Breastfeeding toddler in a shop, AIBU?

[Refreshed]

To cut a long story short, out this morning and fed DS (2.5) sitting on a cushion seat in a shoe shop. A few other customers around but nobody even looking like they'd like to try on shoes. All other seats next to me completely free.

An assistant came up to me and said please can I do that somewhere else? The seats are for trying on seats only.

DS was done by this point anyway so I got up and left.

AIBU to have fed him there, and see it as an acceptable place to feed? No other people were sitting there and I wasn't preventing anyone from sitting next to us in the mny other seats avaible

@AllesAusLiebe If the shop could not provide the patron with another means to continue nursing her child then they should have left her alone. She’s allowed to nurse her child in that shop. If that shop hasn’t equipped themselves to deal with that in that’s their fault. They will then have to allow the lady to nurse her child in the available seats.

It's not the shops job to provide an area designated to breastfeeding mothers 😂

"While they are having a tantrum? Yes I would say so, or they think that's the way to get what they want everytime."

That's making the assumption that all tantrum like behaviour is deliberate - which it isn't.

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion
No but they do have to , by law, accommodate a woman bfing her child.
So.... if she’s using the only available seating they would be in the wrong to ask her to move now wouldn’t they?
Would you like me to paint a picture to make it easier for you to understand?

Regardless of the reason for a tantrum.

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion I’ve been watching this thread for a while. Honestly, give up they’ve attacked numerous people for having a difference of opinion on this thread

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion FFS they don’t need a designated space. Breastfeeding mothers can legally feed anywhere unless it’s an unsafe area such as chemical factory etc...

@ByMeansToGo it’s not just that it’s a difference of opinion its the Law. 😂

There are some really stupid people on this thread, it’s quite worrying.

@sauvignonblancplz so you're saying that every shop needs to have a designated area for breastfeeding? That seems completely contrary to common sense. Most shopping centres I've been to have facilities for breastfeeding mothers anyway.

I've never been in the position of being in a shop for long enough to even need to think about needing to feed my child. It's usually an exercise of how quickly can I get what I came in for and get out.

The kid was probably pissed at being in a shop for a long time and therefore had a tantrum.

@AllesAusLiebe
No ... I’m saying that in lieu of a designated space the lady should not have been moved .
What you do and do not do personally in a shop is irrelevant.
The OP was entitled to bf her child in those chairs and should not have been told to move on. It’s really that simple.

@LaurieMarlow yes, I have and it really pisses me off! I think everyone who doesn't follow the rules should be moved on. I do wonder whether the reaction from the shop assistant was motivated by not wanting to see a woman breastfeeding an older child. Maybe it was, but the point still remains that the chairs shouldn't be used for anything other than trying on shoes.

@FET2020 she wasn’t asked to leave though was she, she was asked to leave the seats for customers who might have wanted to try shoes on. Simple as that.

I wouldn’t pop into the hairdressers take a seat and breastfeed because the law says I can.

She wasn’t asked to leave!

She was asked to move, she was victimised! Read the law....

@FET2020 actually the law says it’s illegal to ask a BF mum to leave a public place not what happened is it

While they are having a tantrum?

Where has the OP said he was having a tantrum?

He was clearly in need of calming and we all have strategies for distancing and calming toddlers. Which shouldn't we use in case it won't always be available? Just BFing?

I think people aren’t quite grasping that their opinions are totally irrelevant. It’s written in our laws. She can breastfeed where likes. There is no debate here.

@ByMeansToGo FFS it includes shops. Read the law yourself 😂

@fet2020 she wasn’t asked to leave? That’s what the law says. A shop is a public place I know that

Hahhahahahahah at the people. Saying its a health and safety risk, like dropped food or water! When was the last time you saw a puddle of breast milk on the floor? My sister is the manager of a well know highstreet store, she manages health and safety. She sits down on the seats in the shoe section whenever her 3 year old gets dropped off there and feeds her for 5mins. I manage restaurants and would never turn away a mum feeding their young child, bottle or breast, even if they just popped in to feed. Instead I take them a glass of tap water and leave them to do what they need to. Not only is it their legal right but also its so important to support mums. I've breastfed Ds 2yrs in shops, in toilets, on public transport, in cafes, in parks, sat on walls in the street, sat on steps, in churches, in bars, stood up in a concert, sat on the floor in the corner of a supermarket. I've never been asked to move, and if I had been I would have refused.
To all you mums who are reading this, feed your baby, wherever, whenever, however you want! You are awesome!

@Witsendagain This is exactly how the OP should have been treated
With sense , kindness and quite frankly it should be the norm. Shouldn’t even need to be a discussion.

@ByMeansToGo it’s doesn’t matter that she wasn’t asked to leave, she was victimised. Have a little read of this.

maternityaction.org.uk/advice/breastfeeding-in-public-places/

@Witsendagain
Thank you!! 💪🏻
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

@Witsendagain 💕

@fet2020 funny you said it was the law now your saying it’s victimisation instead! Which one is it?

Because breaking the law is asking her to leave which didn’t happen

Of course it’s wrong to make her uncomfortable in any way. I’m just pointing out the inconsistencies in your comments.