during the sermon
For a minute I thought she was going to process down the aisle with baby latched on ...! But she didn't.

[GeorginaA]

roisin - that's lovely

[milward]

wow - what a great bf story rosin. Littlenemo - would say just find a cafe that you like - m&s usually good. Go when it's not too busy & just bf & see how you feel. No one will notice. You might feel self-concious but this will pass. You could practice at home in front a mirror to see how you look. Once you're ok with bf out & about shopping etc will be so much easier. Lots of luck.

[RCollinge]

I was breastfeeding in cafe last week and was asked by the manager to go to the toilets because I might be making some of the other customers uncomfortable.

My friend told him to go and ask the other customers first before being so rude, and if he could come back and tell us that any of the them WERE bothered by it then we would happily move along to another cafe.

He never did come back to our table and we got our coffee on the house!

[LuvMyBaby]

I know this is a very selfish view but I really couldn't give two hoots to what other people think about if they see me b/f'ing in public (not that I just do it anywhere, a nice cafe, M&S, John Lewis is always preferable) but if my ds needs feeding then I tend not to take any notice of who's looking !!! However, I didnt do this until he was 6 weeks so I agree with the confidence thing - when you are ready just be bold and do it !!

[LuvMyBaby]

RCollinge - Good for you, I'm glad you told the manager where to get off!!!

[milward]

rcollinge - what a terrible story - did he ask his customers to drink their coffee in the loos??