Breastfeeding mothers stage protest over ban at McDonald's
A group of mothers staged a protest at a branch of McDonald's after one of them was asked to leave for breastfeeding her baby.
By Richard Savill
Last Updated: 10:37PM BST 18 Jul 2008
The fast food chain has apologized to Maddie Reynolds, 27, a nursery nurse, after a junior manager asked her to stop feeding her 10-week-old daughter Sophie in public.
When she refused the request, Miss Reynolds said the manager asked her to leave the branch in Bournemouth, Dorset.
She said: "I was breastfeeding when I was asked to stop doing it by a member of staff. I said 'no' and he then said 'will you please leave?'. I refused and carried on.
"He stood and watched me for a few minutes and went away. I was quite upset but I was not prepared to leave."
Miss Reynolds, who had been on a shopping trip, returned home, and told six of her friends about her experience.
They went as a group to the restaurant and breastfed their babies as a protest.
"We just wanted to prove a point to them," Miss Reynolds said.
Another protestor, Catherine Davis, 19, who was accompanied by her seven-week-old daughter, Amelia, criticised the treatment of her friend.
She said: "It is the most natural thing to feed your baby. There is nothing wrong with it.
"I have breastfed in public and no-one has ever said anything to me. It is fine as long as you are discreet."
A third mother, Nicky Clark added: "My son is five-months-old and I am still feeding him. Luckily no-one has ever said anything to me. There is no reason why people should not be able to breastfeed."
A spokesman for McDonald's said breastfeeding mothers were welcome in its restaurants.
She said: "This manager was working unilaterally and not following company policy at all.
"We are disappointed and shocked by his actions and we would like to apologise to the customer.
"If another customer ever expressed their discomfort about breastfeeding we would encourage them to move, rather than the mum.
"What we do not want to do is to make mums feel as if they have to hide away."
The spokesman said the manager's actions "have been discussed with him and he is now fully in touch with company policy."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... ald's.html
A group of mothers staged a protest at a branch of McDonald's after one of them was asked to leave for breastfeeding her baby.
By Richard Savill
Last Updated: 10:37PM BST 18 Jul 2008
The fast food chain has apologized to Maddie Reynolds, 27, a nursery nurse, after a junior manager asked her to stop feeding her 10-week-old daughter Sophie in public.
When she refused the request, Miss Reynolds said the manager asked her to leave the branch in Bournemouth, Dorset.
She said: "I was breastfeeding when I was asked to stop doing it by a member of staff. I said 'no' and he then said 'will you please leave?'. I refused and carried on.
"He stood and watched me for a few minutes and went away. I was quite upset but I was not prepared to leave."
Miss Reynolds, who had been on a shopping trip, returned home, and told six of her friends about her experience.
They went as a group to the restaurant and breastfed their babies as a protest.
"We just wanted to prove a point to them," Miss Reynolds said.
Another protestor, Catherine Davis, 19, who was accompanied by her seven-week-old daughter, Amelia, criticised the treatment of her friend.
She said: "It is the most natural thing to feed your baby. There is nothing wrong with it.
"I have breastfed in public and no-one has ever said anything to me. It is fine as long as you are discreet."
A third mother, Nicky Clark added: "My son is five-months-old and I am still feeding him. Luckily no-one has ever said anything to me. There is no reason why people should not be able to breastfeed."
A spokesman for McDonald's said breastfeeding mothers were welcome in its restaurants.
She said: "This manager was working unilaterally and not following company policy at all.
"We are disappointed and shocked by his actions and we would like to apologise to the customer.
"If another customer ever expressed their discomfort about breastfeeding we would encourage them to move, rather than the mum.
"What we do not want to do is to make mums feel as if they have to hide away."
The spokesman said the manager's actions "have been discussed with him and he is now fully in touch with company policy."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... ald's.html
