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Infant feeding

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

About this breastfeeding law...

15 replies

BumperliciousNeedsToSleep · 24/04/2008 16:28

Just wanted to clarify, the law that exists (in Scotland) does not legislate for women to breastfeed in public, it protects their right to do so, and makes it illegal for anyone to harass them.

The difference is crucial. The former belief makes it seem that bfing in public is otherwise banned, and the fact that the law does not exist in the rest of the uk might mean that you can't bf in public. That is not the case, the lack of the law means that should someone try to stop you, you have no legal recourse against them.

I just wanted to point this out as when we talk about the law on mnet (and in the media) we get in this mindset that because we don't have this law that we are not entitled to bf in public, which is not the case. There may not be a law that permits us to breastfeed in public in England, but there isn't a law that permits me to eat cheese and ham sandwiches in public, does not mean the default position is that I am not permitted to do so.

So, once again, there is no law allowing us to breastfeed in pubic (even in scotland), we are allowed to do it anyway. The law that does exist is to prosecute numpties who say we aren't allowed.

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 24/04/2008 16:40

good point

to summarise

It's legal to bf in England and Scotland.
It is legal to ask a woman who is bf in a public place to stop / move in England.
It's illegal to do that in Scotland

Sorry - couldn't resist

BumperliciousNeedsToSleep · 24/04/2008 16:59
OP posts:
milkgoddessmakesthefinestmilk · 24/04/2008 17:14

well done, bumper

so when will we have the same law, as scotland?

belgo · 24/04/2008 17:15

But doesn't the law in Scotland have some sort of condition - if the child is over a certain age it is legal to ask a bfing mother to move?

StealthPolarBear · 24/04/2008 18:05

I think you might be right belgo, up to the age of one
Cos after that they don't need it after all

TrinityTheProgressingRhino · 24/04/2008 18:08

yes it's up to the age of one
BUT as a militant breastfeeder I DEFY anyone to tell me to stop feeding my 14 month anywhere I damn well please....thankyou very much

StealthPolarBear · 24/04/2008 18:21

Oi - no feeding a 14 month old on this thread, move along please.

BumperliciousNeedsToSleep · 24/04/2008 19:08

It's under 2 years, so you're ok Trinity!

More info here

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 24/04/2008 19:41

oh well that's something, although why they needed an upper limit at all puzzles me

Clydesdaleclopper · 24/04/2008 21:58

It is definately up to the age of 2.

harpsichordcarrier · 24/04/2008 22:00

the draft bill in England was up to one year

milkgoddessmakesthefinestmilk · 24/04/2008 22:22

but when are we going to have it hear too.

well done the scots, setting a superb example.

hooray for scotland

belgo · 25/04/2008 07:33

I would say hooray if there was no age limit.

milkgoddessmakesthefinestmilk · 25/04/2008 10:09

belgo, i agree there certainly should be no age limit

is there a age limit on scotlands law?

littlepinkpixie · 25/04/2008 10:20

The age limit is 2 in scotland.

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