Breastfeeding mother is told to leave Sports Direct

[CamelDave]

Saw this in the Nottingham Post today, can't believe the store would go to these lengths....

www.nottinghampost.com/Breastfeeding-mother-told-leave-sports-shop/story-21004058-detail/story.html

Disgusting.

I don't think many BFing mums would mind a smile or a wistful glance. It's not like they're doing anything that should be seen as embarrassing - though of course it is intimate so staring is unmannerly.

Nishky , chica I really don't mind those sort of stares and I've had people look and then smile when I've caught their eye or they say something about the baby or how nice it is to see. That's fine. It's the people who look at you like you're doing something completely outrageous or dirty.

oohdaddypig I think some of it is possibly regional and depending on what the norm is for your area or where you happen to be on that day. I agree that all parts of the UK need to catch up.

So smiling doesn't make you think 'creepy stalker'

That is a relief!

I haven't heard anything in/on the media stating that Sports Direct have apologised. Are they just hunkering down and hoping it'll all go away?

I've also been lucky and not encountered any negativity where I am, but I get very angry on behalf of anyone who does.

I think so, dawndonna. Quick google shows the story's made the national press now though, so they might not be able to hunker down for much longer...

Everything I read said they either didn't return attempts to contact them or they refused to comment.

Their CEO hasn't responded to my email...

driven get real do you really thing the ceo would respond

Some of the comments below that article are . I had to check I hadn't accidentally clicked through to the DM.

Mrs Bucket - when I have complaints to companies, I usually go straight to the CEO (more likely to get a result). I also nearly always get a response. I don't imagine that the CEO crafts the response himself (or herself) or even always reads their own email, but they will know about it and approve the response.

I've just read in the evening post that a local bf group are staging a protest there on tuesday

driven get real do you really thing the ceo would respond

Complaints directed to the CEO/chairman of a company are usually highly efficacious. My DH once complained on a saturday to 'the chairmans office' at BT about how long it was taking to get our landline installed - with the result that next morning - a sunday - we were woken by a BT engineer on our doorstep. A recent similar BFing incident on a train, taken to a high level resulted in swift response, apology and promise of staff training.

I remember that one, Errol, the train company, wasn't it? A member of staff came on the MN thread and apologised. Did a good job of converting a negative impression of the company to a positive one. Sports Direct are apparently less media-savvy...

highlandermum, women in Scotland have the same UK rights that women in England do- under both the equalities act and the Maternity Act.-
These are laws that cover the whole of the UK, however scotland have additional laws too, that make it a criminal offence to prevent a baby being fed milk in public.

If this happened in Scotland the police could be involved and the retailers arrested and prosecuted.

I once emailed the CEO of Mothercare, he emailed me back and his PA rang me the following day, within 24hrs of the call I had a brand new pushchair. He rang me himself shortly after delivery to check everything was okay and to apologise for the shitty time I'd had trying to sort out what should have been a simple matter.

Going to the top works ;)

I haven't read the whole thread, but as I understood the law said that it was illegal to ask a bf mother to move or stop bf in a public place. So glad I wasn't ever challenged when I was out and about bf.

Poor woman, having to try and feed outside in the rain. Such a sad story.

yes, it is covered under civil law, not criminal law though as it is in Scotland

If I had been challenged I would have sat tight until the police and media were there!!

You do know roughly when your baby is going to need feeding next.
I fed all sorts of places. But I don't really think sports direct is a suitable place.

I don't really think sports direct is a suitable place.

That's totally irrelevant. The mother concerned felt that it was an appropriate place to feed her baby and that is all that matters.

I don't really think sports direct is a suitable place.

Unbelievable.

Why not deep. Any place is suitable and the law says so too.

sorry, deep

Yes it's Oblomove who has the problem with the suitability of Sports Direct.

Why is that Oblomov? Where is suitable?