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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Told to stop breastfeeding

168 replies

cinnamonbun · 03/01/2014 12:37

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. Hmm

OP posts:
Inertia · 03/01/2014 12:56

Please don't let this stop you BF in public. As others have said , you have the right to breastfeed in a public space and can ignore requests to stop- La Leche League statement here . I would complain to the centre manager and the head of the local council as it is a council-run facility, and perhaps contact LLL for advice and support about carrying on and what to say if some other jobsworth idiot tries to stop you feeding your baby.

stargirl1701 · 03/01/2014 12:57

Their council provider seem to be Camden.

Twitter account: @camdentalking

curlew · 03/01/2014 12:57

Name and shame. Where was it?

Willabywallaby · 03/01/2014 12:58

I'm sure some other breastfeeding MNetters would be happy to pop in for a cuppa and a feed.

I was always worried when feeding in public I would get asked to stop. I was thankful I never had any negative experiences, I would feel as you do, but it's wrong she's made you feel this way.

pomdereplay · 03/01/2014 12:59

So sorry you experienced this. As others have said please don't let it put you off. The woman who asked you to stop was highly ignorant at best and malicious at worst. Do complain/publicise if you feel up to it.

stargirl1701 · 03/01/2014 13:00

Complaints can be sent to Corporate HQ. Contact info here:

www.gll.org/b2b/contact

pigletmania · 03/01/2014 13:00

That is disgusting behaviour, and run by the council Shock. Please don't let it put you off. Complain to the council (Camden). It is illegal. Next time ask to see the manager, and tell them it's illegal and show them the evidence (have it printed out in your bag)

omuwalamulungi · 03/01/2014 13:00

Definitely name and shame them! That's awful, poor you.

pigletmania · 03/01/2014 13:01

Yes value sit down feed em mass, I like it Grin

HazleNutt · 03/01/2014 13:01

like blooming, I'm actually looking forward to someone telling me to stop bfing in public. They'd certainly get an earful.

pigletmania · 03/01/2014 13:01

A sit down feed I meant

peppinagiro · 03/01/2014 13:03

What absolute fuckwits. I'm so angry on your behalf. Please don't let these idiots put you off breastfeeding in public. It's not usual to encounter this sort of thing - especially in such a yummy mummy area! I live in SE london and have been bfeeding in public (and v often less covered up than you, especially in the early days) and nobody has ever commented apart from a moronic midwife on the postnatal ward who told me I could only bf in my cubicle with the curtain drawn

One local cafe did dare to say something to a bfeeding woman along the lines of what was said to you, and the woman's friend posted about it on their FB site. There was a real backlash against them in the local press and on social media, and they were forced to apologise.

I for one would join a nurse-in to support you on this. Nobody should be made to feel embarrassed for bfeeding.

TalkativeJim · 03/01/2014 13:03

Wow.

North London MNers - get a feed-in going!!!

mrstigs · 03/01/2014 13:04

Complain loudly. Shame them like they tried to shame you. As nasty as it sounds it seems the only way to stop people thinking they have the right to treat mums like this. No mum should be ashamed of feeding their child by any method they choose.

ILoveAFullFridge · 03/01/2014 13:05

Swiss Cottage of all places!?ShockConfused

It's such a multi-cultural, right-on area. I moved away from London 7y ago, so not current, but it would have been the last place where I would expect such an attitude.

Definitely complain to the organisation and the council.

ElBombero · 03/01/2014 13:09

Angry I would be all over them like a fucking swarm of bees on this!!! How dare they. I would honestly seek legal advice on their ass's. Ring then. Ow n say your going to a solicitor, that should get them reflecting on their actions Angry

mamij · 03/01/2014 13:09

I'm livid on your part OP. I bf both mine until they were 13 and 16 months old, in public places, cafes, restaurants, on the train, in the park... Never heard a peep from anyone. Please don't give up if you want to bf - it's their problem not yours. Baby has to eat.

Mycatistoosexy · 03/01/2014 13:10

I absolutely hate it when I hear things like this. It is illegal to ask you to stop bf in public.

I suggest we all tweet Camden Council c

Mosquitosound · 03/01/2014 13:10

Yay to feed-in, sorry I am outside of London though.

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

Can anyone draft an email/message which we could copy and paste to send on bombard them with?

Sorry you had to experience this, how shitty.

I have bf two (still feeding dc2) and only experienced it once at a museum in Berlin. A guard approached me whilst i sat on a bench discreetly feeding dc in a sling; he asked me to stop "what I was doing there". I asked innocently what he thought "i was doing there" and he pointed at dc2 (5 months at the time.) he said it was not appropriate amongst all the fine art Grin.

I went to another guard (his colleague) asked about their bf policy, was told it was fine to feed, went back and sat on the bench to feed her. I complained about him. Looser.

Mycatistoosexy · 03/01/2014 13:11

Sorry, pressed too soon, damn iPhone.

We should all tweet Camden council to complain about this

Gruntfuttock · 03/01/2014 13:11

peppinagiro
nobody has ever commented apart from a moronic midwife on the postnatal ward who told me I could only bf in my cubicle with the curtain drawn

That's one of the most ludicrous - to the point of insanity - things I've ever read!

SliceOfLime · 03/01/2014 13:12

I am appalled, OP please do complain to the manager of the centre or to Camden council. I live in North London but am no longer bf or I would be straight on a bus over there to feed dd! I am a member of a fb group of North London mums though who are very pro-bf and I'm sure some of them would be interested in a nurse-in...? Or even just some more letters written to the council / leisure centre? I'm off to look up Camden council's fb page!

TallGiraffe · 03/01/2014 13:14

OP please don't let this put you off. I fed my DS in public every day for 13 months - he was a snacker so always wanted some! I never got asked to stop, 99% of the time people don't even notice. Get your DH to take a photo of you while you are BF, it'll show you how you can't see anything.

Gruntfuttock · 03/01/2014 13:15

Camden Council don't appear to have a Facebook page, but they do have Twitter - see the various logos at the bottom of their web page www.camden.gov.uk/