Had to leave Costa as breastfeeding was taking too long

[CalmFawn]

Visited Costa last week with my 10 day old baby. Went to meet my best friend and it was my first outing without my husband ( so a bit nervous!)

Sat down and we both ordered a coffee and a cake. Had a good chat and she held baby etc. about 40 mins into seating, I started to breastfeed baby. Coffee was nearly gone but cakes hadn’t been eaten yet. A member of staff came over and demanded I stop feeding my baby as it was ‘too time consuming’ and we’ve been sat here for too long and it was a busy period so we need to leave. We pointed out there were over 10 empty tables and we still had cake but she ignored us and held the door open for us to leave. I was so upset and embarrassed I just stopped feeding baby and rushed out.

whilst reflecting over the weekend I wish I had had said something to her but worried I’ve missed some time frame that Costa allow and overran. Was she right to ask us to leave? Or was she in the wrong?

They of course were unreasonable to ask you to leave, but you were unreasonable in leaving.

I hope you get a response from Costa

Jealous? Of what?

I’m still struggling to believe that two adult women would just leave their cake? What strange world is this?

Nor me, I breastfed for 18 months total and no issues. But then I was quite discreet, and appreciated other people (particularly when eating/drinking) wouldn’t want to see my boob. Some women are a bit less considerate and I often wonder if that is why they get a less welcome reception.

FFS, are people on here so narrow-minded that they only believe something if they have experienced it themselves? And have they all visited every branch of Costa?

I don't think it's easy for larger women to be as discreet though. The cases where I can see more skin has generally been size making it harder to cover everything with the baby and it making it look a bit tricky to get the baby in a comfortable position.

I googled 'Costa breastfeeding' out of interest, to see if I could find a published policy, and the search returned quite a few news stories about women having issues with breastfeeding in Costa - being told to cover up, and being told to leave because they started feeding before they had ordered anything - so I think the OP's anecdote is plausible.

I think posters criticising the poster who sat on the chair at the fair are missing the fact that she hadn’t initially realised the chairs were for sale and that when she did, she apologised and moved on! Bit unfair to call her entitled.

You didn’t need to defend yourself there. That post was ridiculous, questioning how fast you eat your cake. Honestly. I despair on here sometimes.

Glad you are contacting them. Let us know how they respond. If you are not happy then name and shame the branch and we will do a protest a la Motherland Kevin’s idea!

Do you think a business should have to allow anyone to fall asleep on their sofa when their business model requires them to be able to offer places for people to sit and eat/drink? What if customers were waiting for seats and yet there is someone sleeping on the sofa for an hour or two?

Another misinterpretation of my post. My point was it was ridiculous that they were asked to leave given that they had uneaten cake in front of them. Not that it was ridiculous they hadn't stated eating.

Although the last bit is a bit odd not for either of them to have even taken a bite in 40 minutes.

I’ve been kicked out the lounge of a ferry boat for sleeping. The staff were really clear. Can sit but anyone snoozing is asked to leave. I think that’s fair tbh.

It was probably the rest of her post musing on whether it was illegal to tell her to move and jokingly saying about a court case to find out.

Bloody hell, how do you ‘organise yourself to be somewhere suitable’ while breastfeeding on cue? Maybe breastfeeding women should just stay in the house all day until the breastfeeding stage is over? And how is it militant to insist - yes absolutely insist - on feeding your baby wherever you happen to be? I don’t agree with sitting on furniture being sold without at least asking, but in a cafe? Believe the story or not (this is the internet and there’s no proof either way) but your language reeks of intolerance and ignorance.

As for the poster you quoted, maybe if more women laughed in the face of ignoramuses breaking the law, this kind of thread wouldn’t be appearing on Mumsnet. I wish I had had the nerve to tell people to fuck off when I was breastfeeding, instead of blushing and apologising for doing something that was my absolute right.

Lovely story ❤️

Never breastfed a baby then?

I have memories of my xp making me a cup of tea at 5.30AM and starting to feed baby, then at 8AM him throwing the undrunk cup of tea away and making me another one and at 10.30 still not having had a sip of tea. Because there was never a point at which it was both safe and would not break the baby's latch.

Never had that happen to you?

Yes 3rd baby but the only one I’ve breastfed (well I did feed another for a couple of weeks but never out of the house!)

feeling better about the situation (was very stressed that it was me in the wrong).

will update with a screenshot of the complaint reply when it comes through!

She is 10 days in

How is OP being entitled by wanting to feed her 10 day old baby having purchased a drink and cake, sitting in an almost empty cafe and not even being allowed to finish her cake?

If you think this story isn't true, report it. You know that troll-hunting is not allowed.

I’m pretty lardy and managed, layers are your friend and lightweight scarves especially when older. My eldest would cheerfully whip his head around to give any stranger a milky grin leaving me with my poor nipple pinging back into place.

@CalmFawn I'm sorry you have had some horrible posters pile on to you.

This member of staff needs proper training.

Do let us know the outcome 💐

😂😂

Wrong side of bed??

Given I said that's not other people's experiences. Why on earth do you think I need to experience something myself to find someone else's account of a situation highly unlikely.... and lots of people have said the same so no idea why you want to pick on my post. Maybe you should go and lay on the bed and get out the other side.

I’m fuming for you OP. As well as tweeting Costa, and their parent company which I think is Coca Cola, I’d have a look on fb for local breastfeeding support groups. When this sort of thing happened when I was still feeding my children the local group was always supportive and quite often lots of mums would turn up en masse to bf their babes. And for info, BF is considered a basic human right by the UN and WHO as well as being covered under the Equalities Act.