Is London/Surrey BF Friendly?

[wetcement101]

My dh is from Surrey, and we are visiting y=the il's for the holidays.
i'm really excited about a long plane ride with a 1 yr old (not). I'm also not excited about breast feeding in the UK. Every parent I know there used formula and asks when I'm weaning dd. Should I expect to be escorted into the wc to nurse, or is it more BF friendly now???

[zoe196]

Plenty of bfing here-- there is always the raised eyebrows and misunderstanding from some but support from others. Can't see you having a prob w/ a one year old...and I flew with my ds when he was that age and bfing makes the journey SO much more manageable-- I recommend saving some bfing for take-off and landing in particular as it sorts out the ear pressure problem brilliantly IME.

Good Luck!

Zoe, mama to Thomas 1/06

[NW6Londonmum]

I have bfed in London for the past 4 years and never once received a comment or even a glare.
I wouldn't worry about it.

[orangefoot]

Yes people talk about formula but breastfeeding bashing in public is getting to be an unpopular pastime I think.

People might look at you with dread when they see you with a 1yo on the plane but they will be thankful you are a bf mum when they see how easily she is calmed with the boob! I had a compliment about how peaceful my ds1 was when I flew night flight from Mexico City to London when he was that age with my boob in his mouth almost all the way.

[Nuala]

From my experience I have the general impression that in the UK people have a higher sense of "modesty" than in my own country (Spain) and was a bit worried about my complete lack of the same (modesty) when it came to breastfeeding.

However I did bf my second child everywhere in small rural areas of Northern Ireland and in London for a year. Not a single time I felt anything but support from everybody.

[wetcement101]

Mums,

Thank you so much for your reassuring posts. I really appreciate it!

[emamum]

breastfeed all you want, its illegal for them to ask you to stop in the uk

[elsa1975]

No worries as other posters said.
I'm also living in Surrey and no one has ever said anything to me yet.

[NW6Londonmum]

Sadly - wish the previous poster was correct - but in fact in parts of the UK it is not illegal for someone to ask you to stop bfing.
In Scotland only it is a protected right.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland retail and service industries are not allowed to discriminate against you on the basis you are breastfeeding i.e. you can't be asked to leave a restaurant or shop (reaffirmed with new legislation last year but some say protected since the 1970s equality legislation). However that is not the same thing as full 'coverage'.
There is talk of legislation giving full protection up to 6 months!!!! (It's 2 years in Scotland). So England and Wales and Northern Ireland have some way to go.

But there isn't legislation protecting my right to eat a sandwich on the High Street either. The lack of the law doesn't stop people happily bfing everywhere.

[emamum]

the bf thing is part of the equality legislation

[NW6Londonmum]

The single equality bill is a new hope and has just finished its consultation period and should hopefully go through in the 2008-2009 session (as the queen announced). Still only goes up to 12 months though unlike in Scotland.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...in-public.html

[flapjack]

I've had two negative comments in close on 7 years (total) of breastfeeding. Once was in Swindon, and that's easily fixed, just don't come here. The other was sat at a table on a train with, I kid you not, a rabbi, a businessman who was braying into his mobile phone (in the late 1990s) and an elderly gentleman. I had a reserved seat, because I was travelling on an APEX ticket, and the lovely conductor upgraded the two of us to first class : when I complained.
Most people don't know it isn't actually illegal to complain about breastfeeding in public here... use it to your advantage.

[wetcement101]

Dear Mums,

We had a great trip all around. My only wacky bf moment involved my fil in their lounge. I was nursing dd without a blanket cover because I thought my in laws had gone to bed. Fil came in a patted dd. I held her head close to breast tightly, but she forced her head up and smiled the sweetest smile at him. Then I let down and sprayed her cheek. It all happened so fast I didn't know what to do. He wasn't wearing his glasses so he might not have even realized that we were nursing. Not that that stopped me from praying for a quick death...

[NW6Londonmum]

Awwww... that actually sounds like a sweet moment. Although if I picture it as me and my FIL I can sympathize with the quick death thing.