Mum is incredibly banned from breastfeeding in MOTHERCARE… during National Breastfeeding Week
Clare had just sat down with five-month-old Elsa when a member of staff at the store in Edmonton, London, intervened
STUNNED mum Clare Shaw says she was banned from breastfeeding her baby in Mothercare - during National Breastfeeding Week.
The mum had just sat down with her five-month-old baby Elsa, who was crying for a feed, when an employee of the mothering retail giant intervened.
Primary school teacher Clare, 34, was urged to use a private room at the back of the store, in London, so that other customers didn't feel uncomfortable.
“I felt really upset and vulnerable. I thought perhaps I was breaking a rule or a law," said the shocked mum.
“It was only later that I felt quite angry. I wasn’t made to feel that moving to a private room was optional.
"I felt as if I was being banned from breastfeeding, in Mothercare of all places. I ended up feeding Elsa in the car.”
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She added: “The woman said customers have complained in the past. I’m not shy about breastfeeding.
"I’ve fed Elsa in museums, restaurants, cafés and shopping centres and usually no one bats an eyelid. It was the first reaction I’ve had like that.”
The incident happened during National Breastfeeding Week, an campaign supported by Mothercare.
On UNICEF's official website, the week, which runs from June 18 to 27, is described as a time for "mothers, breastfeeding supporters and health professionals to come together and share what works well to support breastfeeding in local communities".
The 2010 Equality Act made it unlawful for a firm to discriminate against woman who is breastfeeding.
Clare was with her two daughters, Elsa and Alyla, two, when she was approached int he Mothercare store.
A spokesman for Mothercare later apologised for the incident.
"Mothers can nurse their children anywhere on the premises and, for those who prefer some privacy, we provide comfortable feeding facilities," they said.
“As our Edmonton store is being refurbished and there are building workers on the premises, we suggested our customer may be more comfortable using the feeding facilities.
“We apologise for any misunderstanding.”
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