What do you think of my MP's reply to letter about breastfeeding

[JiminyCricket]

...asking him to support the upcoming bill about supporting women's right to breastfeed in all public places?

Basically he said he supported promotion of breastfeeding as best for babies and would support women not being discriminated against in this area 'but my personal view is that certain pubs and courts of law should be excluded from these provisions'.

well, if he had given a "because" it might be a more helpful comment.

Hmmm. Not sure.

pubs? lol

hmmm, not sure about courts. maybe he is thinking that sit ins may be staged and the court needs the power to keep control of the situation. otoh, what is a mum supposed to do if she is in court? bit vague methinks

Did he explain why? Has he signed the early day motion?

Wrote to mine before Christmas. Have chased but haven't heard yet back - his office asked me if I had the number for the EDM. Cheek of them! Like a consituent is more able to plough through the minutiae of parliamentary adminisitration than they are.

you ought to tell him that you are not interested in his personal view, you are interested in him acting in a manner that is in the best interests of his constituents - whether or not they are old enough to vote. If a baby needs to be breastfed in a pub or a court of law, then the baby needs feeding!!! Should the baby have to go outside and be fed like smokers????

Because otherwise, pubs and courts will be overrun by breastfeeding mums?

Honestly, I can't see pubs and courts of law replacing Starbucks as the preferred place for public breastfeeding.

I have bf in pubs AND in courts
if you're in there all day you need to surely
does he mean in the courtroom?
very strange comment imho

All day in the pub HC!

hc, I didn't mean that women wouldn't bf in those places, I just meant I didn't see any harm in allowing it.

(I can totally see how I seemed to be saying it didn't matter.)

Hmm, maybe he's concerned about women breastfeeding obviously in pubs, to be flirtatious, and in courts, to cause trouble? If so, he's mad.

ncq

He never tells me whether he has signed the early day motions or not, at least he made his opinion clear in this letter - when I wrote to him about the children's food bill he wrote back really vaguely a two line letter saying he 'doubted legislation would be helpful in this area' - it made me laugh because he is a bit of a bandwagon type MP and the letter was before the whole Jamie Oliver bandwagon got going - wonder if he changed his mind when he realised it actually was a popular issue

You can tell from the parliamentary website who has signed each and every EDM (not sure of the site though).

Not good enough
Not nearly good enough.

It still doesn't recognise the fundamental point: breastfeeding is not about a woman getting her tits out in public. It is about a baby eating. Just an ordinary, natural, workaday occurrence - a child having its dinner. Courts of law, pubs - I can't see at all why these or any other places should be exceptions. Everyone knows when a baby needs to eat it needs to eat. Simple as that. As far as I am concerned as long as there are still exceptions and negotiations and difficulties, the attitude is still wrong.

12 Week old child was subjected to abuse by her 19 year old babysitter & her boyfriend. The repeatedly raped her over a 2 month period.

They were sentenced to

Alan Webster; 12 years (could be out after 6)

tanya French 5 years (could be out after 2.5)

Please help us mumsnetters increase their sentences. All you need to do is email:

[email protected]

and tell them why you think these animals should stay behind bars for life.

If enough of us do this within 28 days of the animals being sentenced they will increase their sentence.

have sent mine

had a good rant... feel better for it!

I hope something comes of it.

Presumably he only frequents pubs and courts of law, and therefore wants to keep breastfeeding out of them!

lololololol I'm SURE that's true!!! Someone really ought to write an icily polite response asking him whether that is the case!!!

I'd write back and ask him why. ANd which pubs and courts of law should be excluded.

But to make things more interesting, I'd send his letter to the local press and to La Leche League and the NCT.

And the local maternity ward and head of midwifery services, so that they could take the opportunity to inform him about the benefits of bf.

sorry NQC I wasn't having a go
it' just a surprisingly big PITA to not be able to bf in courthouses. In whatever capacity you are there, you tend to be there all day and can't leave.

No stress, hc. I do see how that would be a hassle. Have you had problems bf in courts?

Thanks for your replies - and ammunition!

That is a GREAT idea!! Imagine all those cringing sleazy suits trying to skulk out without being jumped by grinning women with tits akimbo....brilliant!!!!

I'm always amazed that people (mostly men obviously) think there is something about breastfeeding and therefore should be hidden away.
Totally agree with meanoldmummy.
Must get on to this with my MP

that should be something sexual about breastfeeding!

yes nqc I have had trouble myself and with clients who were breastfeeding
total PITA
if you are involved in a trial with a client or witness who is breast feeding.