asked to breastfeed in the toilets on train!!

[Channicholls]

i was on a northern rail train yesterday with my 3 month old daughter. she required feeding. I was sat behind my pram and no one could see what I was doing.

When the ticket collector came to check tickets he asked if I could do what I was doing in the toilets. I responded by saying 'what breastfeeding' and he said yes. I told him I was fine where I was and didn't move and he left it. during the whole exchange he had his hand up and was making faces as though what I was doing was perverse.

I was really embarrassed and left feeling extremely uncomfortable and with everyone in the carriage watching me.

I called Northern rail today to make a complaint and was told by them that there was nothing they could do and its down to personal preference of conductors.

what are my next steps? I feel like I was treated badly and that this shouldn't be allowed by such a large company (or anyone for that matter).

[piprabbit]

Not only is it unacceptable to mums to be asked to feed their baby in the toilet - it is also unacceptable to the rest of the passengers as the toilet would be occupied for a lengthy period of time.

Stupid, stupid company.

[becscertainstar]

I don't like the apology. So the conductor was protecting the OP from leering teens... by telling her to go and breastfeed in the toilet. It sounds like justification to me.

I wouldn't want the conductor to lose his job as it's clearly his training that's at fault - it's a scenario that should have been covered when he learned how to do his job.

[DuelingFanjo]

I am a member of the Brestapo [Grin] and i think the apology is ok actually... however there is one issue I wouldn't be happy with and that's the fact that they deny that whoever you spoke to in Northern rail told you "that there was nothing they could do and its down to personal preference of conductors".

If this is what they said then it's utter rubbish and they really need to address that.

[Oscalito]

I think it's a good result and not a bad apology, although it took them a while to get there - especially considering you could have done nothing, or been intimidated by the ignorant conductor.

Instead a lot of people have been re-educated, there's been media coverage and once again the message has been driven home that women have the right to breastfeed wherever they want. I hope you take advantage of the three months free train travel too. Well done.

I also agree that the conductor shouldn't lose his job - he just hasn't been trained properly and hopefully NR will now be looking into that to avoid a shitstorm like this in future!

[LoopyLooplaHoop]

Oh come on, it's a crap apology, desperately trying to wheedle his way out of a media shit storm.

My issues with it:

1. He conducted an investigation without speaking to you. Idiot.
   
2. Including such shit 'justification' from the conductor shows that the company don't value the equality act.
   
3. Trying to flatter Mumsnet, in the vain hope that they'll change their mids. Suck.
   
4. Training was clearly insufficient. Just admit it.
   
5. Terribly poor grammar
   
6. "Genuine gesture of goodwill" bollocks.
   
7. "Do I believe that we have a problem in Northern Rail concerning this subject?" What is the purpose of this stupid rhetorical question? Again, idiot.

[zanuda]

Got from the newsletter, hope, some of you will enjoy the poem: blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/07082013embarrassed-to-breastfeed-in-public-watch-this/