A peaceful protest to highlight the rights of mums to breastfeed in public has been held at the Westwood Cross branch of Greggs bakery store today (February 22).
Around eight mums and babies, along with several people who joined to show support, turned out to raise awareness of breastfeeding rights.
It followed an incident last weekend when Birchington mum Rebecca Reeve was told she could not breastfeed her baby in the Greggs store and should use public toilets or a bench instead.
The 23-year-old, who was able to feed her five month old son at the shopping centre’s M&S, complained to Greggs head office who have since apologised and confirmed it is not company policy to turn mums away.
It is a legal right to breastfeed in public, protected by the Equality Act 2010 which states that it is sex discrimination to treat a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding, meaning no one can ask you to stop or leave a public place due to breastfeeding. This applies to cafes, shops, public transport, and any other public space providing a service.
Rebecca, backed by her mum Vanessa, received massive support after posting to facebook about her experience, prompting resident Lauren Skye Rose to raise the idea of organising the breastfeeding gathering.
Rebecca said: “There were about eight breastfeeding mums with their babies and a few women who just came to support. Greggs gave out free water and sweet snacks.
“I hope it showed breastfeeding mums and the public in general that breastfeeding is allowed in public places and it can’t be stopped by anyone, we are protected by a law. We were within our rights to feed our babies in there.
“I felt very comfortable and very supported by the other mums who turned up. I hope that going forward it’s highlighted the laws around breastfeeding in public places.
“I accept the apology from Greggs but I don’t feel it’s enough for what they did to my family and how they made me feel as a breastfeeding mother.
“This was by no means a hate protest, it was just a group of mums with their babies sitting in Greggs, having a coffee and feeding our babies, which we are fully within our rights to do.
“I hope to carry on the campaign and make all breastfeeding mums feel supported.”
Vanessa added: “It was a lovely turn out and amazing support. A point was proven that breastfeeding can be done anywhere at any time without fear of persecution from anyone.”
Greggs say: “A mother may breastfeed in any Greggs location, irrespective of whether the mother’s breast is covered whilst breastfeeding. Greggs provides a welcoming environment to breastfeeding mothers.
“Our employees will provide a welcoming attitude and, to the fullest extent possible, encourage support from other customers as well.”
A spokesperson added that the company was working with shop teams as a matter of urgency to ensure an incident such as Rebecca experienced does not happen again.
Westwood Cross shopping centre management has sent out a message to all shops that breastfeeding mums are not to be turned away.
To mark World Breastfeeding in Public Day today (February 22) Westwood Cross gave out bags with water and nursing pads.
I’m sorry I couldn’t be there in person I struggle to walk and use crutches to hold myself up but I am in favour of all breastfeeding mommas to feed their babies everywhere and any where they feel or when their babies are wanting a feed those that say go feed your babies in toilet maybe you need to go eat in a toilet after people have been peeing and pooping and on occasions using needles for the whole day see how tou feel eating your food un an unhygienic place your a joke at end of day breastfeeding is natural and no momma should be or feel ashamed or embarrassed to feed in any place or made to feel uncomfortable.
GO BREASTFEEDING MOMMAS 100%
Well done those women. Wish could have joined you too. As an professional advocate of breast feeding for over twenty+ years, I am pleased that Westwood and Greggs have now supported our mothers who provide their children’s with their daily nutrition.
Well done the Mums, last week was a recruitment post for Shop Supervisor at that outlet. Probably recruited now.
Mum power !
Great work girls! 💪🏼
Brilliant response to this awful and unlawful decision by Greggs staff. It’s shameful how breast feeding rates in the UK have fallen so low. Public feeding and demonstrations like this can only help encourage mum’s to breast feed. Artificial breast milk is just that – artificial. It’s produced for profit not infant wellbeing, so it’s in the commercial interests of companies like Nestles to undermine any breast feeding positives. If you stop a woman breast feeding you have a dependent customer for at least six months. The cow’s milk potion is really expensive, it is environmentally damaging (production,
packaging, transport), it always carries the risk of not being made up properly, etc.
Well done these women.
Or maybe women should just be able to choose how to feed their babies how they wish. No shame with formula feeding. As long as the baby is fed, that is the main thing whether that’s breast or formula milk.
Rebecca Reeve says she has accepted Greggs apology but it is not enough.
What else is it she wants ?
Money ?
Free Greggs for the rest of her life ?
Perhaps she is seeking assurance that this won’t happen to anyone else John…?
And that assurance has also been given by Greggs.
And a further assurance has been given by WWX management.
I hope each of the protesters and each of their supporters all bought Greggs products whilst they were occupying the shop . . .
Well done ladies, It should have been normalised decades ago.
Honestly, it just shows how lucky we are that we can gather together and whinge about things like this instead of real issues in the world… /Faepalm
It’s all very well and good, until you get these undisciplined street-defecating illegals openly staring – or worse.
They have the cheek to complain about me-just because I ask them to squirt some in my tea.
Thank you Benny Hill. :D