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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Thrown out of Harrods for Breastfeeding

119 replies

twelveyeargap · 03/12/2009 01:46

My good friend was in the Laudree cafe in Harrods at the weekend, discreetly breastfeeding her 4 month old daughter. A maitress d' came over and told her she couldn't breastfeed in the cafe and that she had to breastfeed in one of the "designated areas", presumably the toilets. Unappealing for obvious reasons.

My friend was really upset and took all her Harrods purchases back before leaving the store.

How much longer do we have to wait before the law is changed and it's no longer legal to ask women not to breastfeed?

I'm appalled. Any thoughts?

OP posts:
CarmenSanDiego · 03/12/2009 01:52

Is this legal in the UK?

In California, I'm really lucky to have a right to breastfeed anywhere I'm legally allowed to be. England really needs similar protection. Personally, if it happened to me, I would write a letter to Harrods to complain and make them aware of baby-friendly and breastfeeding friendly initiatives. There's just no need for this sort of thing to happen.

naturopath · 03/12/2009 01:56

I distinctly remember using the "designated area" in Harrods to bf my ds - was horrible, smelly, practically on top of overflowing nappy bin -and lock on door so have to queue for ages until available. Will never go back there again.

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 03/12/2009 01:57

If she contacts LLL or one of the advocacy organisations she may be able to drum up enough support for a nurse-in, possibly with press coverage

KittyTN · 03/12/2009 02:03

I have bf'd in the Harrods tapas bar and the cafe on 2nd floor, I think. No problems. I like to think I would have asked to speak to her supervisor. I hope it was just one rogue employee, not Harrods policy.

So sorry for your friend, what a horrible experience. Do you know if another customer complained about her bf'ing or not?

JustAnotherManicMummy · 03/12/2009 02:39

I'm up for a feed-in!

Picante · 03/12/2009 04:57

OOh yes let's organise one on here! I'm up for it too!

CarmenSanDiego · 03/12/2009 05:02

I so would if I was in the UK

slim22 · 03/12/2009 05:11

that would be LADUREE cafe, well what can I say? they are french...

I BF in harrods (shop floor) sitting on a bench waiting for a friend to try something on.
And in selfridges , and john lewis. And in quite posh restaurants. Never a problem anywhere tbh.

However, I was never militant about it. I always sat modestly tucked away.
No shame in feeding a baby but no need to display it either.

SofaQueen · 03/12/2009 06:19

Might it just be a Laduree thing? I have breastfed within Harrods before without a probem.

LoveBeingAMummyKissingSanta · 03/12/2009 06:30

[thick smiley]

I though it was legal to feed anywhere, though I presume they can throw out anyone they like.

tiktok · 03/12/2009 08:29

It is legal to bf anywhere in the UK, but in England, it is not illegal to ask someone to stop...sadly.

More effective and far easier to organise than a nurse in (IMO) is just to take this to the press.

Your friend should contact a tabloid - prob the Mirror would be best (IMO) - and be prepared to be photographed. They will be happy to criticise Harrods.

StealthPolarBear · 03/12/2009 08:33

that's shocking. please ask her to ask harrods to clarify its policy - why "can't" she feed in the cafe where others are eating and drinking?
slim, i don't display it but i don't sit modestly tucked away. I am feeding my baby not picking my bum. I've never had anything but positive comments, apart from the pharmacist in Sainsbury's who told me there was a feeding room if I wanted to use it. When I said I was fine, I think she worried she had offended me

onebatmother · 03/12/2009 10:14

Hmm. The current legislation is really very vague about whether Harrods or the concession could legally ask her to move.

The Equality Bill which hasn't yet been passed but is on the current list will specifically mention breasfeeding in the maternity rights that it guarantees.

The 1975 Sexual Discrimination Act created legal protection for a woman under the provision of goods, facilities and services section. It doesn't mention breastfeeeding specifically but - by implication - rules that she could not be discriminated against for breastfeeding in public places. Being asked to leave her seat when others aren't is being discriminated against.

A 2008 amendment to the SDA added more cover which in this instance tied to broader maternity rights covering 6 months before and after birth.

I think that means that women feeding babies under six months are covered under maternity and sex discrimination legislation, while mothers feeding babies over six months are covered under sex discrimination legislation

So, after a similar 2008 instance, then Deputy Minister for Women Barbara Follett said: ?Mothers have to be confident that they can breastfeed their infants in a café, restaurant or shop without the embarrassment of having the owner ask them to stop. This type of discrimination has in fact been unlawful for more than thirty years, and the mother - with a baby of any age - could challenge the owner under the Sex Discrimination Act.?

But it's all Very Unclear - certainly to mothers, and to the public generally. Scotland has a a law which unequivocally bars anyone from asking a woman to stop breastfeeding or limiting where she can do so.

wannaBe · 03/12/2009 10:20

sorry your friend had a bad experience, but your thread title is totally misleading.

You say she left Harrods so she wasn't "thrown out" was she? She was asked to feed in a designated area, which while certainly not ideal is a far cry from being thrown out.

WelliesAndPyjamas · 03/12/2009 10:22

If that ever happened to me, I would definitely insist on the store manager coming to sit with me and my baby to explain the decision to my face.

That's very interesting onebatmother - thank you for sharing that Will keep that up my sleeve in case I need it. As it happens I've never been asked to move on and have only had nice comments from people.

onebatmother · 03/12/2009 10:27

Talking of which what do we think about campaigning for new legislation to make it illegal to ask a woman to stop breastfeeding in a public place??

If you think it'd be a good plan, you could step right this way to the Campaigns thread and make your feelings known...

Could be a good 'un?

(Campaigns hat is flowery, btw, but with a hidden substructure made of titanium and carbon-fibre)

StealthPolarBear · 03/12/2009 10:27

I understood the Scottish bill protected it under maternity (i.e. sex discriminsation)
Just being thrown out when others aren't isn't discrimination. Discrimination is one of 6 (or is it 7) things - this would be on account of sex.

onebatmother · 03/12/2009 10:32

You're quite right SPB, I wasn't clear enough on that.

ShowOfHands · 03/12/2009 10:37

Boo hiss French cafe. How's your friend tyg?

onebatmother · 03/12/2009 10:48

Hold that thought - good news I think. Just looking at Unicef's Babyfriendly.org which says the Equalities Bill includes a clause to make it explicit that it is unlawful to force breastfeeding mothers and their babies out of places like cafes, shops and public transport.

It says the the Breastfeeding Manifesto Coalition lobbied H Harman because the legislation appeared only to protect women with babies under 6 months (again, because tied into the idea of maternity protection)
and that "these concerns have now been taken on board."

Will check that last bit out further.

onebatmother · 03/12/2009 11:06

Actually do you know, Tik-Tok? wrt the bill seeming to limit protection to women with babies under 6 months?

pigletmania · 03/12/2009 11:09

I am what else can i say its disgusting.

Georgimama · 03/12/2009 11:09

Write to Mahammed Fyed and ask him what he thinks about it. Not necessarily company policy. Totally out of order though. Having been a wallflower about public bfing at first, if it were me now I would refuse. Let them call the police if they're that bothered.

MayorNaze · 03/12/2009 11:13

phone the daily mail.

that is totally shit and rude on harrods behalf. good on her for returning all her purchses before leaving, hopefully fayed will send her lots of expensive frebies by way of apology.

i would've been ragin

gorge2003 · 05/12/2009 12:58

sorry to butt in its not bf related but about 2 years ago when my ds was 18 months old my DH was asked to leave the mothercare changing rooms when he was changing DH i was absolutely appalled...never complained or anything but my point was why have men not go the right to change their child in mothercare? If he was a lone parent would he HAVE to find a changing room where no-one was going to be feeding?

as a parent bf-ing doesnt phase my DH and wouldnt dream of staring or anything...i was absolutely fuming when he got asked to leave!