Breastfeeding Mum Verbally Abused In Nando's Restaura

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/37939718

I am not that surprised at this, as prejudice and bigotry abound when it comes to nursing mothers.

But in this particular case, the ignorant person making the complaint was another woman !

[Mamyalynne]

Sad to read.

[mikey4444]

As the woman complaining was making a nuisance of herself, Nando's should have asked her to leave.

[agchristie]

Not for the first time, breastfeeding in public crops up. There will always be some folk taking offence.

[mikey4444]

This is from the BBC link ::::

"Part of the problem is that those young women aren't seeing other women breastfeeding in public enough in Northern Ireland. There's a cultural and attitudinal problem that needs to be addressed."

There may be a lot of truth in that....NI can be one of the most backward and prejudiced parts of the UK.

[agchristie]

Mikey > NI can be one of the most backward and prejudiced parts of the UK.

Eek! Steady on there!

[mikey4444]

Well....its true AG....look at the recent "gaycake" saga. The Communities hardly ever mix and what the lady says is true....its a cultural problem.

[New Judge]

What you seem to fail to grasp, Mikey (on this and other issues) is that all people are different. Some people don’t like foreigners; others don’t like animals; some more are none too fond of grizzling children; and, pertinent to this question, some don’t like seeing babies being breast fed while they are eating their dinner. My own personal dislike is sitting in a restaurant having to watch a child in a high chair having some sort of slurry, which it clearly doesn’t fancy, shovelled into its mouth. Much of it ends up down its front before it finally refuses to have anything more to do with the exercise and ends up screaming the place down.

None of these people are prejudiced or bigoted; there are simply some things they don’t like. I cannot speak for Nando’s as I’ve never visited one. But there are some places which are clearly unsuitable for breast feeding children or for shovelling slurry down one’s neck. People with very young children who see fit to visit restaurants seem to have no appreciation or consideration for their fellow diners. Yes, breast feeding is a very natural function. As is going to the toilet. People with young children seem to be of the belief that their lives must continue very much uninterrupted after they have had their children and they simply drag their offspring round with them to places where they really should not. I quite accept that discrimination against breast feeding mothers is against the law. I find that a pity but it doesn't make me ignorant or a bigot.

[andy-hughes]

The issue for me is, by definition, someone is abusing a mother with a new-born, it may be her first baby, and she may be struggling with feeding, so to abuse her in public is unforgivable.

[Mamyalynne]

Not liking or appreciating something is perfectly acceptable and allowed, making a loud fuss about it is bad manners.

[New Judge]

I tend to agree, Mamy. However people should not be castigated or labelled as bigots because they don't like something. I would not behave as these women seemed to because (a) it's not the way I do things and (b) unfortunately the breastfeeding women was quite within her rights. But I still don't like it. And I'm still not a bigot.

[Mamyalynne]

I agree it should be a non story and would be if the young woman doing the complaining had just accepted she didn't like it but it was none of her business.

[Mamyalynne]

I don't stoop to name calling, rather point out someone's lack of understand or tolerance.

I'm quiet sure NJ you would have not have become vocal in your disapproval as happened here.

[Mamyalynne]

^ understanding

[Cloverjo]

As far as I'm aware, feeding mothers shove the babies under their tops. There's nothing to see if you don't go and stare throughout the whole thing. I've never seen anyone with a breast hanging out in public.

[anneasquith]

I'm not from NI Mikey, but I'd be offended at your remarks.

[anneasquith]

All the young bad mannered ignorant young women needed to do was change seats.

[New Judge]

As an aside, legislating to prevent prejudice against breastfeeding mothers in places such as restaurants is ridiculous. I could go along with such measures to prevent mistreatment on, say, public transport or other places where the mothers have little or no choice but to frequent. But if I ran a restaurant and knew (or felt) that most of my customers would prefer to dine without seeing a baby fed then I would be miffed if I could not insist on my rules being observed.

Nursing mothers do not have to frequent places like Nando’s with their babies in tow. Many of them fail to accept that not everybody likes their children and their habits and that their lives necessarily need some adjustments following their foray into parenthood.

And that still doesn’t make me a bigot.

[naomi24]

//I had specifically selected a table in a quiet corner of the restaurant so that I could be discreet.......she said she didn't want to see my breasts when she was eating her dinner." //

If her breasts were on view I wonder just how discreet the mother was.

[Mamyalynne]

You could open your Restaurant as a Private members Club - I'm sure we could come up with a suitable name ;-)