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?

Have fed pretty much everywhere including churches, beaches, parks, museums, theatres, planes, trains...

Peter Jones feeding room was very handy when still building up confidence- though a bit cleaner would have been nice.

BA flights also usually very friendly- A few times I have even been offered a cushion for my arm/DS's head.

Particularly good places round here include:

welwyn garden city john lewis - the cafe and the parent room

slug & lettuce in harpenden and St. Albans - both have a variety of chairs to suit all posture preferences and are really child friendly during the day

JL cafe in Cambridge has lots of corners to sit in, great for me as I'm v pro b/f but feel self conscious about getting boobs out

Jojomamanbebe let me occupy a change room so I could sit in a quiet corner once. We were at the stage when ds2 was v easily distracted and needed to be in a boring space! They also looked after ds1 while he raced around on one of their demo scooters! It was a quiet day but I still feel they went above and beyond.

Carluccio's are always great. In Cambridge, they once cut up ds1's food for me cos I didn't have any free hands feeding ds2

I've never had any probs but these were the best places for me 2010 - 2013 (so no pics)

In particular
Costa, Union Square, Aberdeen - BF peer group meets there on a tuesday morning.

John Lewis Edinburgh - lovely parents' room, but I used the nice comfy armchairs in the coffee bar bit of the restaurant

Hilton, Coylumbridge - nice comfy sofas in the main lounge. Had a playpen in the swimming pool changing room which was helpful.

The Bothy cafe, Ballater - Loo has an outer lobby bit, for storing the hoover really but means you can get the pram in with you and have space to move. DS had two poonamis in ten minutes while we were there and no one batted an eyelid as I rushed back in...

Tesco Dundee cafe - fed there numerous times en route to the south and back again. Never used the feeding chair as don't like to hog the baby change room (and it smells of nappies), and did once feed in the car as the cafe closes at 6pm on a sunday.

Craggy Island Triathlon, Kerrera - sat on the grass and then when the weather changed perched on a crate at the edge of the catering tent. There were two of us bfing small babies that day, but the other woman had thought to bring herself a chair.

The feeding room in John Lewis in Exeter is nice and away from the baby change so no nappy smell but the chairs are rubbish - they are tub chair shaped and even when DS was tiny he'd push his feet against the arms. Now he's 6 months its hopeless.

Never had any problems or adverse comments or looks, even when DD was 2.5 years old (I suspect people just thought she was having a cuddle. I never used a feeding room, so can't comment on those either. Can't really single out anywhere for praise to be honest either. I mainly used to feed in cafes or on benches in shopping centres, parks, libraries, sports centre, anywhere that you might stop and have a drink yourself.

You know, if you actually want to do this, you'd be better off getting tech to set you up an interactive GIS and having people add their locations and stories to it.

Any part of Wallingford in Oxfordshire is a lovely place to breastfeed. It's lentil-weaver heaven and it's not unusual to see hulking great toddlers having a quick feed in very public places.

Also the Strada in Henley were very very accommodating when I was a brand new mum and nervous about feeding in public, went out of their way to find me a discreet table at the back. Didn't take long for me to not give a rats, but those early weeks were much harder and I appreciated their understanding.

im in Deal in Kent and proud to say ds feeds wherever and whenever he is hungry. may have had the odd look but other than that no bad experiences. only 'bad' experience was with dd1 and i was sat feeding dd1 in a 'greasy spoon' type cafe, when an elderly lady (who stank of smoke and stale dirt) asked me to 'go and do that in the toilet'. i was speechless, my best friend wasnt ;) safe to say i stayed put

The charity where I work, PSS, has just created a breast feeding room which is available for public use. It's right next to the Liverpool One shopping development, in Seel Street, and open Mon - Fri, 9 - 4.30. Come visit us!

Ikea Edmonton - any Ikea really.
Hackney City Farm cafe (they display the sticker!)

boobiemamma your picture is beautiful. What a gorgeous little boy :) it fair took me back - wee hands tucked around...

Anyway I'm another one who has had no problems feeding. I particularly used to visit costa, ikea and John Lewis though for overall ease/welcome.

Alnwick gardens - a bench overlooking a lawn sticks out particularly. I have fed in forests, up hills, on stone steps in cities. I remember a particularly kind nurse offered me her room in a very busy and hot cramped hospital waiting room once.

The only negative comment I ever received was from my mum who said I was too confident looking and that her generation had to slink off to the loo to do it or go home for feeds. Just as well things have moved on I told her.

Debenhams Cafe in Chatham - the staff are really lovely and helpful. Also they do really nice spicy muffins around Christmas!

The Lobster Shack in Whitstable were very good (though I was at a wedding). There was a couch provided for the four mums with babes-in-arms (bf & ffing) in a quiet spot. One of the ladies running the restaurant was particularly lovely and encouraging.

I've never had a nasty comment in 6 months of bfing.

John Lewis edinburgh is great .

I fed both of mine on demand until they were about 6 months (they're now 7 & 9 years). Never encountered any problems, this was in and around North Yorkshire. If anything I only got positive comments and warm smiles.

The only problem was Mothercare in York where staff directed me to the toilets , needless to say I ignored them and sat in my car as there were no chairs.

I think confidence is the key

Costa Coffee in Huddersfield were always brilliant.

@MNHQ

What if every company was required to keep a poster near the break room that simply shows a breast feeding mother and says "We all need lunch"
and then a copy of the relevant legal info underneath it?

Is that a campaign you could help with?

At the moment it seems like there are people who really don't realise the law protects breastfeeding mothers. If they were legally required to keep a poster up (the way they do for some employee rights) it would do a lot for bf women, especially if they get in to an argument.. they can simply ask that the employee check the poster.

I was in the metro centre, Gateshead.

I needed to feed dd1, then 8mo. I went to customer services to ask if there was anywhere I could bf and the lady behind the desk looked surprised and said "but you can breast feed anywhere".

Although I'd meant somewhere private (assets it was Christmas, extremely buy and all benches/seats were occupied) I was pleased that her first thought hadn't been that I needed to hide away somewhere.

And metrocentre do have places for feeding. Women only.

I always found Worksop Boots to be a godsend - quiet, comfortable and relaxed. Perfect for a nervous first time mum struggling with nipple shields!

IKEA should get a little plaque or award I think as they have been brilliant since I was first feeding in 2004. encourage them to keep it up and make it known as a bf friendly place.

I used to drive there specifically to sit in the cafe with ds1 as a traumatised first time mum as I knew I could get endless cups of tea and have a nice place to feed and change the baby (I also have way too many candles, vases and cushions of course but never mind)

Raf museum Colindale nw9
John Lewis Brent cross nw7
Arts Depot n12
Royal Festival Hall
All along the South Bank

woodhorn colliery museum in Ashington. Sat on a gorgeous big chair upstairs, a mummy with two boys smiled warmly at me.

Rosies Cafe in Gosforth. Also the best cakes EVER!

Oh the Sage gateshead!! Especially during the baby or under 5s music sessions!

This is an obvious one but sure start centres are great for nervous breast feeders

What I feel very about is the fact that lo is now a toddler and although not so boob obsessed I guess I'm beginning to feel more apprehensive again about public feeding since all the fuss about 5 year olds feeding.