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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

New Equality Law, Proctects Women's wrights to BF in Public

33 replies

MigGril · 02/10/2010 07:46

For everyone who hasn't hured the new Equality Act which came into force on the 1st October, is also supposed to protect women's right to BF in public.

OP posts:
blossom2010 · 02/10/2010 07:55

"Example
It is against the law for the manager of a cafe to ask you to stop breastfeeding or do it somewhere more private, or to leave because you?re breastfeeding."
FROM: Equality Act 2010:a summary guide to your rights (google equality act breastfeeding - 6th one down)

Thought this might be a useful quote for anyone encountering ignorance while bf in public. I assume restaurants, libraries etc count too...

Finally a cast iron comeback if I ever need one! :)

Lexilicious · 02/10/2010 08:09

yay!

not that I've ever noticed any hint of discomfort among others when I've fed DS in public.

blossom2010 · 02/10/2010 08:42

Me neither, but then I'm so engrossed in the task in hand I probably wouldn't notice anyway!

Longtalljosie · 02/10/2010 08:48

It's nice to know what to say though:

"Would you like to go somewhere more private?"
"No. Did you know it's now illegal to ask me that question?"

Grin
sarah293 · 02/10/2010 09:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

HerBeatitude · 02/10/2010 09:07

WOW!

That hasn't receivd any media coverage, has it, tht aspect of the new equality law?

Ineedsomesleep · 02/10/2010 09:08

Absolutely fab news and should have been made law a long, long time ago.

Grin at Longtall

Longtalljosie · 02/10/2010 10:06

No it hasn't, but as a journalist that did cover the equality act as a bill going through parliament, there is so much really varied stuff in it, you can kind of see why this aspect has fallen by the wayside.

Original poster
MigGril · 02/10/2010 10:06

Yes it's rather anoying that is wasn't menationed in any of the new's coverage. Most people probably woun't even notice. I haven't been able to find any easy to read info either.

OP posts:
comixminx · 02/10/2010 11:21

It was noted in one of the (many!) pieces of literature I got at the health visitor's first visit - possibly in the big book about your child from birth to five years old. So the info is being disseminated, but you have to look for it!

EauRouge · 02/10/2010 12:27

Brilliant Grin

Wasn't this just meant to protect women with babies under 6 months? There's no mention of it in that pdf document, am I thinking of the wrong law? I rarely BF my nearly-2-yo in public these days because she doesn't ask much but it would be nice if I am legally protected.

Longtalljosie · 02/10/2010 13:34

Yes you're right EauRouge. I asked why, they basically said it was a good start

EauRouge · 02/10/2010 13:57

Thanks Longtalljosie. I wonder what would happen if I tandem-fed a newborn and a toddler? Grin

organiccarrotcake · 02/10/2010 14:52

We're protected under the sexual discrimination laws for children over 6 months already :)

EauRouge · 02/10/2010 16:07

I thought that and someone on here said I was wrong. I think I need to consult my solicitor Confused

Longtalljosie · 02/10/2010 18:38

No it's right - I was going to mention it before but was rushing off so . The govt said that it was probably also true that current law (sex discrimination and right to family life iirc but it was a while ago) covered it, but this new law was making it explicit.

EauRouge · 02/10/2010 18:47

So has it been illegal since 1976 (or whenever it was) to ask any woman to stop breastfeeding? I know it doesn't happen very often but there have been stories in the press.

I wish I could remember which thread it was discussed on but the other poster (I can't remember who it was either) said that it had never been tried and tested and that you'd have to pay to take it to civil court. I don't understand law well enough to know what action I would need to take if someone did ask me to stop breastfeeding. I linked to this page and there's a comment at the bottom that said something similar.

Dylthan · 02/10/2010 18:57

It's been law in Scotland since march 2005.

The breastfeeding (Scotland) act made it an offence to stop a baby being breastfed in public places.

So glad it's now law in England to. It always made me feel confident feeding at home but when we went down south to visit the in laws I would feel slightly uneasy knowing that someone could ask me to stop ( not that anyone ever did)

When we go back down in march I will be able to feed with confidence. Grin

organiccarrotcake · 02/10/2010 19:39

It's a CRIMINAL law in Scotland but was just civil here - don't know whether the change is civil or criminal. My plan, if ever confronted (whichI've never been) was to say to someone that if they wanted me to leave they needed to give me their name, address and a signed statement saying they'd done this so I could bring a case against them.

No bugger's done so though Grin

Liz79 · 02/10/2010 20:50

re:offering you somewhere more private. Sometimes the people are just trying to be thoughtful to you, some might prefer privacy. Rather than them trying to hide you in a cupboard :)

scottishmummy · 02/10/2010 21:05

dont think the somewhere private option is always sinister.some times people think they are doing right thing/being kind

ASecretLemonadeDrinker · 02/10/2010 21:11

Can someone spell this out for me in simple terms? Are we now the same as Scotland? Is it illegal to ask us to stop/move? Is this for

DitaVonCheese · 02/10/2010 22:54

Sorry to put a dampner on things but I think nothing has changed. It has always (since 1976 or so anyway) been illegal to ask someone to stop feeding but, as mentioned above, all you can do is collect evidence and sue after the event in a civil court. Surprisingly, this has never happened. Unless I'm very much mistaken, we still don't have the same protection here in England (or Wales or NI) that they have up in Scotland ie it's still not a criminal offence to ask someone to stop bfing. All that's changed (I think) is which law you'd bring a civil case under.

HerBeatitude · 02/10/2010 23:22

Oh well that would explain why there's been no meejah coverage

beanlet · 03/10/2010 15:52

It might not be a criminal offence, but it is still against the law to try to stop a woman breastfeeding a baby in public anywhere in England and Wales. That's my line, and if anyone ever does try to make me stop, I am going to be as stubborn as hell (in the politest possible way) and not leave until I am forcibly removed by security/the police.

Hasn't happened so far Grin

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