Breast Feeding Chairs

[BHX123]

Hi Everyone,

I hope you can all help me, Birmingham Airport are currently redesigning the baby changing toilets throughout the whole terminal and part of the changes is to have Breast feeding chairs located within various toilets.

I have come on Mumsnet to ask for all your advice on what chair you personally think is the best.

Any ideas are welcome.

There does not need to be breastfeeding chairs in toilets. How insulting. Unless you're making a specified feeding room (with no toilets and completely separate from baby changing facilities) don't bother.

Yuck why are they going in toilets. Can't you have some breastfeeding pods for those who want to feed privately, this could be a small room with a chair (I prefer arms) and a water dispenser if possible. Somewhere to put your change bag that's not on the floor would be great.

Although I don't love the John Lewis parents room (because they often smell of dirty nappies as they are changing facilities too) something like that works well. The ones in grand central John Lewis are good and avoid the nappy smell by their arrangement

Sorry I agree, it's nice to have a breastfeeding room but let's not always have them amongst the stinky nappies if possible.

Having said that, a small room where you can feed (Not just breastfeed) and nappy change and just get yourself fully sorted out and de stress if often helpful.

Am I sitting on the fence here or what!

Honestly rather than a breastfeeding chair, which is comfortable, a really smart armchair that is easy to clean and looks like a treat is often better than a medical beige looking chair.

The Trafford Centre had designers do their feeding rooms - e.g. Laura Ashley store did their room with a vibrant armchair (low arms) and a couple of pictures etc.

Good grief.

Don't put them in the toilets.

(I'm not even a parent.)

Thank you all for your feedback,

It will all be taken on board however we would really like feedback on what type of chair you prefer i.e.

Chair with arms?
Chair with high Back?
Wipe able?
Any links to chairs you prefer would be grateful

Have you visited somewhere and they have had a great breast feeding area? Please could you give me feedback

Why does there have to be a 'breastfeeding area'? Is it only acceptable in certain places?

I really like the parent and baby space at merry hill. It's a very large room with a row of baby change stations at one end, a couple of double toilets (with an adult and child sized loo in each, and big enough to take pram in with if needed) and then some feeding 'booths' which have a curtain that can be drawn across for privacy if desired. There is also a microwave to allow heating of formula/expressed milk.

The chairs are comfortable for breastfeeding- they have a high back and arms which are cushioned, are rockable and wipeable (v important).

I think you should brand it a 'feeding area' rather than specifically a breastfeeding area. Formula fed babies need to eat too and many prefer a quiet environment. I breastfed myself but know friends who ff and couldn't get baby to take a bottle in a busy/noisy/bright environment.

You need to listen to women telling you they don't want to breastfeed in toilets as well. Your reply is a little arrogant to be honest, and if you did stick a chair in the loo, I most definitely would not use it.

Westfields Shepherds Bush has a great set up

Birmingham Airport is a family friendly environment and we fully support anyone breast feeding in any area of the airport.

We would however seek to additionally provide the option for other mothers or fathers to be able to have the privacy of a designated room in which to feed their children if this is their preference.

You don’t need a designated chair, especially not in the loos you can feed anywhere and everywhere and in response to your last comment, not sure how fathers need a breastfeeding area as your initial post was specifically targeting breast feeding parents

The oracle in Reading have redesigned their baby change so it is a family room. It's still a changing space but changing is at one end of the room with sinks and sunken bins by each mat and there are feeding spaces at the other (away from stinky nappies!) which are a combination of normal arm chair seating and small more private cubicles. There's also a buggy parking spot which is helpful.

The thing with feeding spaces is that it's generally cleanliness and ambience that is more important than specific chairs being available etc

In terms of preferred chair- as long as it has a back, a decent amount of squishiness and is easy to clean pretty much any chair is fine. I personally prefer chairs that have low arms (more belly button height than bust line when you sit down) and tend to find that the classic wooden rocking nursing chairs are a bit narrow and the arms are uncomfortably high.

Ok, I see you are going to focus on the chairs regardless. High back chairs are better, arms can be very useful but only if they are padded or cushioned in some way.

Please don't put this space in the toilets though. Also, add some toys for older toddlers who might be brought in the room with their breastfed sibling.

Definitely not in the toilets! Would you want to eat your lunch/have your coffee in a special chair in the toilet area?!

Personally, I feel ‘breastfeeding areas’ don’t really help to normalise breastfeeding.

In terms of chairs, I hate ones with arms (fine for a newborn but an older baby/toddler can be hard to feed as can struggle for space and they can bang their head on the armwhen moving about). But like anything, some breastfeeding mums will prefer arms.

Have you visited somewhere and they have had a great breast feeding area? Anywhere with a little play area (for older siblings), with lots of comfortable chairs where you can see the play area, near to a cafe/shop and toilets so you don’t have to go far if need something.

Honestly, navigating an airport with DC can be stressful enough, the last thing you want to do is be stuck in a breastfeeding area in the toilet section before a flight!

Why not just make the whole airport a bit less grim? That way everyone including families with babies to feed can be more comfortable.

You know how to do this (you have lounges) but obviously there’s no press in it the way they will be in special spaces for breastfeeding mums with chairs specified by mums.

It is useful/appropriate to have a breastfeeding area in an airport actually, of course it's also fine to feed wherever but if your baby is distractible it's nice to have the option of a quiet place. And remember people of all cultures use airports and some women might prefer an area where no men are likely to enter. And some women travelling away from their babies will be expressing to relieve engorgement, which is hard to do discreetly in a public area.

Perhaps signs saying breastfeeding is welcome anywhere in our airport but if you would prefer privacy, the feeding rooms are here, here and here.

A general baby feeding zone would be good with a sink to wash hands, with drinking water, disposable cups and gentle lighting. Perhaps a microwave to warm bottles/food. A high chair or play pen (somewhere to put baby down for a moment while arranging bags/clothing). A clock on the wall so you can keep track of time. If flight/security announcements come through a speaker in the room, set the volume low so that they do not startle.

If you have changing facilities in the same room please make sure the bins are smell-proof, stay closed, and are regularly emptied. Preferably the changing area is separate from the breastfeeding area as a breastfeeding only area ought to be women only, really. Or potentially a lock on the door?

If the chairs have arms, padding on the arm is useful.

A counter or side table to put down a bottle of water, baby's bottle or pumping equipment helps.

Ikea have the best feeding/changing rooms I've come across.

You clearly don't really want our answer, because you just want us to "pick" a chair, you can stick it in the loo and then have a press release about how you're breastfeeding friendly "with chairs specially selected by mums" or you wouldn't have started another post just asking about chairs.

I'm not sure you've really listened to what we're telling you?

I'm all for normalising breastfeeding (breast fed both mine for a year) but in the early days I felt nervous and exposed feeding in public so liked having a feeding area/room available as an option.
West Quay in Southampton have a great room - changing and feeding facilities in one ara, but large enough that whilst you are feeding, your are not close to the changing mats.
The chairs had large arms, that you could rest a drink on, as well as tables next to each chair for your belongings.
Each chair also had a curtain around it that could be opened or closed - your choice. I couldn't feed without getting my whole boob out, so in a mixed parent feeding room (and they should be mixed) the curtain gave me some privacy if I wanted it.

A high backed chair, wipe clean faux leather, feet up would be great, table nearby with water if possible, something to read, toys for toddlers- thanks for asking. Oh and a bloody great sign saying ‘sit here if you want but ffs don’t bloody complain if you don’t want to’ ffs people

I'm going against the grain here to say that I would love a comfy chair to sit in to breastfeed my baby.
If I was wondering around an airport (or the oracle in Reading) and I knew the baby needed feeding, I would be very grateful for a nice comfy chair.

In answer to your question, a padded, gliding chair that was wipable.

But NOT in the toilets! A designated room/space/area yes, but not in, next to or near shitty toilets.

, the last thing you want to do is be stuck in a breastfeeding area in the toilet section before a flight!
The breastfeeding chair would be an option. You don't have to sit in it.

I like the breastfeeding area in Costa or Starbucks or the sandwich bar - my baby liked his dinner wherever other people were eating theirs
If you look at nursing chairs the seats are usually low with no arms.

Agree 100% with @Almostthere15

Not in the toilets, for the love of god. But having a toilet cubicle big enough to take a pram in would be good, there are often baby changing rooms (no toilet) and small cubicles - where are you supposed to put your baby while you pee?

Some people like a bit of privacy breastfeeding, so seating in a quiet corner with maybe some screening and a sign clearly saying baby feeding area would be good. Also stickers in prominent places emphasising that breastfeeding is welcome throughout.

I wouldn't care what the chair is like. Just so long as it's not in a place that smells of other people's shit, with accompanying sound effects!

Not in the toilets, bleauh. Why would you think that is okay?

Normal bank of chairs facing a wall / window, not overlooked but part of the fabric of the passenger experience!

Are you getting this that breastfeeding chairs in the toilets would not be welcome? Think of the backlash you'll get when this is released in the press.

I can see the AIBU already.