Help us create a breastfeeding map of the UK

[KateSMumsnet]

Breastfeeding hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons again this week, after news broke of a mother being asked to leave a branch of Sports Direct after she breastfed her baby there. It's hugely important, of course, that we all pick up on stories such as this, and offer support to mothers who are made to feel embarrassed or uncomfortable about feeding their children when they're out and about - but at times it can feel like playing catch-up.

It seemed to us that we could take this opportunity to change the rules of the game, and start celebrating those places - and companies - that make feeding on the move easy and enjoyable. So we decided to start a thread asking you to tell us about your favourite places to feed your DC in public.

Whether it's a park bench overlooking a nice duck pond or a particularly cosy corner of a cafe, we'd love to see your pictures of your tried-and-tested spots to feed your little ones. Please add them to this thread, along with their location - if we have enough submissions, what we'd really like to do is create a breastfeeding map of the UK, featuring great feeding spots up and down the country.

We've a page full of tips and advice on how to breastfeed in public, please do add any other pearls of wisdom you'd like to share below. If you want to chat about places to breastfeed in your area, why not start a thread in your Mumsnet Local site, or add a venue you love as a listing?

Always found sainsburys cafe breastfeeding friendly. Also costa coffee, always helpful staff who would bring hot drinks over

Truro Cathedral - not me but my daughter a few years ago. I imagine cathedrals and churches would be a good choice, failing other more social facilities nearby, though you probably wouldn't be offered a cup of tea. But you never know

Top of the Orbit at the Olympic Park (when DD was 2 weeks old), and crypt of the Guildhall (London) are probably my top 'bf claims to fame'. But like most people, I've fed anywhere and everywhere. Planes, trains, buses, cafes, libraries, restaurants, museums, shops, parks, random benches on the street, etc etc. Never once had a negative comment. I'm in London.

The children's section in Ulverston library and upstairs on a sofa in Kendal library. Outside the Mocha Berry Cafe in Glastonbury town (just about anywhere public in Glastonbury is fine, indeed encouraged!). It's been a while now otherwise I'd remember more...

No photo, but pretty much anywhere in the town of Machynlleth. It is the most BF friendly place I've ever been.

I was so disappointed to read about this in nottingham as I've breast fed two children all over nottingham and have never had a bad experience. Some of the places I've fed in nottingham where the staff have always even especially helpful are:
John Lewis cafe nottingham
Home bar in Arnold nottingham
Costa
Carluccios nottingham
The wollaton pub
Bread and butter pub
Poppy and pint pub
I appear to have a few pubs on my list

Tbh, most places. All over NE London, in particular Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Havering and Barking and Dagenham. Whipsnade Park. Gardener's Cafe, Valentines. All the libraries round here have been lovely. The tube in general (not exactly comfy, but nice comments, and seeing as it's rare for anyone to speak to each other, it stood out for me!) and also had a kind of joint moan session with another breastfeeding mother on a bench near Greggs in Clacton.

Another one who never had any hassle, spending at least 2.5 years bfing mainly around London. My idea of bf-friendly is a comfy sofa, so the City of London fails for having loads of streets and shops with not a seat in sight.
Mentions for extra-friendly places - M&S branches have chairs around their lingerie departments and are also happy for you to sit in a changing room.
Nineteen in Streatham for being really nice to bunches of new nervous mothers and insisting they all come back again despite spending hours over one drink each.
Camden Coffee Company in Balham for slightly obsessive offering of water and wi-fi
Sainsburys cafe - may not look like much, but lots of comfortable sofas that wipe clean.
London Transport Museum for having a separate bf room and generally being great.

Kiddicare in Lakeside have a lovely "nursing nest" - complete with reclining chairs and a water cooler, it's very nice. Other than that, any coffee shop will do me, I'm not as shy about it as I was at first and I've never had any comments or funny looks, thank goodness.

All over SW London including Kew Gardens, Fulham Palace (which is a favourite of mine- so peaceful), the amazing Tried and True cafe in Putney who have been welcoming and friendly.

I have been lucky as most places have been very helpful/unworried

I've never had a bad experience either.

Most expensive Breastfeeding session - B&Q Llanelli. The garden furniture was so comfy, I bought it.

Most grateful and unexpected - a busy Saturday afternoon inNext Cardiff -they let me use a changing room (nowhere else to sit and the baby had slept through my coffee break).

I had a great experience in a Sainsbury's cafe near Glasgow. Staff were just great, including an older bloke who got me a clean fork when might fell on the floor while feeding DD2, and another who asked if I needed water.

Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery in Glasgow. Big wooden benches perfect for feeding on. One of them is close to a staff room and loads of lovely staff chatted to DD1 whilst I fed DD2.

I'm not particularly comfortable breastfeeding in public, not that I don't celebrate the women that do! I just don't have the kind of confidence as of yet. I have been exclusively breastfeeding my DD for 4 and a half months and it has sometimes been quite difficult to find a nice quiet spot, the family rooms at Westfield shopping centre in Shepherd's Bush are awesome though! They are fully equipped with comfy chairs and funky changing areas - you feel mega comfortable! I just wish more places had options for those of us that don't want to bf in public so that we're not always stuck in the smelly disabled toilets!

Oh yes, Machynlleth definitely has that breastfeeding vibe doesn't it Jemima ?
With it's fab Centre of Alternative Technology and wholefood cafes on the high street.
Get's my vote for BFing friendly capital of the country

The Life centre science museum in Newcastle- they made a point of saying at the ticket office that I was to make myself comfortable to feed DS, even before I asked!
Most places are happy to let you BF in my experience, if you ask for a chair and a glass of water, but it was nice to be pre-empted in a welcoming way.

I feed anywhere but Costa coffee was where I always headed when DS2 was tiny and I had DS1 in tow.

Yes the Centre for Life here too!

Had to feed lying down till he was older - memorable lying down feeds in the sun at Wallington Hall, Seaton Delaval Hall and Fountains Abbey. Fountains Abbey has a lovely changing room with a comfy chair to bf in too!

back with more later!

Also Caffe Nero and Starbucks in Darlington. Lovely staff, very helpful and have never batted an eyelid at me ordering with DD on my hip, attached and feeding. And they offer to carry your tray - you don't have to ask.

Ditto Binns (HoF) in Darlo.

not sure if I'm allowed to mention it (?) feedfinder was an app developed by a friend of a fellow breastfeeding mummy which plots reviews of local bf friendly places

Hi!
Here in Belfast I have used the following:
Stormont park, lovely benches (take that folks on the hill)
Various cafe Neros, the Starbucks by Arthur Street has a ground floor toilet handy for younger children and breastfeeding.

On holiday in london the mammal section of the Natural History Museum.
For what it's worth I breastfed 2 children in NI and London during a 5 year period. The only place where anyone said anything poor was a Sure Start centre.

I'm really happy to say that in a total of over 2 years and counting of public breastfeeding (Cheshire, the Trafford Centre & Liverpool mostly), I've never had anything other than positive experiences.
The friendliest place I've sat and BF might be the Lakeside Inn at Center Parcs Whinfell, on a comfy sofa by the play area, with smiles and offers of water from pretty much every passing staff member!
Most scenic probably the Sealife Centre at the Trafford Centre in front of lots of pretty fish, or possibly the Museum of Liverpool, upstairs in front of one of the big windows.

Oh, and Trillians pub in Newcastle!

John Lewis in Welwyn Garden City or any JL for that matter they are very good. Personally I think women should be able (and not be made to feel uncomfortable) to feed their babies anywhere. Our culture really has issues with breasts! It pisses me off.

I am much more confident BF out in the open now with DD2(1) but wouldn't have dreamed of it when DS1 was small.

I would like to add that on every train I have ever fed on (there are many), I have had a great experience, with the ticket checking operatives being brilliantly helpful and discrete (and the British public too - well done you, British public!).

I don't understand the point of this.

Surely wherever your child needs fed is the best place.