So who'd be up for some political activism? Sign up here....

[theUrbanDryadLovesCremeEggs]

ok, you might've seen me bang on about this on other threads, but i think it is absurd that it is not illegal to harass a mother who is nursing in public.

i'm thinking of organising a mass public breastfeed, somewhere like Speaker's Corner, with loads of families, kids, babies, picnic etc. it would be very peaceful, no placards, no speeches, just a load of people, chilling in the sunshine.

i'd try to get the Press involved, issue a statement, raise awareness and let the Government know that this is an issue that won't go away.

i'm going to have a chat with my local LLL advisor at the Baby Cafe, see what she thinks. but in the meantime, i would love to know what other people think of the idea, how many people would be willing to come to something like that and show their support.

TIA

i'm up for it, as long as my dd is still breastfeeding, anbd dh is ok.

misdee - is there any chance Peter could come too?

i'm sorry, i don't know how mobile he is...as i don't know how portable his machine is.

but everyone would be welcome!

I'd love to support this, it's a bit of a trek but I can get into London or would support something local (am in East Anglia as well)

Urban: I'd be up for a London event

I'll come, although not sure what a great example of bf I'll set since DD tends to view my breasts as a necessary evil rather than anything remotely nuturing or wonderful!!
I'd be up for the London one, but perhaps it would be a good idea to have a bf day, and set a few up in different places around the country.

Don't forget informing ABM (which you can do through me ) and BFN, not just NCT and LLL.

Baby CAfe is not run by LLL. It is an independant group of breastfeeding support cafes so its worth contacting them too.

And please please please, add your support to the Breastfeeding Manifesto which has as one of its aims to get a law in place on public breastfeeding.

Ilana - i'm alredy signed up to the Breastfeeding Manifesto, and have emailed it on to as many people as i can think!!

i am a regular attendee at my local Baby Cafe and i thought they were run by LLL because of the LLL advisor there, and the emphasis put on bf-ing. i'll have a chat with them on friday and see what they think.

i'm not familiar with any of the other organisations you mention, but any and all support we can get has to be a good thing!

I'd love to. I've never really been hassled about it, but I've always wanted to be so that I could have my 2p's worth!

ilana, have just signed up
urban - would be very interested in a local event. will have a word with the bf support worker at my local bf support group for ideas

I'd be very interested

they did try this once.

Twas on a prog about bf - the turnout was very poor but good luck

UrbanDryad, Peter is mobile, but we avoid crowded palces in case someone trips over his wires, as it would cause hi ma serious injury.

I ff but good luck urban xx

Yeah, I'll come. I'm sick to death of the looks I get, b/f my one year old. Also sick of people asking me why I don't give her milk (??!). I quite like the idea of getting some models of cows, with babies plugged onto the udders. Might give people something to think about.

Urban LLL are active in almost all major cities in the UK and there are many Baby Cafes around. You could organise a simultaneous thing in all major cities, ask if they are interested ? I think they are also very good at getting media attention.

Ideally get mums of babies AND toddlers involved. I think people are even more likely to have a negative image of a bf toddler (esp. when it is a walking, talking older toddler boy, like mine !) than of a baby. A good age range would be very good.

No kids, but when I have my baby want to have a go at BF - I've signed up to the manifesto, what a great idea. Good luck organising the mass feeding.

the Baby show is on at Birmingham NEC in May, maybe something there? that way you'd get a lot of impromptu support from other bf mothers?

Nadine - i know they tried it, they got about 30 people! but did they have the might of MN behind them??

right, i've emailed both LLL and NCT, but obviously not expecting a response from it till tomorrow at the earliest. i will keep everyone imformed here.

but you all need to get other people involved as well. things like this travel well by word of mouth. so if you can all get just one more bf-ing mother (and i honestly don't care how old the child is - could be 4 days, could be 4 years!) interested in coming then that'd be great!

btw - ff-ers, this legislation applies to you as well. i know it's fairly unlikely that you'd get hassled for bottle feeding your lo, but the legislation does clearly state "whether she is feeding from breast or bottle"...so come along and show your support! join in the sisterhood!

UrbanDryad,

Agree with you that is absolutely ridiculous. Mass public BF I think would be a great idea; send a strong message.

Worth mentioning I've also faced ridicule in private - and in public - when I FFd. ("I hope that's breastmilk you're feeding him in that bottle.")

Marls - that's just as apalling behaviour. it is a woman's choice how to feed her baby, and i really hate the stick some women get when they choose to ff.

or are unable to bf for whatever reason!

(just so i'm covering all my bases)

I'm not a lawyer, but I'm not sure it is legal to harass a nursing mother.
"Assault" isn't when you hit someone, (that's assault & battery I think), but threats etc count as assault.

If they get really agitated that's various public order offences to play with.

If they go far as actually grabbing the mother then not only is that battery, but given that her breast may be exposed, I'd go for indecent assault which is a sex crime and will thus hang around your neck for the rest of your life.

Thus I don't think a change in the law is the most useful goal. I think we need a few harassers in court up for indecent assault. Which means the police which is hard but achievable.
Even just an arrest for indecent assault means you get barred from lots of jobs now that Ruth Kelly is no longer in charge of letting paedophiles into schools.

Get the media in on the cases, and any jerk will think long and hard before imposing their petty morality on others.

However, I do hear of mothers getting rather loud theatrical "tutting", which although bad I can't see the law or police being realistically up to sorting out.

PMSL at Dances, " have you thought about giving her milk??"
What the fuck do you think comes out my nipples, Lemonade????

I wondered about the insisting you move thing. How can they actually DO anything to make you move?? Short of physically moving you. Which would ruin there business, as I'd take them to the cleaners for it. Wouldn't anybody????

BoM - the trouble is that not everybody is aa forthright and opinionated as you and i, and the shame of having an entire restaurant staring at you, or having an actual policeman come up and tell you someone has made a complaint about you, would be enough to move them on.