IKEA Sends Mother And Infant To Bathroom To Breastfeed

[mama2myangels07]

http://consumerist.com/5321585/ikea-...-to-breastfeed

[frontierpsych]

Wow, I should not have read some of the comments on there. How ignorant!

[tallulahma]

thats odd. there is a sign in our ikea that says, "you are welcome to breastfeed anywhere in our stores"

[teale]

Originally Posted by frontierpsych

Wow, I should not have read some of the comments on there. How ignorant!

Yeah, it was the comments that made me the angriest, personally.

I'm confused though. All the Ikea's I've ever been in seem to be superbly breastfeeding friendly. Nursing rooms, and signs saying that you are free to feed throughout the store.

[annettemarie]

Please do not discuss the comments, just the article. Thanks!

[eclipse]

Honestly, I'm not suprised to hear this about IKEA. When ds was a baby, they would always "suggest" in a way that didn't seem like a suggestion that I use the nursing room. I was told by a friend who worked there that employees were told to "suggest" the nursing room anytime they saw a mom breastfeeding. They weren't doing anything illegal because they weren't trying to require it or kicking anyone out or anything, but it was really annoying.

[Sandstress]

Ikea is one of the first places I went out with my newborn. I figured there were a lot of places to sit and no one in a Swedish company would yell at me for BFing. Second thoughts now...

[tbone_kneegrabber]

well i think it might be *that* ikea, cause i've nursed in ever concievable spot in both ikeas around here (conshoken and south philly) both have nursing rooms, which is great and all, but how do I know if i want that couch if i don't actually try to use it!!!

[Youngfrankenstein]

At the risk of having things thrown at me...maybe Ikea doesn't want moms nursing on the display furniture. I wouldn't want bottles to be fed on the display furniture either. You wouldn't let your toddler have a snack there. I can see nursing in the cafe or something if you didn't want the nursing room but it might have to do with the displays...I mean, Ikea and their display is how you shop there KWIM? In order, follow the arrows!

[kittywitty]

I have never nursed on their furniture, but I have very openly nursed in three different IKEAs several times and never had a word said to me. I would say it's more an employ than a company policy. I think she should send out a formal complaint, definitely.

[tallulahma]

Originally Posted by eclipse

Honestly, I'm not suprised to hear this about IKEA. When ds was a baby, they would always "suggest" in a way that didn't seem like a suggestion that I use the nursing room. I was told by a friend who worked there that employees were told to "suggest" the nursing room anytime they saw a mom breastfeeding. They weren't doing anything illegal because they weren't trying to require it or kicking anyone out or anything, but it was really annoying.

I suggested it to someone... but only because I had just come from there and it was so nice!!!! The nursing room there was amazing. Ikea is so overwhelming and busy and overstimulating... It was really nice to sit in a glider, put my feet up, nurse dd2 while dd1 played with the toys they had stocked.... it was such a pretty room. so calm. Beautiful Klimt artwork (mother and child) up on the wall.

I can see them maybe suggesting the room instead of displays... if I am looking to buy a couch and wanted to try it out, it might feel weird to sit on it with a woman nursing, I wouldnt want to invade her space... but just standing around waiting is weird too. But looking at something else and coming back can be a huge ordeal in ikea.... idk. I think its fine to do whatever... but i can see a store trying to keep the displays as just displays.

I personally wouldnt eat my lunch at one of their kitchen tables to actually try it out. I would feel so weird.

and for the record, I have nursed both my dd's ALL. OVER. that store. even on displays... so I get why people do it... it would take forever to walk all the way to a room that might be occupied.... but I also understandwhy they might suggest the room. and like I said, my ikea has a sign that specifically says, "feel free to nurse anywhere in our store"

[eclipse]

Originally Posted by Youngfrankenstein

At the risk of having things thrown at me...maybe Ikea doesn't want moms nursing on the display furniture. I wouldn't want bottles to be fed on the display furniture either. You wouldn't let your toddler have a snack there. I can see nursing in the cafe or something if you didn't want the nursing room but it might have to do with the displays...I mean, Ikea and their display is how you shop there KWIM? In order, follow the arrows!

Well, I doubt anyone would think to say anything to a mom sitting on a sofa or chair giving their baby a bottle. Aside from that, I didn't notice the article saying the mom was nursing on the display furniture. I also sat in a chair there for 20 minutes once when I was very very pregnant because, well, I got stuck and couldn't get up and had to wait for dh to come help me (he was down stairs in the wherehouse ) and no one suggested I move it along so others could try out the chair. In any case, the most notable time that it was suggested to me was when an employee chased me down in the werehouse down a long otherwise unoccupied aisle while I was nursing in a sling. So, no display hogging going on, I was almost ready to check out, and I would have had to go back upstairs through a ginormous maze to even get back to the nursing room.

[Youngfrankenstein]

^ Again, I'm not trying to justify a woman being told not to bf, I just wonder if there was any way what I said may have been a part of it. I guess in my mind, you're supposed to sit on the stuff to try it (even while pg) but you're not supposed to eat on it.

If I were that woman, regardless, I would have felt humiliated!

[Pyrodjm]

The nursing room in that particular Ikea is a handicap bathroom with a toilet,sink, arm chair and changing table in it. No dividers just one open space.

It was suggested that I use it (twice) when I went with DD when she was 6 wks old. I refused politely and continued to nursed on a bench. Once I was done, I went to check out this room I had heard so much about. Later I used the room to change DD's blowout diaper. There is no way I'm going to walk through a store full of furniture, cafe seating, etc. to nurse 6 feet from a toilet.:

[dogmom327]

Wow! I've never had a problem BF at the IKEA here. Of course this is a pretty crunchy area and I've never had a problem BF anywhere around here.

[kriket]

I live in the soggiest town in the country and haven't ever been confronted about nursing in public. Somehow I manage to do it every time I'm out. Accident? maybe.

I'm really amazed how many people think you have to heave the whole boob out. Or both boobs out.

[green_momma2007]

I think this is less a reflection on IKEA (which is very mother/baby friendly in general), and more on the American management at a particular store.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

Originally Posted by Youngfrankenstein

^ Again, I'm not trying to justify a woman being told not to bf, I just wonder if there was any way what I said may have been a part of it. I guess in my mind, you're supposed to sit on the stuff to try it (even while pg) but you're not supposed to eat on it.

If I were that woman, regardless, I would have felt humiliated!

well i would eat on the furniture, and have! They sell food, they have chairs all around, why wouldn't I sit on it and eat????? Besides the furniture that is displays, simply by virtue of being a display item is ALWAYS sold "as is" and at a deeply discounted price. Because frankly once someone has put a piece of ikea furniture together you need to know what you are doing to take it apart and put it together again.

i don't think anyone would stop me from eating their ($1!! yum frozen yogurt on a couch.

also if someone was laying on a bed trying it out, i don't think i would feel comfortable laying down next to them even if they weren't breastfeeding!

[KristyDi]

Originally Posted by Pyrodjm

The nursing room in that particular Ikea is a handicap bathroom with a toilet,sink, arm chair and changing table in it. No dividers just one open space.

It was suggested that I use it (twice) when I went with DD when she was 6 wks old. I refused politely and continued to nursed on a bench. Once I was done, I went to check out this room I had heard so much about. Later I used the room to change DD's blowout diaper. There is no way I'm going to walk through a store full of furniture, cafe seating, etc. to nurse 6 feet from a toilet.:

The bolded sentence so perfectly illustrates the absurd nature on "suggestions" to move to nursing rooms like you described. I would suggest you send a letter or e-mail to that IKEA because you express your POV so succinctly and effectively.

[mija y mijo]

Originally Posted by green_momma2007

I think this is less a reflection on IKEA (which is very mother/baby friendly in general), and more on the American management at a particular store.

I agree.