[Mrluvaluva]

Who would want to feed their child in a bathroom anyway? It's pretty unhygenic isn't it?

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Mrluvaluva
Who would want to feed their child in a bathroom anyway? It's pretty unhygenic isn't it?

I agree on this one - I was talking to another Caffe Nero barista and she is of the same mind of you and other posters such as Sunny_01. So maybe Caffe Nero, (touch wood) is a bit more enlightened.

What I was getting at though is that sometimes a person can be put in an awkward position. In my scenario, you could point out to the complainant that since 06 April 2008 a law came into affect to prevent discrimination of the mother and that your hands were tied, by law. Whether that would stop him going and taking valuable business with him, I could not say.

The Barista I spoke to did wonder about special rooms, as a provision until I mentioned that this was effectively segregation. This does seem to be a minefield for the unwary employer / shopowner

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by Sticks

I agree on this one - I was talking to another Caffe Nero barista and she is of the same mind of you and other posters such as Sunny_01. So maybe Caffe Nero, (touch wood) is a bit more enlightened.

What I was getting at though is that sometimes a person can be put in an awkward position. In my scenario, you could point out to the complainant that since 06 April 2008 a law came into affect to prevent discrimination of the mother and that your hands were tied, by law. Whether that would stop him going and taking valuable business with him, I could not say.

The Barista I spoke to did wonder about special rooms, as a provision until I mentioned that this was effectively segregation. This does seem to be a minefield for the unwary employer / shopowner

I understand the point you made about it raising a quandary for an employee, but I don't suppose there is anything a member of staff can do about it. Maybe the establishment should make better provisions for a scenario of this kind with designated facilities specifically for this nature. I still think that is wrong though and cannot see why certain members of the public are so hung up on this.

Women reveal their breasts on page 3 of The Sun (as it has been mentioned) purely for a sexual purpose. This is for a completely different purpose and there should be no shame in doing so imo.

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Mrluvaluva
Maybe the establishment should make better provisions for a scenario of this kind with designated facilities specifically for this nature. I still think that is wrong though

That is kind of what I told the Barista this morning

Special Provisions = (We are hiding you away so as not to frighten the horses)

[x.Nicola.x]

I don't really have anything against it, but I probably wouldn't do it myself when I have children.

My aunty did it in public though when my cousin was alot younger. But I wasn't really old enough to understand all that.

[rachb]

I fed my son when he was a baby but never felt comfortable feeding him in public so used to have to plan my trips out between feeding times.It is very frustrating when you're out that there aren't many places that have a mother and baby room.I think the solution would be to provide an area in places that allow families for a mother to feed her baby.Certainly the toilet is not an exceptable place.They are building smoking shelters in the pubs and some restuarants but can't supply a room for mothers.

[sol]

I think mothers should be allowed to breastfeed in public. It's natural. If you have a problem with it, look away.

[AngRemembered]

Originally posted by sol
I think mothers should be allowed to breastfeed in public. It's natural. If you have a problem with it, look away.

So is urinating (and some would argue this is more of an emergency) ok to do in public, if others just look away?

[Princess]

Originally posted by AngnAndy

So is urinating (and some would argue this is more of an emergency) ok to do in public, if others just look away?

There are facilities provided in most places for urination. Theres not many places where a mother can breastfeed privately if her baby needs food.

[AngRemembered]

There are facilities provided in most places for urination. Theres not many places where a mother can breastfeed privately if her baby needs food. [/quote]


So there are as many places to perform one private need as there are another, surely this means the same rule for both then, in fairness?

[Princess]

Originally posted by AngnAndy
There are facilities provided in most places for urination. Theres not many places where a mother can breastfeed privately if her baby needs food.

So there are as many places to perform one private need as there are another, surely this means the same rule for both then, in fairness? [/quote]

Are you saying that people can breastfeed in toilets?

[Sticks]

According to The Daily Mail article here

Under current laws, women who breastfeed in places such as restaurants or bars can be charged under public order or indecency legislation.

Which indicates that under current legislation it is illegal to breastfeed in public.

Therefore women for the time being should not!

If the child needs feeding use a bottle or do it in the toilets - it's the law

[Sticks]

Hang on

This other Daily Mail article

Seems to say it is not illegal

There is no law against breastfeeding in public, but Labour MP David Kidney has introduced a Bill to Parliament under the Ten Minute Rule to guarantee a woman's right to feed her child anywhere without interference.

Anyone who intervened would face a penalty of up to £2,500.

So what is the current law?

[sol]

Originally posted by AngnAndy

So is urinating (and some would argue this is more of an emergency) ok to do in public, if others just look away?

Since when did I say that?
Urinating in public is unhygenic, breatfeeding in public isn't. Also urinating in public isn't normal behaviour whereas breastfeeding in public is.
Totally different kettle of fish...

[Sticks]

As I mentioned above, it seems the current law is unclear, one article from the same newspaper appears to contradict another.

If it is technically an offence, then sorry I will have to be against breastfeeding in public, no matter how discrete, because I can not condone the breaking of the law.

If it is not an offence in law, I have no objections, given what has been said by the WHO

So some legal clarification would be nice here, but in absence of any clarrification it would be best to err on the side of it being unlawful to avoid the possible committing of any offence

[AngRemembered]

Also urinating in public isn't normal behaviour whereas breastfeeding in public is.
Totally different kettle of fish... [/quote]

neither is it "normal behavior" to breastfeed in public, it can also lead to prosecution, although this would be an extreme case, a polite stop it would make more common sense.
Which would'nt be afforded to people urinating in public for the hygene reasons you mention.
Either way, I picked up on your point as your answer to the problem was for people to merely look away.
Looking away could be an answer to solving most 'minor public dissorders' for that matter.
Sorry, but why should I look away when someone else is in the wrong, breastfeeding is a choice if one makes that choice simple DO IT IN PRIVATE

[Lauren]

The only alternative to it is to feed a baby in a bathroom. I wouldn't eat my meals from a bathroom and I certainly would not expect my baby to.

It's natural, and unless every single business provides somewhere hygienic and nice for the baby to feed - then it should happen in public.
(Also a point against the 'urinating' point someone brought up. Businesses and services provide toilets, they don't provide private baby feeding areas that aren't toilets!).

[Jackie]

Why shouldn't woman breast feed in public i don't see how it could be deemed offensive its natural.

[Sticks]

Originally posted by jackie46
Why shouldn't woman breast feed in public i don't see how it could be deemed offensive its natural.

I am sympathetic to this, but because of an article in the DM, there is a legal question mark and until that is cleared up, the safest thing to assume is that it is not acceptable.

[Lauren]

Originally posted by Sticks

I am sympathetic to this, but because of an article in the DM, there is a legal question mark and until that is cleared up, the safest thing to assume is that it is not acceptable.

I'd rather risk prosecution than feed my baby in an unhygienic toilet.

[spitfire]

Originally posted by Princess

There are facilities provided in most places for urination. Theres not many places where a mother can breastfeed privately if her baby needs food.

Why can't they use those expresso things and fill a bottle up before they leave the house?

[Lauren]

Originally posted by spitfire

Why can't they use those expresso things and fill a bottle up before they leave the house?

Loses nutrients.

[Sticks]

But it would keep you on the right side of the law as it presently appears to stand.

[Lauren]

Originally posted by Sticks
But it would keep you on the right side of the law as it presently appears to stand.

Indeed, but I stand by my point that I'd rather be on the wrong side of the law than to feed my child in a toilet!

[Sticks]

It would be good to find out what the present law currently says

The DM 2005 article said it was not unlawful, but then the 2008 one says it the mother could be charged under public order or indecency legislation.