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Breastfeeding mother is told to leave Sports Direct

181 replies

CamelDave · 24/04/2014 10:11

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.

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turtleback · 26/04/2014 10:08
  • I have seen comments under pictures of women breastfeeding form men that say along the lines of "I wouldn't mind if she was hot". Because it is our job as women to be hot for men all the time. And a man can still be turned on by a woman's breasts even with a baby attached... eurgh
JonesRipley · 26/04/2014 14:30

Sadly, the internet seems to have outed the misogynists out there

FiveExclamations · 26/04/2014 18:00

cuppateamum I love those historical pictures of breastfeeding mums, I shall hang onto that link.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Oddthomas · 27/04/2014 04:30

I was at softplay today. It was fairly quiet and a few tables away was a man and woman with a small boy. They were sitting between me and the play frame so I kept seeing them when I was watching for DS and DD, if that makes sense. Baby started chuntering for a feed so I got him out of the pram and popped him on - top up, vest down, latch, nothing flashed. I looked around to see where the other two children were and saw the woman watching me, she then grimaced at the man with her and quite clearly said "yuck" at which point he craned round for a quick look before going back to his newspaper. I gave her my best 'fuck off' raised eyebrow and I must have looked rough serious as she found every direction except mine very interesting after that :o

ZenGardener · 27/04/2014 07:33

When I go to the supermarket with my toddler we usually sit in the cafe and have a drink and donut while I feed the baby. I thought I was pretty discreet but one day after feeding, I had put the baby back in her push chair and two older ladies came over.

The one was chatting to DD1 who was explaining how pretty her skirt is while the other coo-ed over the baby and said "Look at you! Aren't you adorable? Yes, you are! Yes, you are adorable! Have you been drinking your mummy's milk? Yes, you have! Was it yummy? Yes, mummy's milk is yummy, isn't it? Yes! You've been drinking mummy's yummy milk!" DD2 was laughing and giggling while I sat beside quite bemused.

It was just kind of a lovely exchange. I wish that attitude was more common in the UK.

goofygoober · 27/04/2014 07:53

I find all this 'find a suitable place' bloody ridiculous. On demand BF babies can't wait for a drive in a car, or a short walk to a nice little cafe. Why the hell should they??? I was always very discreet, never anything on show, just like almost every other mother who chooses to BF. I BF my DS when and where I needed to. I got sneered at in a shoe shop by a middle aged woman, I couldn't care less, you couldn't see anything! Why would I leave my baby crying? I've never used 'feeding areas' either, I wanted to stay with the rest of my family, thanks all the same!

Once in the cafe in M&S Southampton, a lovely member of staff fetched me a glass of water whilst I discreetly BF my DS. Occasionally, people can be lovely.

Our next baby is due soon, I shall be doing the same again. I just can't believe the sheer ignorance of people such as this SD employee.

BloominNora · 27/04/2014 08:07

I never had any negative looks or comments when I was bf'ing dd2 and we did it public loads. Either that or I a completely oblivious to idiots

It was a shame really because being quite bolshy I was hoping someone would say something so I could educate the Wink

BoffinMum · 27/04/2014 08:11

I find the over 80s generally very supportive of bf, probably because lots of them did it themselves. I used to get a lot of comments like 'well done!' and 'beautiful baby' and 'good for you!' which was incredibly sweet.

Babyboomers seem to vary and are not sure what the reaction ought to be, unless they have bf themselves, which would have been rare, but IME they kind of let you get on with it as long as you don't take your entire top off and preen about it.

Teenagers and oafish blokes (and their wives) are the most thrown by bf, probably because they have never seen it happen before.

I think what we need is a new framework for the etiquette of feeding, and for this to be publicised properly. For example, offering a glass of water, offering a seat, offering a choice of a private place to feed (perhaps for the early days) or a public place (when it's more established or when someone is out with her family), that kind of thing, while emphasising that mothers are just getting on with something they have been doing since the beginning of time immemorial.

If there was ever a need for a public information film on TV, right in the middle of prime time, this was it. The MN campaign is a start, but not really enough as it's not about good places to feed, it's about publicising the fact that it's completely normal and acceptable.

deepinthewoods · 27/04/2014 08:13

The law protect all breastfeeding, discreet or not. Sometimes breastfeeding isn't "discreet" for all sorts of reasons, but women shouldn't feel bad if that is the case.

Goldmandra · 27/04/2014 08:42

I wish I was still bfing because I'd find the most inconvenient public place, perhaps blocking the doorway of Broadcasting House or the Central Lobby of the HOP, to do it and refuse to move until my baby had finished, probably with some mates for support because I wouldn't be brave enough to do it on my own.

That would get some airtime for education about bfing.

BoffinMum · 27/04/2014 08:56

Goldmandra, BH are fine about bf! They would get you in, sit you down, and offer you a cuppa probably.

Goldmandra · 27/04/2014 09:04

Goldmandra, BH are fine about bf! They would get you in, sit you down, and offer you a cuppa probably.

Glad to hear it but that's not the point. The point would be to cause some disruption so people talked about it. I wouldn't want to go in and sit down out of the way Smile

I didn't come across this kind of crap when I was bfing but, if I had, I would have tried to thing of a way to get it some air time. The most I had to deal with was a friend's DH who had to shout about it and a few friends who shuddered at me continuing past 6 months.

sassybell · 28/04/2014 09:49

I would love to give that KoolKat a good hard slap with a brick. What an utter moron. 'if we was supposed to breastfeed formula wouldn't be invented'

Goldmandra · 28/04/2014 10:12

I would love to give that KoolKat a good hard slap with a brick.

If that poster is a woman I think she deserves pity, not a brick to the face. She has no concept of her own value as a person.

HackneyAnnika · 28/04/2014 10:14

I came home from my training as a 'Breastfeeding Welcome' counsellor last week, to find this news on Mumsnet, it's shocking! I have blogged about this - annikazam.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/milking-it-for-all-its-worth.html

So my plan is to see if I can convince my local Sports Direct to put a Breastfeeding Welcome sticker in their window or at least agree to join the scheme (I keep coming up against no window sticker policies!) I know I might end up banging my head against a brick wall but please watch this space.

nappyaddict · 28/04/2014 13:11

Kiddicare Merry Hill, Dudley
Mothercare World Merry Hill, Dudley
John Lewis, Solihull
2 parent and baby rooms inside Merry Hill shopping centre (1 by Eat Central, 1 by the Management Suite
House of Fraser Solihull, Wolverhampton, Worcester
Boots in Birmingham City Centre
Libraries (but that obviously depends if you mind it not being "private")

deepinthewoods · 28/04/2014 13:24

There were several campaigns in Scotland to initiate "Breastfeeding Welcome" schemes, however these heve been made redundant by the new powerful law that we have in place. Woe bedtide any proprieter attempting to stop a breastfeeding woman. And ignorance of the law is no defence.
Since the law was passed in 2004 ther have been no incidents that I have heard of where women has had problems breastfeeding in public in Scotland, unlike in England where these stories crop up regularly.

My only criticism with the Breastfeeding Welcome here campaigns is that it perpetuates the idea that breastfeeding is something that needs to be done in special places, and therefore the idea that some cafes, restaurants etc and not "Breastfeeding Friendly", while others are.
Some clarity is needed in England- that women can feed anywhere that the baby has a right to be.

turtleback · 28/04/2014 15:28

I would love to give that KoolKat a good hard slap with a brick. What an utter moron. 'if we was supposed to breastfeed formula wouldn't be invented'

Ha did someone say that? GOt to be a windup. You could just as easily say "If we were supposed to drink water, redbull wouldn't have been invented".

Although tbf, I have heard dumber

partialderivative · 28/04/2014 18:48

Elsewhere on the Nottingham Post...

Bilborough woman pictured on sausage company's packet

I love local news.

(and of course Sports Direct were bang out of order and should be ashamed of their 'company policy')

Housemum · 30/04/2014 10:22

Can I just stick my head up and say that babies don't go off like time bombs - we need to be careful not to make them sound too "precious" when saying things like "on-demand BF babies need feeding and can't wait". Maybe I was lucky but my DDs gave some indication that they were getting uncomfortable, and I could usually manage to placate them for about 5 mins. NOT to go and hide in a toilet, but to (if lucky) find a bench/café. So if I was just browsing myself, I'd go out of the shop to a bench, or to the shop's cafe rather than use up their customer seating. However, if like the woman in the article I was waiting for rest of family to try on stuff, I would use their bench as I am a customer and am intending to buy.

When DD3 was small I used to go to London a fair bit and it made me smile on trains to see whether people would be brave enough to sit next to me Grin

Goldmandra · 30/04/2014 10:35

babies don't go off like time bombs

I don't know, Housemum. My DD1 did. Nought to screaming in about ten seconds.

I don't think it's about bf/ff though. Some babies are just like that.

deepinthewoods · 30/04/2014 10:38

housemum, sometimes it has to be done for the mother too though. I know with my babies the moment they decided they wanted to feed I would get a powerful let down, my boobs would be leaking everywhere and feel very uncomfortable. the momnet my babies strated grizzling for a feed I wold need to feed them immediately.

It's nothing to do with "being precious"- anyway women have the right to breastfeed in shops so why shouldn't they.

You wouldn't and that's fine, but don't question other women's choices- in any case in the Nottingham case it was raining and cold outside ( January) not really nice to be breastfeeding on a street bench.
I would have chosen the cosy dry shop too.

Housemum · 02/05/2014 09:54

I didn't disagree with the Nottingham woman - she was shopping there anyway and waiting for the husband/kids. I just think sometimes the "we have to feed a baby now" line is giving people a stick to beat us with.

I was obviously lucky with mine, but then she couldn't give a stuff about food now so maybe that's why, she was obviously never that bothered!

kinkytoes · 02/05/2014 20:22

Did the nurse in happen after all? Have sports direct made a statement? Was thinking about this earlier today (as I walked past sports direct).

Notmyidea · 03/05/2014 06:47

Nurse ins have been happening, mainly yesterday. They have been covered by BBC news. (sorry, not sophisticated enough to do links on my phone but have a look on the UK home page.)
One group in London had a manager ask them to cover up more as they were leaving, which is making steam come out of my ears!
No, no apology or statement but apparently the Nottingham mum who was thrown out has had a bunch of flowers!