So, In England can you lawfully be stopped from breastfeeding in a public place?

[FLIER]

Sorry, I've only ever breastfed publically in Scotland, where it is against the law to do so, and it's only just occurred to me that it may not be just as easy to breastfeed in public while we are on holiday in scarborough.

So, how easy/difficult is it to b/f in public? My dd is 12 months old so not ahuge issue, but she still b/f on demand.
I have no probs at all b/f in public usually.

you have no legal right but it would be hard for someone to actually have more power to stop you than you have to keep bf iyswim

In thoery yes, in practice it would never actually happen I don't think as all restaurant chains, shops etc have a stated policy (that I have come across) not to hassle bf mothers. The worse you get is some old fart other customer complaining to a junior member of staff who doesn't know about the policy but this is always overturned or corrected by managemnet if the mother complains - esp if it gets in the papers as it often does. I think it is getting less and less common (around London anyway) and they will shortly be making it illegal like Scotland too I believe.

I have never been asked to stop breastfeeding in England and have breastfed in public places numerous times in the past.

I live very close to scarborough, and it seems to be a very child-friendly place, I am sure you won't have any problems...

Just to clarify - are you saying that it is illegal to bf in public in Scotland? or illegal to stop someone bfing in public?

no, you cant be stopped for bf in public in England. it is neither against or protected by the law

heard on radio 4 this morning that there will possible be a motion in parliament 'soon' to discuss protecting bf in public.

I wouldn't even think about it
I have bf in illions of [laces in england, never had a problem
Also there is no actual stated policy anywhere saying that you CAN'T
it's usually just old woman telling you it's rude
just smile sweetly and carry on

Ditto bozza

As maisym says, it just means you have no legal right to do it. However, I bf in public in Scotland before the law was passed (therefore exactly the same situation as England is in now) and was never asked to stop.

I think the Scottish law was in response to a few high profile cases of bf mothers being harrassed, and was more about making bf more acceptable and changing the culture (all good). I don't think it means that without the protection of the law you will be hounded.

i've always bf in public with my now 2 yr old. she fed a lot as a one yr old and still bf in public occasionally anywhere she demands a feed. i have never been stopped or heard disgruntled mutterings about it.

squonk, it's illegal to ask someone to stop bf in Scotland.

ahhh, thank you. Good. So it bloody well should be.

Indeed squonk

good, thats a bit of a relief then.

thanks everyone.

if someone asks you to stop breastfeeding in public, be they shop staff or general public, and you feel threatened by it (as you may well) then they are committing the offence as they are technically assaulting you. tell them that if they don't leave you alone then you'll phone the police and see what their reaction is!!

the bottom line is that a breastfeeding mother can often present a vunerable target, which some people just love to make a beeline for. if that mother is in fact vulnerable (ie, not very confident, shy, whatever) then being asked to move on or stop would be incredibly embarassing and probably would move on. legislation to make it illegal to harass a nursing mother would give less confident mothers the security in knowing that their rights are protected by law. it's ridiculous, it shouldn't be necessary, but it is.

Never had any problems and I have certainly breastfed in Scarborough.
In fact I will be breastfeeding in Bridlington some time tomorrow.
Have also breastfed in Filey without incident.

When I bought my wedding dress a few weeks ago, the owner of the shop was telling me at how she has noticed an increase in bf, and she was dismayed by it! She regalled a story about how she went to a friends house once when she was younger and she was bf in front of her son ! I took great delight in telling her how I bf anywhere I happened to be when my DD needed feeding, and that if she was with me then and needed a feed I would have not problem using her sofa in her main foyer
She thought I was joking ffs!
That is the only time anyone has ever said anything negative towards bf, and I have never been asked to move/stop, in fact on several occasions I have been praised for being confident enough to do what is natural, and the odd person who coes over the baby whilst she is feeding!!

I think people who run wedding dress shops are weird (apologies to any MNers who run wedding dress shops).