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Whole Foods  

post #1 of 33
4/28/07 at 9:42pm
Thread Starter 
I'm not sure if this is typical, but I was seriously offended today at our new Whole Foods store in Birmingham, AL. I took my 4 year old into the handicapped stall to go potty and right next to the toilet, like an inch away from it, there was a metal folding chair with a big sign hanging on the wall above "Nursing chair" This was IN THE STALL NEXT TO THE TOILET!!!

I was upset, but realizing this is a new store, I decided to wait to tell the manager my thoughts. When they first opened they had no changing table, then a folding utility table with a changing pad on top, then a few weeks later they got a real changing station that attached to the wall in the bathroom. I'm hoping they follow the same progression with the nursing chair but the location really gets me!

I'm going to call the manager tomorrow once I get my thoughts in order, but I wanted to ask you all if this is typical? Do your local WF stores have nursing areas? If so where? I'd like to make suggestions to the manager if I get him/her on the phone.
post #2 of 33
4/28/07 at 9:47pm
Before you get too upset, be sure the appearance of the chair isn't a response to women who prefer to breastfeed in a private location. It's too bad all they have available is the restroom, but as a grocery store and not a big mall or other family oriented area, they really can't be expected to have a family nursing room with couches and whatnot. Learn their corporate bf policy before you contact the local store as well.

Ack. I'm NOT trying to stir up trouble here, just a mama with some bf difficulties who prefers to nurse in a more private area, wherever that may be.
post #3 of 33
4/28/07 at 9:55pm
Thread Starter 
I understand that, believe me, but to put it in the stall, next to the toilet? C'mon! I'm sure they could find a better place, after all this is Whole Foods we're talking about. They have a kids play area, heck, they even have a sink with lovely organic lavender scented soap out in the open (not in the bathrooms) so you can wash your hands before you eat and nice Melissa and Doug toys for the kids to play with, storytime every friday, a sushi bar, organic, gluten free vegan bakery items.... They have so many things other stores don't have, yet they can't come up with a better place for a nursing area.
post #4 of 33
4/28/07 at 10:00pm
They don't have that at my whole foods, I've seen ladies walking around with their babies in ergo's with a boob in their mouth. My WF has a large cafe area where i've seen other moms bf'ing.

As long as they aren't trying to send you into the bathroom to feed your baby, maybe someone would want to use it if they don't feel comfortable out in the open.
post #5 of 33
4/28/07 at 10:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kathywiehl View Post
I'm not sure if this is typical, but I was seriously offended today at our new Whole Foods store in Birmingham, AL. I took my 4 year old into the handicapped stall to go potty and right next to the toilet, like an inch away from it, there was a metal folding chair with a big sign hanging on the wall above "Nursing chair" This was IN THE STALL NEXT TO THE TOILET!!!

I was upset, but realizing this is a new store, I decided to wait to tell the manager my thoughts. When they first opened they had no changing table, then a folding utility table with a changing pad on top, then a few weeks later they got a real changing station that attached to the wall in the bathroom. I'm hoping they follow the same progression with the nursing chair but the location really gets me!

I'm going to call the manager tomorrow once I get my thoughts in order, but I wanted to ask you all if this is typical? Do your local WF stores have nursing areas? If so where? I'd like to make suggestions to the manager if I get him/her on the phone.
This is NOT typical. Most Whole Foods stores have an eating area with many chairs and they don't care if women nurse while walking around the store, in the eating area in one of the chairs, or even in the bathroom if they feel most comfortable there. Whole Foods, in general, is extremely supportive of nursing and wouldn't do something like that which sort of implies that nursing should be done in the bathroom.

If I were you I would complain to the store. Explain that, while it would be nice to have a comfy chair in the bathroom (for mothers who prefer to nurse privately, and just in general), a folding chair in a stall is offensive. While it may not have been their intention, it seems to imply that nursing should be done in a stall. And explain WHY nursing in a stall is such a bad thing. Whole Foods may have high sanitation standards, but even so it is still pretty disgusting to nurse in a bathroom.

I can almost guarantee they'll respond very positively. If they don't, take it higher up. I cannot imagine that anyone in a position to answer your requests wouldn't be very understanding and respectful. Whole Foods is a great company and while there are some bad seeds in the bunch (as with any company), overall they are very thoughtful and great. They're a very family based company so implying that a woman should nurse in the bathroom stall on an uncomfortable folding chair is not typical of them.
post #6 of 33
4/28/07 at 10:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kathywiehl View Post
I understand that, believe me, but to put it in the stall, next to the toilet? C'mon! I'm sure they could find a better place, after all this is Whole Foods we're talking about. They have a kids play area, heck, they even have a sink with lovely organic lavender scented soap out in the open (not in the bathrooms) so you can wash your hands before you eat and nice Melissa and Doug toys for the kids to play with, storytime every friday, a sushi bar, organic, gluten free vegan bakery items.... They have so many things other stores don't have, yet they can't come up with a better place for a nursing area.
That enrages me.

Why doesn't MY Whole Foods have a play area and story time every Friday?!
post #7 of 33
4/28/07 at 10:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by smeep View Post
That enrages me.

Why doesn't MY Whole Foods have a play area and story time every Friday?!
The Whole Foods by my parents also doesn't have all of these things (we don't have a WF by me but I want one). All those things for the kids sounds great.
post #8 of 33
4/28/07 at 10:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by smeep View Post
That enrages me.

Why doesn't MY Whole Foods have a play area and story time every Friday?!
You're enraged? My area doesn't even have a whole foods, I have to drive 2.5 hours to go to one just so I can buy my husband his scones!!!!!!

Anyway, I'm one of the mamas who walk around nursing DD. I did not notice any type of chair like that in the bathroom. I would just tell the manager you noticed, and perhaps ask what the store policy is on nursing. Most stores I've been in (Florida especially) woman are nursing like the OP said.
post #9 of 33
4/29/07 at 12:16am
The whole foods by us is so old the 2 carts can barely fit down an aisle together, and on the weekends its wall to wall people. Ours doesn't have the whole sit down cafe either, mostly just in the breezeway.

At ours I could see why they may have a chair in the bathroom (although I don't think they do, as i seem to remember that its a one person bathroom)as its totally impossible to move around inside the store especially if your with someone.
post #10 of 33
4/29/07 at 12:47am
Thread Starter 
Okay, I gotta brag on our WF store... we have a sushi bar right there in the store! Also, lots of other hot and cold foods and prepared coffees (think starbucks) right there in the store, free wifi access, huge salad and hot food/soup bar. Many many really cool things! Ours is their newest I think and they mentioned during the pre-opening tour that we were the first to get a sushi bar!!!

Anyway, back OT... I called and explained that I noticed the chair in the stall with the sign and I just asked if they would please find a cleaner, more sanitary place for nursing babies to eat privately. I used the words "eat" and "sanitary" because I had no idea who I was talking to and I thought if I explained it that way, she would understand even if she's not a bfing advocate. I also told her that some mamas might be offended and that while I nurse discreetly out in the open, other mamas might need a more private area but I feel that sitting next to the toilet is inappropriate for humans of any age to be having lunch.

Hopefully she understands my point and she said she will pass it on to her management. FWIW, I did ask for a manager when I called, but apparently there was none available. She did say she is the supervisor on duty so mabye that will help some. I'm asking all of my local mamas to call and give suggestions as well.

I do think it was an honest mistake, but it is offensive regardless of the intention. No one should be encouraged to sit next to a toilet and consume food, even if they are the child of a shy mama.
post #11 of 33
4/30/07 at 1:56am

Call back

Hopefully she understands my point and she said she will pass it on to her management. FWIW, I did ask for a manager when I called, but apparently there was none available. She did say she is the supervisor on duty so mabye that will help some. I'm asking all of my local mamas to call and give suggestions as well.


You need to call back and speak to a manager. My dh is a retail manager and please trust me when I say the message won't get through until you get to a person who can actually make a decision.
post #12 of 33
4/30/07 at 4:59am
I hope that she understands Kathy, but do you think that it was just because it's in Alabama?
post #13 of 33
4/30/07 at 6:28am
I wish we had a Whole Foods. Or a Trader Joe's. I miss them from when we lived in Seattle. Oh, to have a nice grocery store again.
post #14 of 33
4/30/07 at 6:23pm
I used to work (briefly) for WFM here in Louisville, and actually, some of the people that I used to work with are transferring to your store in Birmingham They are verrah laid back, wonderful people and I would be shocked if they had a problem with bfing mamas.

Our WFM, by the way, also does not have a play area and storytime Bummer!!
post #15 of 33
4/30/07 at 7:39pm
Thread Starter 
Erika, nope I don't think it has anything to do with being in Alabama. This area is pretty much the opposite of what you think of when you think Alabama, especially Mountain Brook, where the store is located. I just think someone wasn't thinking when they did that. Hopefully next week when I go back, the chair won't be there. I'm going to write a letter to them as soon as I can.
post #16 of 33
5/1/07 at 1:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ErikaLeigh View Post
do you think that it was just because it's in Alabama?
post #17 of 33
5/1/07 at 1:20am
FWIW, I nurse in that Whole Foods all the time, with nothing but approving smiles from everyone who works there. I have never been in the bathroom, so I've never seen the chair, but I've nursed in the eating area, walking around the store, and sitting on a bench outside waiting for my friend to check out, without any problems whatsoever.

The chair thing stinks, though. Even though I won't use "nursing lounges" or the like (I WANT people to see me nurse) I still think if they are going to have them they shouldn't be IN the bathroom, much less a stall. I'll ask to speak to a manager about it next time I'm there to see if its just a temporary solution. Who wants to eat in the bathroom? Ick.
post #18 of 33
5/1/07 at 1:23am
On the rare occasion that I go to Whole Foods, I see women walking around nursing.

I'd like to have a chair in the bathroom to sit on while I nurse. I would LOVE to BF right out in the open, but DD2 has other ideas. She's easily overstimulated and won't latch on/stay on unless we're in a quiet are. She screams when I try and I try every time she gets hungry when we're out somewhere.
post #19 of 33
5/1/07 at 4:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mbhf View Post

Care to explain?
post #20 of 33
5/1/07 at 4:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kathywiehl View Post
Erika, nope I don't think it has anything to do with being in Alabama. This area is pretty much the opposite of what you think of when you think Alabama, especially Mountain Brook, where the store is located. I just think someone wasn't thinking when they did that. Hopefully next week when I go back, the chair won't be there. I'm going to write a letter to them as soon as I can.

Kathy -- I need to get up there but I'm scared that I would get lost! Maybe I can ride with you once I get up there.

I would take it to AM and ask them to write with you!!
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