When breastfeeding out and about you are completely backed by law to feed wherever you are allowed to be publicly.
The Equality Act 2010 made it illegal for anyone to ask a breastfeeding woman to leave a public place such as a cafe, shop, train stations or on public transport in the UK.
However, even though the law is on your side it still doesn’t mean every public feed is a simple one. It can take a while to feel comfortable feeding in public. If you are new it or have been avoiding it here are a few points to consider:
💜 Most shopping centres, department stores and supermarkets should have a dedicated baby room with a nursing chair in a private area. These vary in standards and some are definitely below par but newer buildings tend to have better, cleaner baby rooms. Ask other mums if you are unsure, there may be a hidden gem in your local area!
❤ Cafes and coffee shops make a good place to feed if you don’t require complete privacy. They offer a clean comfortable space that’s less crowded and are generally baby friendly.
💙 Never feel like you need to feed your baby in the toilet! If you are at a loss for private feeding places then a changing room in a clothing store is always a good back up.
💚 The pros to feeding in public are the convenience of not having to time your outings around feeds or cut short your trips. It also means you can relieve full breasts and don’t need to worry about sterilising pumps and bottles to express before leaving the house.
🧡 If you find you still have anxiety about feeding in public it may be helpful to it talk through with a peer supporter. Our Milk Mates groups can be a really lovely and supportive place to feed in public for the first time. We also have separate private spaces to feed if that’s more comfortable for you 😊
What is it like feeding out and about in your local area? Let us know in the comments!