Laws on breast feeding

[LouisaJF]

I'm currently breast feeding 9wo DS2 and wondered what the actual laws are. Aside from individual opinions in what is appropriate, what are the laws of the land? Can you BF absolutely anywhere? Does anyone have the right to ask you to stop/move?

I've not got any huge reason for asking, just curious!

In Scotland, it is legal to breastfeed anywhere. It is illegal (under criminal not civil law) to ask a bf woman to stop.

My understanding is that the 2010 equality act means that you can breastfeed your child in any public place. No one can ask you to stop. I will look for a link.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/85008/business-quickstart.pdf

www.maternityaction.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/breastfeedingpublicplace.pdf

Assuming there are no genuine health and safety issues, anywhere that you and baby have a right to be, you have a right to breastfeed.

I would personally avoid bf in the swimming pool, but anywhere else, go with what your baby needs.

The "problem" is that in England the 2010 Equality Act is a civil law, not a criminal one. So although it is against the law to discriminate against a breastfeeding woman, no one can be arrested for this. The woman who was discriminated against would need to take the offending organisation to court. As pp have said, in Scotland it is a criminal matter, so the police could be called to arrest the person who was harassing a breastfeeding woman.

(Oh, and I would feed in a swimming pool if I needed to. Don't understand the issue with that at all).

Oh, and I would feed in a swimming pool if I needed to. Don't understand the issue with that at all

I had pukey babies. I wouldn't feed them somewhere where I didn't have control over the potential mess! I always fed with a muslin at hand, to catch any spills.

ExBrighton - in the actual swimming pool water? as opposed to just at the swimming pool baths? I don't think I would!

I have no problem with women breastfeeding anywhere. In a swimming pool is fine too.

Yep, in the water if necessary, although I'd need to sit on steps probably.

The thing about small babies is that they can puke anytime, so if you're going in the water at all with them there is a chucking up risk. As it happens my DS was not a particularly sicky baby, so he probably wouldn't have vomited at all.

Totally agree exbrighton. Breastfeeding in the pool ( or more often on the steps too) was really helpful. My toddler loved swimming and I would take him and my baby, sometimes towards the end my baby would get a little cold while my toddler wanted a few more minutes. A quick two minute feed of warm milk would wrm my baby up nicely to enable her to be comfortable for anothe couple of minutes. Or sometimes my baby would get a little fright and a quick suckle woul settle her instantly.

That's really interesting reading, thank you. I've been a little reticent to feed in a public place as I've never been sure what people's reactions would be. Whilst you can never account for individuals, it's good to know where I stand.

Louisa it can be helpful to find a breastfeeding friend. Safety in numbers! If you join a breastfeeding support group you will meet others and some new friends to go for a coffee. My breastfeeding group used to arrange coffee "meets" in cafes, where a few breastfeeding Mums would meet for coffee and practice of breastfeeding in public. No-one has the right to stop you.