Breastfeeding In Public

[Uzoma]

Is this against the law?
How come people can be thrown out of public places for doing it (unless it is)?

[boxtops]

No it's not against the law, IMO, but you can offend public decency - it depends how you do it. Is this a current story, have you got a link?

[mushroom25]

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/health/local-health/breastfeed-in-the-loo-mum-told-1-5834813

[ummmm]

It's not illegal. If someone told me to go and breastfeed my child in a railway toilet I would politely say 'Make Me'

[boxtops]

Thanks for the link, mushroom - that's disgraceful.

[Sharingan]

That's awful, I'm glad she stood her ground.

[rockyracoon]

It's really unbelievable that in this day and age people can behave like this, I think the conductor should be made to eat their lunch in the bog.

Jeez, and some people moan about how muslims treat women!

[bednobs]

it makes me wonder if a train can be thought of as a public place? surely the train company has the right to refuse anyone service?

[boxtops]

I believe they can, bednobs, but this one is wrong on so many counts. How many people would want to be fed/eat their meal in a toilet? Environmental Health would soon be on the train company's back about that!

[Baldric]

///The Equality Act 2010 makes it illegal to ask a nursing mother to move from a public place while feeding her baby///.

Didn't know that ^^^^^

[Mamyalynne]

As it clearly states in the article, the conductor was in the wrong and well done to the young Mum for standing her ground.

[themorrigan]

Its extremely easy to breastfeed in a manner that would not offend, I've done it with all my kids. Simply lay a napkin or similar over the offending titty and let baby suckle in private. maybe some mums need to be taught that its not necessary to 'bare all' .

[McMouse]

Breastfeeding a teenager in public is probably going too far.

[boxtops]

morrigan, I agree

[mushroom25]

the train company can only refuse carriage if one of the railway byelaws is beached:-
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/4202/railway-byelaws.pdf
merseyrail regularly refuse carriage to anyone who's been drinking, following an accident at James Street in which the conductor was held criminally negligent.

[Octavius]

Sounds like a storm in a teacup really. The conductor didn't force her to go into the toilet, just made her feel embarassed.

[Mamyalynne]

Not everyone is strong though , I would not even had batted an eyelid but told him he was wrong - maybe this young lady is more sensitive.

[dave50]

I am not against it but I can't help thinking that a minority of women make it blatantly obvious what they are doing, being totally open about it so as to prove a point rather than trying to be discreet.

[pixie373]

I agree too, morrigan. I breastfed each of my four everywhere and anywhere for around a year each. I just wore loose t-shirts and doubt if anyone ever noticed. Some people do seem to cause quite a commotion about it (not necessarily the lady in question here)

[ummmm]

Loose T-shirts, nursing bras, winding sheets....you won't see a thing unless you try really really hard.

[Mamyalynne]

I must agree, I am strongly in favour of discreet feeding, if there are 'wap it out' Mummies out there then not sure what their agenda is. Nowhere does it state this lady was indiscreet, maybe as she searched for her ticket the sheet slipped or something.