Mum breastfeeding 17-month-old son in Wetherspoon’s pub told to cover-up by worker – The Sun
A BREASTFEEDING mum was left reeling after a Wetherspoon's worker told her to cover up as she fed her 17-month-old son.
Becky Bolger was having a meal at The Square Peg in Birmingham when she was asked to conceal her boy Sebastian's head to "hide the act" from other punters.
"I did explain to her that if I covered his head it would only cause more of a scene," explained Becky, 30, who was with her sister Danielle at the time.
"I was really quite angry but tried to stay calm.
'UNCOMFORTABLE'
"I'd never been asked this before and I felt really uncomfortable for the whole time I was there because I was just trying to feed my son and I was just getting negativity."
Under the Equality Act 2010 it is illegal to ask a breastfeeding woman to leave a public place.
The stay-at-home mum, from Chelmsley Wood, said she and her sister Danielle decided to leave because they didn't want to make a scene.
"My sister was so angry she wanted to go and scream and shout," she told Birmingham Live.
"I said there is no point because we will only get kicked out if anything.
"I'm not the sort of person who likes to complain or likes confrontation.
"If I had stopped feeding my son altogether he would have screamed the place down."
Previously when we have been in that bar we have even been flashed. So me breastfeeding is nothing compared to that
The stay-at-home mum, from Chelmsley Wood, says she had struggled to breastfeed initially and only managed to do so in public with help from her local support group.
She added: "Even though I felt uncomfortable I didn't want it to affect me or stop me doing what I always do.
"It is about training for the staff, that's all it is. They just need to be more informed that they can't do that.
"As my husband pointed out, previously when we have been in that bar we have even been flashed. So me breastfeeding is nothing compared to that."
Her husband James complained to JD Wetherspoon and spread awareness online about what had happened.
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A spokesman for the chain said: "It is Wetherspoon's clear policy that breastfeeding mothers are welcome at all of our pubs.
“On this occasion a member of staff has made an error in judgement.
“We will be reinforcing the message to all our staff that all mothers are welcome to breastfeed in our pubs.”
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