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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

"you are welcome to breastfeed here" posters

25 replies

chloejessmeg · 23/01/2009 15:00

These were posters around my local liberary that I went to this morning. Haven't noticed them before so think they are new, but I just thought that was lovely.

I am not currently breasfeeding, but have done and will be again soon.

OP posts:

TheLorax · 23/01/2009 15:17

A lot of cafes here in Ireland have those signs. It is nice!

4andnotout · 23/01/2009 15:21

Having fed dd4 in the toilets in Mcdonalds today, i would love to see posters like that!

TheLorax · 23/01/2009 15:27

4andnotout, even if there aren't any signs, you shouldn't feel you have to bf in a toilet!

TamartorousBeastie · 23/01/2009 15:31

If i saw them here (Scotland) I think i'd be a bit peeved, as they can't ask you not to so you can BF wherever you like.

Original poster

chloejessmeg · 23/01/2009 15:37

Of cource they can't ask you not to, but is just a bit of encouragement if you are nervous and I think it is really good.

OP posts:

mothersmilk · 23/01/2009 15:54

we have them in my liberary too i think its great i no a few young mums who feel very uncomfortable feeding in public and any encouragment is good i was thinking of getting some of the cafes in my "little" town in on it to although i agree with you thelorex i do also think some mums just need that little bit of back up to know that its ok to feed where ever they wish

TaurielTest · 23/01/2009 16:04

I think the posters - and the 'breastfeeding friendly' stickers I've seen in cafes etc. - offer great encouragement too, but I confess they also make me feel a bit bolshy ("Damn right I can breastfeed here and I don't need a poster to tell me so") and a bit sad that BF isn't presumed to be welcome everywhere. Grumpy utopian, that's me. (I feel a namechange coming on...)

4andnotout · 23/01/2009 16:05

thelorax It was my fault for not wearing an easy accessable outfit, i put on a dress and i would have had to oik my whole gargantuan breast out! Ordinarily i would have draped a pashmina over my shoulder and stared anyone down who dared to frown!

whyme2 · 23/01/2009 16:10

They've even put them up in the maternity unit where DD was born. DH thought it was funny!

mothersmilk · 23/01/2009 16:21

now thats sad!!!!!!!
you've just had your baby and oh yes in case you were wondering yes you can feed her here!
is that what the world has come to?

CT123 · 23/01/2009 16:24

I was horrified to hear that, in England, you can be asked not to bf in an establishment. I think that's disgusting! In Scotland it's illegal to ask a woman to stop.

whomovedmychocolate · 23/01/2009 16:24

Now you see, when I see one of those I expect a chair and a glass of water to appear whenever one of my DCs starts to wail

I find it hard to understand why cafes/restaurants etc. during the day would make families feel unwelcome (but it's happened to me). You'd think with the 50 odd pubs a week closing down and triple that in restaurants/cafes they would be bending over background to encompass their potential customers needs in this way?

paolosgirl · 23/01/2009 16:28

We provide them through work (health promotion department). Although it's illegal to ask someone to stop breastfeeding here in Scotland, it is used to show that it is an actively pro-breastfeeding establishment, iykwim? There is still a lot of stigma in the NHS area I work in, and rates are the lowest in Europe. The posters are to address the issue and help women feel safe and secure in the knowledge that if you are b/f you will not be made to feel unwelcome in any way, shape or form.

Original poster

chloejessmeg · 23/01/2009 16:38

I didn't know you can be asked to stop BF in England? I thought it was illegal here too?

OP posts:

lalalonglegs · 23/01/2009 16:54

Sadly not (yet). Nothing to stop wankers other customers telling staff in a pub/cafe that you nourishing your child is putting them off their food and would they tell you to stop. I understand that proposed legislation (Single Equality Bill) failed to make it through the last parliament. Apparently, the Speaker of the house will not even relax a ban on breastfeeding in the House of Commons for nursing MP mothers .

BTW, I noticed those posters/door stickers in my library for first time yesterday - you weren't in Balham were you?

mawbroon · 23/01/2009 16:57

The law in Scotland only covers up to age 2 though.

So, in theory, I could be asked to leave or stop if I was feeding my 3.2yo out and about.

However, I would call someones bluff re the law if they hassled me. And tbh I have never had as much as a dirty look for feeding in public.

lalalonglegs · 23/01/2009 17:06

I believe the English law when it comes into force will only cover women breastfeeding babies up to 12 months old.

hanaflower · 23/01/2009 17:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wastingmyeducation · 23/01/2009 17:11

I thought it was illegal under existing equality legislation?

littlelamb · 23/01/2009 17:11

Do you know, I would get a bit shirty at first tbh if I saw these signs (just in the respect that, well of course I can damn well bf here ) but I actually now I've thought about it they're a great idea. My poor friend had her second dc who she was so pleased to bf after failing with her dd and her response to an invitation to take the children to a play cafe was 'I'd love to, but am I allowed to bf there?' I think anything that makes it clear is a good thing, as there are mothers who feel as if they are not allowed, sadly.

lalalonglegs · 23/01/2009 17:26

I think it probably is illegal but not specifically, iyswim. This new bill was meant to make it clear and explicit that asking a woman to stop feeding her baby, or directing her to the loos rather than allowing her space in a cafe/restaurant was against the law.

For what it's worth, I was really pleased to see the sticker at the library although I had fed my baby there before. I think that those sort of small measures really up the feelgood factor around breastfeeding and make women less nervous about doing it in public. I was always fairly nonchalant about feeding my children but a lot of women aren't.

SamJamsmum · 23/01/2009 17:32

There was an EU directive that came into force on April 6th 2008 that offered some protection to bfing mums in England and Wales. The directive states that it is sex discrimination if you are treated less favourably as the result of pregnancy or maternity in provision of services, goods and services. The government equalities office cited this legislation when a mum was thrown out of a cafe in Dorset in April 2008. If a cafe asks you to leave or refuses to serve you because you are breastfeeding then that is NOT allowed. Doesn't stop a fellow customer/ member of the public being a prat but the folks offering the service can't discriminate. It doesn't cover public places so the new legislation will extend to that.

I think the signs are positive if they make someone feel more relaxed.

LadyOfWaffle · 23/01/2009 17:35

ditto Littlelamb - first of all I was 'no frigger will tell me when I can and can't breastfeed' but actually I would definatly go into a cafe with a sticker/poster safe in the knowledge I wouldn't be risking being uprooted (as if i'd let them anyway). Such a shame they couldn't have the law the same as Scotland. Why wouldn't they?

noonki · 23/01/2009 17:45

I always wanted someone to come up and have a go, so i could have a rant

instead I just had lots of smiles and 'oh that takes me back' comments

unfitmother · 23/01/2009 17:59

I was a bit dumbfounded when I was asked where I was happy for people to BF on my ward as the domestic supervisor wanted to stick a sign up.
I said anywhere but they weren't happy to stick them everywhere. We settled for one in a very prominent place. Haven't seen anyone BFing yet though.

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