feeding rooms

[poopoopoo]

My third child is 10 weeks old (its been seven years since my last child)-I was very disappointed things have not much improved in the shops for breastfeeding; Maidenhead: Boots ok-needed a clean but it looks like a security camera watching you and a very noisy vent/fan. Marks and Spencers had a tiny room you would not fit your pram in with a chair next to the bins, no fresh air. Windsor- I went in Daniels department store they have a room two chairs which is comfy enough, but no fresh air and filthy chairs. This is not encouraging for new mums....
Can mumsnet get on the case? We need access to: fresh water, fresh air, a comfy CLEAN chair and space for the buggy/pram. The shops would attract more new mums and sell more; its not much to ask. Don't get me wrong I am all for feeding in public if you can find a nice place, but sometimes you need some privacy.

Would you get anywhere complaining to each individual shop? I'd certainly want to know if the Boots one has a CCTV camera in at as that's not on.

Never knew this was a thing anywhere apart from John Lewis. I've always just stopped in coffee shops other than when in department stores with sofas on display as they tend to be comfy to feed on and no need to buy a drink

Meh- m and s I preferred the cafe where I could feed and drink coffee. Boots I agree theirs is awful here too so just dont use it.

Great point OP! The ones in Bluewater are lovely but the Mothercare ones I always find smell of nappy bins

I prefer a cafe too, so I can have a drink whilst I feed. But lots of women still prefer to be in a private space, so it would be nice if they were clean and pleasant.

I think direct complaining to the companies first is sensible though.

I do think I should say John Lewis in High Wycombe has got it right; I have found their cafe comfortable and as DappledThings said, the sofa area next to the baby department is nice too, they had a good feeding area and I had a chat to another mum who was in there feeding too. So I will be going there to do the rest of the Christmas shop.
I tweeted all the other stores and boots say there 'looking into it', M & S say 'ask the staff they will be happy to accommodate your needs' (I did they sent me to the small smelly room with no space and two bins). I've not yet heard from Daniels department store.... I just think if you don't talk about it no one will care and new mums may not want to venture out to the shops.

Another annoying thing is when the baby and children departments are upstairs. As joey would say 'why god why'

Why are they needed though? Just go to a cafe or sit on bench or similar like you would if bottle feeding.

I think they want to make sure you see all the other stuff and then trap you upstairs so you have to find their cafe!

I also went to Daniels but fed in their cafe. I didn't even buy a drink as it gets too expensive to do that everywhere.

I think you make a good point OP and this should be available, particularly useful for mums with newborns when it's harder to get them latched on.

My worry is that if feeding rooms become more widespread there becomes a slide from them being an option to starting to expect all feeding women to use them and hide away. That would really piss me off.

@Artandco, yes I agree, but for me it depends on a few variables like who is around and how discreet I can be, I don't cover up I hate those sack like things and will feed where-ever. But if baby is agitated or colicy it is good to have somewhere to retreat to calm down and get them sorted.

Perhaps they should be called baby calming rooms

I agree op, the Mothercare near me actually has quite a nice/well looked after feeding room but others have been smelly and dirty and not nice to be in at all.

I do think that although women could and should be able to sit in a cafe and feed, some might not feel comfortable doing that for a variety of reasons and that if shops and establishments are going to provide these feeding rooms then they should at least look after them and make them comfortable.

I also agree that just because these rooms exist we need to avoid them becoming the expected place for a woman to breastfeed. They are good because they give those who don't feel comfortable feeding in public a place to feed when out and about but at the same time if a woman doesn't want to use a feeding room to feed them that's okay too.

If that is a camera in the room then the more I think about it the worse it gets as the baby change is also in the same room...

I think it's important to know why there's a camera in that room. Did you ask them about it in your email?

You know cafes allow parents to feed baby without buying anything if needed? ( although most would buy something if sat down 30mins as thirsty themselves)

I don't like them. I just don't see when I would want to be sitting in a room alone in silence with baby just to feed. Usually people want to be with others or have places to go. Babies here fed 90% in sling when out so I could carry on doing something. Or on bus ( or car if you use often), bench outside, inside shopping centres, or whilst your eating/ drinking yourself.

Really we just need to advertise more that feeding baby anywhere is acceptable. Most people are as discreet as possible

Boots tell me it's not a camera, well it still looks like one to me.....

Just to add my two pence worth...I think there's definitely a campaign in here. I feed in public whenever/wherever I need think the more women do it the more normal it become. But I also agree we need places to retreat to for whatever reason. Mothercare in brixton has a great room which was clean and big enough for more than one mother and baby. So many I've been to have been really smelly and disgusting. I hate spending any time in them with my baby. It seems like those spaces are an afterthought for most shops.