Breastfeeding...Yes or No

[David]

On reading the On Line page of the Leyland Guardian, I noticed they have a poll running asking if local businesses should provide areas for breastfeeding. The poll is presently tied at 50% each way.
What is your view ?

[Martin]

It's a difficult question to answer. How many breast feeding women are there and would the numbers justify having an area all to themselves?

I've been to friends houses and they have breast fed as part of their normal routine while I've been there. I don't have any problem with it as long as it's done without too much exhibitionism.

[shuffy]

I very much doubt that there are enough breastfeeding mums about to make it worthwhile for seperate areas.Like Martin said as long as its done fairly discreetly then I don't see a problem. The only problem are the people who are always on the look out for something to complain about!![V][V]

[William R]

I once went into a Little Chef for a meal when a young couple came into the place with a baby. They sat discreetly in the corner and the mother began to breast feed the baby.

An irate customer got up and went over to them and said "How dare you do that in a restaurant before my wife?" Much embarrassment all round resulted in the young couple leaving at once, much comment from the other customers about behaviour of the irate customer, who left rapidly.

My sarcastic comment to him should have been "I`m sorry, I didn`t know that it was her turn!" Instead I joined in the comments of "Disgraceful, etc" as he left. The Chef lost four customers through intolerance, I did not think anything of it as now, having three great grandchildren and another "on the way", I believe it is the most natural thing in our complicated lives today. Well done to all B.F. mothers. William R.

[Martin]

women have been doing it for many thousands of years.

[David]

I wonder why the Guardian brought that subject up in the first place. When yoou think about it, it's what Martin said in his first post...just how many breastfeeding women are there in a town as small as Leyland to warrent having a special room ?

[noel]

I don't see why businesses should.
That's not to "diss" as the americans say BF women, but surely they know when baby is due a feed to the nearest half hour or so, so feed baby before you pop into Sainsburys or wharever, or am I missing the point/giving a typical male respomse??

[Alan Marsden]

Noel, your not giving male response, just a rational one, a special room used once'every blue moon' is an unnecessary expense, it has no logical justification, mind you that probably means some 'lefty ' group will demand it !!

[Spitfire]

This subject is closly tied in with disabled access. Many ,many small businesses would go to the wall if they were compelled to provide special rooms (B.F.) or wide isles and ramps for wheelchairs. It`s not that the shop-keepers discriminate, it`s more a case of being physicaly impossible due to lack of space.

[Caroline]

Perhaps the answer might be to combine the needs of breastfeeders with those of weak-bladdered mature folk by providing toilets with an attendant and baby room throughout towns .
I breast fed both my children for two years each. Living near Heskin meant I had to catch a bus to Leyland, go shopping, then walk up to my Mum's in Bent Lane- which took a few hours. I have even sat on the steps of the pub at the Cross and breast fed while waiting there for the Wigan bus! During those years, I never had any complaints from the public, quite the opposite, for most people it brought back lovely memories of their own children ( seeing me, one old man was moved to tears, remembering his wife and their baby). Or if the larger businesses (eg Tesco, or does it??) had facilities, shopping itineraries could be planned around these.
The more breast feeding's seen to be the acceptable norm, the better for the nation's future health.