Told to stop breastfeeding

[cinnamonbun]

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.

Is the leisure centre linked to above definitely the right one ?

Don't let this put you off please, I fed The Cub EVERYWHERE, in every major and minor supermarket, EVERYWHERE.

Not a damn person EVER said anything to me, goddess have helped them if they had.

You'reDoingSomethingFabDoPleaseCarryOnTiggaxx

Slice, good point, I just looked up the one linked to upthread. Best to have op confirm that this is the right place .

gruntfuttock I know. Unfortunately it was the morning after I gave birth, and I was too spaced out and surprised to answer back. She came to tell me breakfast was served in the communal area, and when I got up to go and get some with DD latched on, she told me I couldnt as it was 'a public area and people didn't want to see it'. It wasn't a public area. It was the communal area of a postnatal ward, out of visiting hours, so filled solely with midwives, new mothers and babies.

I just stayed in my cubicle, sobbed, and missed breakfast. DH was unspeakably angry when he arrived, but there had been a shift change, and I hadn't thought to get her name.

Sorry for the hijack OP. That is genuinely the only comment I've ever had when bfeeding, and that wasnt even in public! So don't be put off :)

Definitely tweet. Unfortunately I'm not breast feeding, and I'm not in London

That's awful OP, please don't let one idiot put you off BF whenever and wherever you need to. It's not as if you had your top off either, you were feeding your DC in a (supposedly) child friendly place with a scarf covering your modesty. I doubt the other kids would even bother to notice. What a horrid person, definitely complain like hell.

Swiss Cottage, I don't live far. maybe I should go there and BF my 23 month old to see if they like it! ha!

OP should definitely complain and this thread could be sent to let them know this conversation is going on. Don't think others should complain on her behalf though.

Using kids as the excuse is also just bizarre. In my experience, children either don't notice, or are fascinated by bfeeding. They're certainly not upset by it.

You took them to a place for children and was told to stop feeding your baby?

I'd be shouting it from the rooftops and making the biggest fuss possible.There's no excuse for such ignorance.

I thought I wasn't BU but wanted to check just in case. My friend who I went with got angry with the staff member who in turn got angry with her, saying "it's got nothing to do with you" etc. Are you absolutely sure it's illegal to ask someone to stop breastfeeding in public? Just in case the manager challenges me when I write. And if anyone's good at writing complaint letters and wants to give me some inspiration, feel free!

The children were all so busy playing and running around, I very much doubt any of them would have noticed I was feeding DS.

To those who asked: yes it's this one:
www.better.org.uk/leisure/swiss-cottage-leisure-centre

I love the idea of MNs going there to BF and make a stand! I love MN sometimes!

What an effing cheek....In my opinion, it is a sackable offence. The employee broke the law by asking you to stop....COMPLAIN op and don't let her put you off.

No you shouldn't be asked to stop,it's a shame you felt upset
However other people getting het up and suggesting getting fucker sacked,well that's disproportionate
Do complain to council,it's clearly a training issue. One which I imagine they'll be keen to address

Wow. That is shocking. I'm on your behalf. I BFed DS1 and 3, and the only time I have ever been asked to stop was with DS2 (who was FFed, they disagreed with that). Breastfeeding is natural and isn't dirty, it's feeding the baby. Complain loudly, ferociously and with the knowledge that legally, YOU are in the right.

It's an offence in Scotland. Police can be called. The fine is £2500 liable to be paid by the person breaking the law or by the employer who directed the employee.

If I read the OP correctly, the staff member was sent over by her manager, so it should be the manager who is complained about - getting a staff member to pass on their messages for them and having no idea about the wider council / legislative breastfeeding policy.

The staff member saying "it's nothing to do with you" was just being defensive as she would have just been doing what she was told.

So appalled about this, totally out of order, and as others have said also illegal. Please, please don't let it put you off BF when out, I did for my 2 in cafés, soft play, park benches, shopping centres, never had any adverse comments so you were just really unlucky to have come across such an idiot.
Definitely put a complaint in writing and finish with something along the lines of ' I await your response with interest' so you should get a reply.
If you want to make more of a point there will probably be a local breast feeding group who will happily come and BF en masse at the offending soft play centre and will not be at all fazed by inappropriate demands to stop.

When I was BF the law making it illegal to ask someone to stop had not yet been passed, but there was a group of rather scary militant BF mums who would descend en masse as above into any establishment that was reported to them as being less than tolerant. There were a couple of local places that totally changed attitude after this treatment and by the time I was BFing the hard work had all been done and we were generally accepted anywhere. This was over a decade ago in rural Scotland. Horrified and shocked it is still an issue in cosmopolitan London.

I am outraged on your behalf. Still bf myself and agree with everyone who says you are doing a great job. Don't be out off by this. I would name and shame. It's an outrageous.

There you go OP

www.maternityaction.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/breastfeedingpublicplace.pdf

Perhaps forward it to the SoftPlay?

I thought things had actually moved on since I had my children 30 years ago.

Seems not...

As many posters have correctly pointed out, mums are legally entitled to breastfeed in public places. We are sorry to hear about your experience at Swiss Cottage and will be taking this matter up with GLL who run the centre on our behalf.

We apologise unreservedly for the action that was taken at the centre and we will take steps to ensure that this doesn't happen again.

Camden Council actively promotes breastfeeding.

Outrageous. I'm happy to join a feed-in

Good response from the Council.

That is a nice response from London. Hope it is genuine!

Great to see the council on it so quickly! Reassuring response - I'd take it offline now OP so you get a follow up about what has been done to redress this. Hopefully that reassurance will mean you'll be comfortable to bf in public - in Camden - again.

Just checked legal situation in England, yes it is definitely illegal to ask a woman to stop BFing in a public place or business premise. Equality Act 2010 is very clear on this.