Mum asked to leave shopping centre for bfing

[TheWonderingLactivist]

Here

I've name changed as this is my local area. This woman is a friend of a friend, I met her last night and I am incensed for her. She's great, the first thing she did was contact the press. Apparently the security guard kept muttering "boob out" and telling her to go upstairs (I think there is a "feeding room" in the toilets but don't know what it is like).

Haven't read the comments yet, but am just about to.

More comments here. Elizabeth Mayo is a local BFC and huge champion for bfing in Glos. If it wasn't for her and her bfing group (and mnet obviously!) I wouldn't still be bfing my DC at 8mo.

You are not allowed to eat in a toilet and that includes babies.

I'm very surprised by this sentance:

'A law passed last year gives mothers the right to breastfeed their children, up to one-year-old, anywhere.'

So a motehr does not have the right to bf anywhere her baby over the age of one?

I think that you have the right to breast feed in public places now. The security guard should be severly reprimanded, to stop him doing it in future.

They've got the info about the law wrong - there is no such law in England.

It was proposed in an amendment to equalities legislation, but AFAIK it has not even been presented to parliament.

Message withdrawn

I spoke to her and she indicated exactly how discreet she was. You see more flesh on the teenagers hanging around the centre!

No mmmMomma?

Some of the comments made me very , but hearteningly, they appear to be in the minority.
Kudos to Boots - I'll remember that next time I'm out shopping! Is it a nice comfy chair

I thought that too megamindy. Shocking if that's the case.

Anyway, you can guess what I will be doing on Monday...

"What do you think? Should breastfeeding be banned in public? Does it offend you to see a young mum feeding her child?" this is the question they are posing on the site. FGS you just wouldn't be able to ask this question if it was about FF!

All women in Scotland have the right to BF in public but no, it hasn't been passed here yet, although they'll get their bums into gear (the government I mean) and pass it.

Good on Boots.

soon I hope (after 'pass it').
That didn't make sense!

I really wish a law wasn't necessary for something so normal and natural.

I am planning to try and breastfeed when the bump finally decides to put in an appearance and things like this make me very nervous!

Angua - I think it's very rare for this to happen. No-one has ever noticed when I've bf my children in public.

Angua in 8 months of feeding (everywhere) I have never had a negative comment, in fact completely the opposite.

It helps if you just get into the mindset that you are entitled to feed your baby in shopping centres, supermarkets, restaurants etc., most places. (I can think of few exceptions) They wouldn't stop you for eating a bag of malteasers would they? well, your baby has too eat too!

No-one questioned me BF in public last time (and in desperation at store closing time I was to be seen walking around debenhams looking for a birthday top with a small baby feeding! Tbh most people think they're just having a cuddle it's so discrete!!

I'd love someone to confront me as I'm strong enough to take it and stick my ground, but I do feel sorry for people who are aren't in these situations.

So what shall we all do about it? Does anyone have the name and address of the centre manager so we can write and point out what a proper BF policy might look like?

It was here

I cannot believe this! More so some of the stupid comments from the anti bf brigade. Thanks for the link ThewanderingLactivist, there is an email address on the conatct us link, I am just about to compose an email telling them what I think. It would be great if lots of mumsnetters did the same and inundate them with emails