Breastfeeding in M&S cafe

[Theweedonkeeey]

So I took DD1 and DD2 (3 weeks old) to M&S cafe today. Bought DD1 and I coffee and cake and fed DD2 while eating it. While doing this a member of staff came over and brought me a glass of water for no apparent reason. She just plonked it down on the table and left. Is this a thing? Company policy or did I just look like I needed extra fluids?! I’m not complaining, just curious - it was very nice and DD1 drank the water as I was already well hydrated and under no circumstances wanted to take a trip to the toilet with a newborn in a sling and a 3yo on a cake sugar high

That's brilliant. Shows she's been there.

I had this once at a post-natal physio appointment at hospital. Feeding DS on a chair in the waiting room (one of my first experiences of public feeding) he was only about 5/6 weeks. A midwife walked past, smiled, said 'that's lovely to see, can I get you some water?' It gave me a boost.

Happened to my friend in an M&S cafe a few years ago. I used to work for them at store management level and was not aware of any particular breastfeeding policies.

@agent765

I had this happen a few times when breastfeeding. I always appreciated the gesture and politely drank the water, although I never found bf made me thirstier than normal!

Congrats on your baby! Hope you ate plenty cake too?

@agent765 I’m sorry this happened to you. I read an article recently that Stella Creasey MP is campaigning to make photographing a breastfeeding woman illegal, like upskirting now is. Google “stop the breast pest”. I hope this makes you feel better. It wasn’t illegal at the time, but hopefully will be soon.

Not being one to crow (totally am though) but when dd was a baby back in 2009 not only did they bring e over a glass of water with my coffee and sandwich, they brought me CAKE. And even better they brought cake for my friend who was bottle feeding. That was a good day.

@HoneyDragon

Not being one to crow (totally am though) but when dd was a baby back in 2009 not only did they bring e over a glass of water with my coffee and sandwich, they brought me CAKE. And even better they brought cake for my friend who was bottle feeding. That was a good day.

That's lovely @HoneyDragon

Yup, been an M&S cafe fan ever since.

I’ve had some lovely experiences bf-Ing twins with a toddler in tow in M&S cafes. The staff were so kind and friendly, but not over-bearing, iykwim. Had water offered, but they have also offered to cut up my toddlers pizza because I was busy, and offered to hold a crying baby while I fed the other one.

So sad they are shutting the small old-lady ones down. The big slick ones are better for shopping in, but I’ll forever be grateful to the M&S staff for allowing me to exert some independence and take the small children out in the early days.

The ones I liked always had older staff, I liked that.

@HoneyDragon

Not being one to crow (totally am though) but when dd was a baby back in 2009 not only did they bring e over a glass of water with my coffee and sandwich, they brought me CAKE. And even better they brought cake for my friend who was bottle feeding. That was a good day.

2015, Starbucks. We went in as a group of 6 mums, 5 breast feeding, 1 bottle feeding. Member of staff came over, said to stay sat down, they’d do table service for us.

They brought what we’d ordered, 6 glasses of water and 6 freebie mini chocolate bars. Because ‘it’s part of our breastfeeding friendly policy, but it wouldn’t be fair to leave one of you out’.

The kids are older now, we still go to that branch for coffee.

@Isawthathaggis

I’ve had some lovely experiences bf-Ing twins with a toddler in tow in M&S cafes. The staff were so kind and friendly, but not over-bearing, iykwim. Had water offered, but they have also offered to cut up my toddlers pizza because I was busy, and offered to hold a crying baby while I fed the other one.

So sad they are shutting the small old-lady ones down. The big slick ones are better for shopping in, but I’ll forever be grateful to the M&S staff for allowing me to exert some independence and take the small children out in the early days.

The ones I liked always had older staff, I liked that.

I'm the same with Debenhams cafes. They always looked after you so well when you had kids with you, carrying your tray, bringing you stuff, the kids menu was pretty good, that I always chose them over other cafes. Sad that they're all closed.

Marmite27 , fantastic. It’s great going to paces and seeing positive attitudes to feeding babies, regardless of how they’re fed. It’s not so much the fuss its just being made to feel welcomed.