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Stores, shopping malls doing more to accommodate breastfeeding mothers in public

A sign on the front door indicates that HaliKids in Halifax is breastfeeding friendly.(Danielle Boudreau)
A sign on the front door indicates that HaliKids in Halifax is breastfeeding friendly.(Danielle Boudreau)

If you’ve had a baby in the past few years in Canada, chances are good the message from your medical professionals was likely very clear: breast is best. Most women in Canada attempt to feed their babies this way from birth.

But after meeting the 24/7 needs of a newborn at home, desperation for coffee, groceries, or a case of cabin fever will compel breastfeeding mothers to leave the house.

Don’t laugh – it can be overwhelming for a sleep-deprived parent to even consider getting a tiny infant bundled into a car seat, packing a diaper bag (which would have been large enough for a pre-baby weekend trip) and going to a mall.

Can I breastfeed in public?

Yes. In fact, it’s a human right in Canada, so you can breastfeed anywhere you’re legally allowed to be.

The Ontario Human Rights Code states that “The Code makes it against the law to discriminate against someone or to harass them because of sex, including pregnancy and breastfeeding.”

Some opponents suggest that women should cover themselves when feeding, but that’s not always a practical solution as some babies won’t feed when covered and there’s no reason why a woman should be asked to do so.

Do malls and stores have policies about breastfeeding?

Yes, many do.

While it’s no longer in Canada, Target was recently lauded for having a pro-breastfeeding stance in their department stores by an online mothering group.

You could say this was a lesson well learned from a situation in 2011, when the store faced backlash after an employee asked a customer to cover up.

Since that time though, many stores on both sides of the border have adopted pro-breastfeeding policies and practices.

Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket, Ont. says that it “demands that staff are respectful of all customers,” that customer service reps are well informed on the mall’s breastfeeding policies and that they can direct “nursing mothers to designated nursing rooms and family washrooms” if asked.

The West Edmonton Mall has a dedicated mothers’ room, the Toronto Eaton Centre has a nursing room near the food court, and the Galeries de la Capitale in Quebec City offers three spaces for mothers.

Whole Foods grocery store “supports breastfeeding,” and the Loblaws grocery chain says “our employees are asked to respect the needs and privacy of breastfeeding customers and are encouraged to inform shoppers that breastfeeding is a basic human right covered under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”

Clothing store chain H&M says that they “have a policy in place that is both respectful and welcoming of nursing mothers and that includes our full support for them to breastfeed or express milk freely in our stores,” and that this message is part of their employee training.

Do many women breastfeed?

Yes. According to Statistics Canada, 89 per cent of mothers breastfed their baby in 2011–2012, up from 85 per cent in 2003. More mothers were sticking with it too, with 26 per cent exclusively breastfeeding for at least six months, compared with 17 per cent in 2003.

“In fact, in some countries the marketing of formula is not allowed at all,” explained Dr. Phyllis Rippey, an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Ottawa. “you can’t have commercials on TV about formula, only print ads. There are rules to make it clear to people that formula is not a substitute for breast milk,” she said.

Are women still being discriminated against for breastfeeding?

“Because there’s so much public health pressure to breastfeed, and so many messages about why breastfeeding is so important and so good, it seems to me that it would be the odd case,” says Rippey of women feeling discriminated against for their choice to breastfeed in public.

But discrimination does still happen. Recently a mother in Winnipeg was told by a security guard to move to a family washroom, another woman was asked to cover herself on a plane, and in a surprising example, a woman was told she can’t breastfeed in a Babies ‘R’ Us store.

Another mother aired her complaint on social media when she was told she couldn’t feed her baby in a mall clothing store. She declined to file a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission, saying she just wanted to “raise awareness about a woman’s right to nurse.”

In a 2014 TEDx Event in South Dakota, Dr. Jenn Anderson spoke about her mission to make cities breastfeeding friendly. She gave examples of comments that make women feel embarrassed about breastfeeding in public, such as a man asking if it’s sanitary to breastfeed in a restaurant, and a woman who commented that a grocery store is “not a strip joint.”

How often does this discrimination happen?

It’s a tricky question; pro-breastfeeding groups, sometimes referred to as “lactivists,” are vocal about their rights. If a woman is told she should move or cover up, it’s often by an employee who isn’t speaking for a company and doesn’t understand the law concerning the act. Stores that have discriminated against a breastfeeding woman sometimes learn the hard way that it’s not a good idea, sometimes facing a nurse-in.

But an unscientific poll on a large parenting Facebook group found many positive or neutral breastfeeding stories, while the few negatives seemed to come from family members.

“I’ve been a La Leche leader for 35 years and I can look back and see where it was very common, quite a big issue ... while we still hear about it, they’re more isolated situations,” said Teresa Pitman, of the La Leche League of Canada, a breastfeeding support group.

What should a woman do if she is asked to stop breastfeeding?

If you ask any store or restaurant, their official policy will invariably state that breastfeeding women will be welcomed, but it does still happen.

“I know some women who are pretty confident in themselves and breastfeeding and their understanding of the law who would simply say ‘no,’ and explain that they have the legal right to be there,” said Pitman.

“But if you’re a new mom and you’re just getting started and figuring out this whole breastfeeding thing anyway, sometimes those moms feel pretty intimidated, and may choose to leave with the baby,” she said.

If you’re breastfeeding in public and an employee asks you to move or leave, you can report the incident to the Human Rights Commission in your province.

You can also contact the La Leche League, a national organization of trained volunteers who promote breastfeeding, for assistance.

“People are more and more going to social media, and sometimes that can be a good way of educating people, of letting people know ‘you made a mistake there,’” said Pitman.

“I hope it’s not seen as just trying to shame people, but I think it can be a way to educate people, and to let people know there’s a lot of breastfeeding mothers out here, and we are increasingly aware of what our rights are.”