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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

So who's up for a mass breastfeed in the National Gallery??

32 replies

aelita · 14/07/2004 22:27

After seeing the headline this evening in the Evening Standard 'Mother 'banned' from gallery for breast-feeding,'

www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/londonnews/articles/11856946?source=Evening%20Standard

(in a gallery full of images of breastfeeding mothers no less!) I'm sorely tempted to create some mischief by calling on b/f Mumsnetters to congregate next week for simultaneous feeding, just to annoy them!

OP posts:
tammybear · 14/07/2004 22:30

lol i saw that on the news, but they were saying that all mums are welcome to bf in the national gallery (thats as close as i can get to a confused face!)

there you go

katierocket · 14/07/2004 22:32

yes, apparently it was an error by the person looking after that room and the National Gallery issued a statement saying that they categorically welcomed breastfeeding anywhere in the gallery

ks · 14/07/2004 22:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Piffleoffagus · 14/07/2004 22:45

twas just on radio 2 news with full quote!!!!
think they asked her to go to the mothers room..
cheek apparently the gallery has lots of breast images in this week too!
Ironic or what!

Piffleoffagus · 14/07/2004 22:46

ks that's an indictment that tescos cafe air is so unpure that an exposed breast would become radio active when exposed to that foul unclean air.

frogs · 14/07/2004 22:48

Aelita, I'm impressed -- from feeling uncomfortable bfeeding in public to instigating a militant feed-in in the space of a week or two. Respect!

Suspect it's a case of not letting the facts stand in the way of a good story, though. When I had dd1 9 years ago there was a big story about bfeeding mums getting chucked out of John Lewis cafe. All fired up, I made a point of meeting friends there and we'd get feeding, ready to cut up rough if anyone looked at us the wrong way. Disappointingly, no-one ever batted an eyelid.

Original poster
aelita · 14/07/2004 22:53

I know, it was apparently down to a young female attendant who didn't know the 'official' policy. It would have been fun though - masses of ladies feeding in front of 'The Origin of the Milky Way'- what a photo-op!

OP posts:
Portree · 14/07/2004 22:55

I didn't have a problem in the Tate Modern!

mrsflowerpot · 14/07/2004 23:04

did anyone click on the link below the story to official responses from other London places including the underground, network rail, the Ivy and some more. All fine and supportive but this is the one from the Ritz :

"At the moment we do not allow breast-feeding in the main public areas but we do provide babychangingfacilities"

do you honestly think they would tell any of their VIP guests to go and feed their child in the loo?

Piffleoffagus · 14/07/2004 23:07

imagine asking gwyneth or Madonna or Kate Winslet to piss off to the changing room...
cackle

frogs · 14/07/2004 23:08

Actually, on a more serious note, I think things have changed in the last 9 years.

The Evening Standard is hardly the most evolved or woman-friendly paper in the world witness last night's headline, "Nurseries turn toddlers into thugs" yet their take on this (non)-story was an unequivocal condemnation of the National Gallery's stance. It even made the front-page (Ok, probably not much else happened today, but still.)

The John Lewis story all those years ago had much more ambivalent coverage, and I do remember considerable column space being given to mad old fogies saying how disgusting it all was. That was notably absent from the Standard's story, and I think constitutes progress.

Original poster
aelita · 14/07/2004 23:14

Ah, maybe we should all breastfeed in the Ritz instead! I had a drink in there with DH once and witnessed the most obvious ladyboy in existence sashaying through the lobby to the lifts. Twenty minutes later (to the minute!) he came back through and out the door. None of the staff batted an eyelid at that, though the guests were goggle-eyed. But breastfeeding would be a problem it seems - far too indecorous!

When I made the original suggestion I think I had in mind that group (I forget what they call themselves) who pitch up at places like the Savoy and all start knitting simultaneously - a lovely idea..

OP posts:
JulieF · 15/07/2004 00:01

I'm a bit uncomfortable with this actually (and the use of my money (NCT membership and all my donations) to highlight this. I beleive that breastfeedig should be allowed anywhere that children and food/drink are allowed which is where my problem lies. I don't feel that an art gallery is an appropriate place to breastfeed, bottlefeed or even drink water.

However if they National Gallery do allow eating and drinking in their viewing rooms I am with the rest of you.

MeanBean · 15/07/2004 00:16

I think it's appropriate to breastfeed wherever a mother chooses to go with her baby, because a young baby should be breastfed whenever s/he needs food. Obviously there are certain places where it isn't appropriate to take a baby (like up an oil rig or to a night-club), but an art gallery isn't one of them in my book.

Frogs I agree - there's been masses of progress in this issue. But how depressing that a young female attendant should be so uncomfortable about it. Still a long way to go.

handlemecarefully · 15/07/2004 00:18

JulieF,

Go on, your having a laugh aren't you??? Tell me you are joking???

JulieF · 15/07/2004 00:25

No sorry, deadly serious. When I was a bottlefeedig mum I would never have dreamed of feedig my baby i a place such as a museum or art gallery, now as a breastfeeding mum I don't feel any different.

(hangs her head in shame)

frogs · 15/07/2004 00:26

So what do you do if you're wandering round the National Gallery and your baby starts fretting for food?

JulieF · 15/07/2004 00:37

I would leave the place where the paintings are and sit and feed him in the reception area. It probably wouldn't take me much longer than today for instance when I took him into the market because there was no-where to sit on the high street.

JulieF · 15/07/2004 00:38

I would leave the place where the paintings are and sit and feed him in the reception area. It probably wouldn't take me much longer than today for instance when I took him into the market because there was no-where to sit on the high street.

eddm · 15/07/2004 00:47

Julie, what's wrong with sitting on a bench in the gallery feeding a baby? Adult food and drink aren't allowed because they can create a mess and leave sticky finger marks, I guess. Breastfeeding isn't going to harm any of the pictures (unless your letdown is so powerful it sprays ten feet across the room ).

eddm · 15/07/2004 00:48

And I have taken water bottles into galleries ? they can be bloody hot and crowded. I have felt faint at times and needed some water.

JulieF · 15/07/2004 00:50

Not quite 10 feet but you should see my letdown!!!!

I sprayed the woman sitting next to me at peer support training last week. I have also soaked several health visitors and bfcs in my time too.

I guess that having once been a bottle feeder I have a strong view that it should be the same rule for everyone. After all a baby is a baby no matter how it is fed.

wobblyknicks · 15/07/2004 00:54

I think that anywhere a baby can go, then a baby should be able to be fed, simple as that. Even if its a place where adult food/drink isn't allowed, a baby should still be fed. Adults can wait and go somewhere else, babies shouldn't have to wait. And babies are very hard work, its unrealistic to expect a mother to lug her baby somewhere else to feed when its so convienient to feed wherever she happens to be.

Also, adult food is messy, causes litter, makes smells etc, whereas baby milk (b/f or bottle) shouldn't do any of these things. So although a place may not be suitable for adults eating, that doesn't mean its not suitable for a baby to be fed in.

JulieF · 15/07/2004 00:54

Re the water, fine if that is what is accepted, I just know that inmy local museum no food and drik are allowed and there are signs saying that. I have always taken that to mean anything.

I don't actually know the National at all, do tourists wander round with bottles of water etc? If so then yes I think b/f should be allowed too.

fairyprincess · 15/07/2004 03:40

Breastfeeding is also comforting for a baby - why should a baby have a dummy stuck in its mouth when it could be at the breast suckling. No one would complain about a dummy so no one should complain about this function of the breast.