Rules about breastfeeding in public? Does a business have the right to ask you to leave?

Question

I have a 13 week old baby and recently I was out at the mall with him and he was hungry so I found a booth in the back of the mall near the food court so that I could breastfeed him. I was well covered - I had on a nursing bra and shirt and I also had a blanket covering myself and the baby and a security guard approached me and told me that what I was doing was not acceptable and that I would have to take my baby and leave the mall immediately. I was hurt and embarrassed so I did leave but thinking back on it I dont think that I was treated fairly. Are there any written rules about breastfeeding in public that I am maybe not aware of? I could see them saying something if I was exposing myself to everyone but that wasnt the case at all.

Answer 1

He was entirely in the wrong.  You do not even have to cover up at all.  If you want to have your breast out in the open while feeding your child in public it is your right to do so.  State laws say so...

Answer 2

Rules vary from state to state.  Which state are you in?  Some states have laws protecting your right to breastfeed in public.  Some states merely exempt you from the indecency statute.

If your state doesn't have protection laws on the books, that doesn't mean the guard did a smart thing.  You need to go to the management for the mall.

There are groups who will help you organize a nurse-in if the management doesn't issue an apology.  Do you have a local group of like-minded breastfeeding mamas?

Answer 3

That is ridiculous, and the security guard should have known better.  Your baby was hungry and had to eat.  Besides, you were discreet about it.

I would write a letter of complaint to the mall manager and let them know how you were treated.  

EDIT (To Michelle):  I guess there are some people who think a baby should just go hungry or that he should have to be fed in a bathroom stall, away from the eyes of the public.  

It's ridiculous.  If you were hungry, would YOU want to be forced to eat your lunch in a bathroom?  That's disgusting.

Answer 4

Sadly, laws vary.

But...are you certain he was opposed to you BFing, and not to loitering?

Seriously, I've BFed four children, which pretty much covers every location and situation,:) and I've never had a problem.Not once.

But if you were sitting in a food court and hadn't purchased anything to eat or drink, that might have been the issue only because they can't allow anyone to loiter if they are to discourage kids from it.

I was sitting in a market recently waiting for the catering manager and I started to feed my L.O, and an employee came over and asked if I was there for catering services. I said I was and she explained they have had a few problems with women who just sit there to nurse, without making a purchase, and then when they are asked to leave they try to make it out as if the store has a problem with BFing. Which they don't (and I know that from plenty of exerience there). All I said was yes, I was waiting to place an order, and they were fine with it. Unfortunately, there are a few women who are so deperate to make an issue,get attention, feel 'victimized', they are loitering and then manipulating the reason for their being asked to leave. While no one can make you leave, any store owner can forbid non-customers from just 'hanging out', which is reasonable. Unfortunately, maybe you paid the price for some of those women.

ETA-And I see, how many have jumped on their bandwagon, without stopping to ask details- That's what I mean by paying the price for the behavior of others.

You were in a place which is meant for people to purchase food- it is not a public seating area it is a place of commerce. Therefore, one has to ask- 'did you patronize the business' before answering the Q. Now, I'm not saying you were wrong, I'm just pointing out an example of what I mentioned above.

If you had a cup of coffee you purchased there, a bottle of water- anything that you had purchased and were thus using the space appropriately, then he was comletely out of line. But if not, well... next time, buy a drink or use a bench or a mother's room meant for public use. Live and learn...

Answer 5

There are laws to protect a breastfeeding mother's rights.  He was entirely in the wrong.  You should write a letter to the company that owns the mall and notify them of the incident.

Answer 6

call your local La Leche Leage leader and check. I think you were mistreated! I would not accept it if this happenned to me. Write a letter to the mall authorities and the community leaders about it.

Answer 7

Cry me a river! get over it. If you don't like it then do it in your home!

Answer 8

A lot of states have laws protecting breastfeeding mothers-in general, if  you and your baby have the right to be somewhere in general, you have the right to breastfeed there.  There is even a federal law that protects your right to breastfeed on federal property.

Check out the La Leche League website-I believe it is LLL.org, they will have information on the laws in various states.

You should file a complaint with the mall management office.  More than likely, this was just an uneducated man tripping on power authority and enforcing his own beliefs, rather than law.

I wish you the best!  And you were not doing anything wrong, even had you NOT been in the back, with him covered, etc.  You are feeding a baby, there is nothing shameful in that.

Answer 9

I work at Wal-Mart and I'm not even kidding this woman came thru my line just a few days ago with a spaghetti strap tanktop on.  Her shirt was pushed down so she had one breast exposed and was feeding her kid right in front of me.  She had no special shirt on, no covering over it or anything.  People in my line were absolutely in shock, but I just acted like she wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary.  I did ask management if I could have done anything and they said she wasnt exposing herself so it was fine.  

There are no rules about breastfeeding in public.  Obviously there is indecent exposure, but that usually covers the bottom half.  You had the right shirt, were in the back, they had no right to say that you had to leave.  I would definitely go to upper level management about this guard.

Answer 10

this was totally uncalled for..... you poor thing.... being treated like that by some tool security guard..... He was just probably jealous!!!!!!   I would definetly look into this....... I know there are laws that protect a womans right to breastfeed in public...... I would be pissed..... DON"T let him get away with this!

Answer 11

Most shopping malls have  a family rest room where you can nurse.  if they didn't you should have nursed in the bathroom, or pump milk for the baby next time.

Answer 12

In most places the right to breastfeed in a business is protected, but not all.  In some places harassing a woman for nursing in public is a crime punishable by a fine.

Where do you live?

Answer 13

rules do vary from state to state, but I believe there are only a handful of states that don't have a law granting the right to "breastfeed her child in any location where the mother is authorized".  That you were thrown out of the mall is a disgrace and humiliating.  Check up on the local laws in your state and at the very least send a letter to whomever manages that mall and have them educate their employees.

Answer 14

I would like to think that I would open a can of whoop a**. But I think I would do the same as  you did. Get up and leave. I would be so shocked that it wouldn't clue in to do anything until later. You should most defiantly contact someone and maybe get a lawyer to scare the c**p out of them. NO one is allowed to do that. And any person who suggests that you go to the bathroom and nurse, hasn't been there, especially a soon to be mother. I would like a pic of that. If there's a area then I will go there. In my town the local mall has a room for this. that room is decked out with soft cushions and smelly stuff and magazines. But a toilet!!! Come on!!!  

Answer 15

The language of the laws vary state to state, but in general, nursing mothers have a right to nurse in any place where she (and the baby) are otherwise allowed to be.

http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/brea...

Answer 16

In Canada, you have the right to breast feed anywhere you like.  I'd go back to the mall and file a complaint.  Check the law where you live.

Answer 17

He what?!! Does he eat when he is hungry?? I am bloody sure he does, so what right does he have to tell you that your baby cant eat?! It makes me furious. Because woman breastfeed, does that mean they cant go anywhere?

Ridiculous.... I would be looking into legal sides if I were you

Answer 18

There are laws protceting breastfeeding but any business also has the right to refuse you service for any reason.  Sucks, i breastfeed too and people look at you like ur a lepar.