The Breastfeeding Chronicles – Bit of a Boob.
This week, I read about a breastfeeding mother who, whilst breastfeeding her baby in a high street store, was not only asked to stop breastfeeding her baby and move to somewhere more discreet but when she refused, her baby was removed from her breast so the female could be removed from the store.
But you know what makes me even angrier? When stories like this aren’t true.
Yep. The woman apparently made it up. Or at least no evidence (CCTV or witnesses) have been found to support her claim. Why she lied? Who knows. But what’s worried me now is how completely damaging this has been towards the breastfeeding community.
Firstly, we breastfeeders have a tough enough time fighting against those that have issues with breastfeeding in public, not to mention fighting our own personal confidence issues when it comes to breastfeeding in public. A day doesn’t go by where there isn’t a story about how a woman has genuinely been targeted for breastfeeding in public
As a newbie to breastfeeding; if this story had been true I would have been mortified and probably never left the house, let alone visited the store in question. Thank god it isn’t, but it could have. I had a tough enough time gaining confidence to feed outside, and I don’t usually give a hoot about anything. I dread to think the effect it could have or may have already had on someone who’s naturally nervous/shy.
Stories like this, where the woman has been found out to be lying, not only make us breastfeeders look aggressive, like we’re going to shout and scream, or immediately accuse anyone who approaches us of harassment when they might not be, but it completely belittles our cause – giving any genuine bad experience room for doubt!
Secondly, and probably the most upsetting outcome of this, is that a popular breastfeeding Facebook page (one that I follow and have visited on a number of occasions for support) called “Free to Feed” is now in the process of deleting their page for reasons I have attached.
I am deeply saddened by this and have only become more angry at the whole, unnecessary situation.
I have no idea why this woman lied or felt the need to create this story – I’m not sure what her gain would have been. But what I do know is that she’s done some serious damage to the breastfeeding community this week, and those within it.
It is a sad sad day.
K

That really sucks. I really hope the police charge her with wasting their time as I am told they were contacted.
Such a shame. I hope the page will come back to life one day. Breastfeeding is difficult and communities of support are so important
i’m annoyed I shared it on fb now, and was following with interest as to how it all continued, a few other people recognised her as making a fuss about being told off for feeding at a leisure centre and then of course poor old primark didn’t have anything to corroborate her story! I hope she gets the help she needs if she does have a mental health problem causing her to lie incessantly 🙁
Oh don’t be! I was following too and almost got on the mass feed at my local primark band wagon! Lol.
I hope she gets help too! I’m still just so angry at this woman – she’s caused so many issues.
I wouldn’t be surprised if primark sue or do something. Their reputation could have been in pieces because of this.