This was posted on USENET (for those of you who are not up on the terminology,
it's a kind of bulletin board that's accessible to anyone on the 'net).  I
thought that some of our Australian friends might want to contact this woman
and give her the information and support she needs to make this incident count
for mothers and babies throughtout the country.  Please address your responses
to her at: <[log in to unmask]>

Rachael Hamlet

In misc.kids.breastfeeding, [log in to unmask] wrote:

>Interesting topic and how timely!  I was chucked out of a food court
>today for this very reason.  Actually it was my friend who was
>breastfeeding..my baby was asleep in his stroller, but a security guard
>at the CROWN entertainment complex in Melbourne (get that name down
>everyone and boycott like crazy) approached my friend who was feeding her
>3 month old baby and told her she would have to leave the food court as
>breastfeeding in the food court was ...AGAINST THEIR POLICY!!!!!  My
>friend was all set to cooperate with him, but I was aghast, and demanded
>to know more about this so called "policy".  I must have told him a good
>half dozen times how horrified I was by his request that she leave the
>food court.  She was pretty upset and didnt' want to stay anymore, even
>though he kindly offered to personally escort her to the baby change room
>where she sit and feed her baby or could use the microwave (what for??)
>Of course, I pointed out that this would mean that she, her husband,
>myself and our other 3 children would all have to pack up our lunches and
>move up to the baby change room as well, since the whole idea of going
>out to lunch TOGETHER was to be in each other's company, but he insisted
>that breastfeeding was offensive and the issue was not negotiable.  I
>pointed out I would be contacting the media, the Nursing Mothers'
>Association, and the management of the centre (and yes I did immediately
>upon my return home!) and I also told him I would be broadcasting the
>details all over the internet..(which I am) I haven't actually used this
>newsgroup before, so I have no clue whether this is working..and I don't
>know how to find this again tomorrow if I want to check replies, but it's
>a start..any offers of help graciously accepted (hint hint)  Just as we
>were leaving, he had the nerve to come back and say it was OK for us to
>stay after all as the offended party who complained were no longer in teh
>food court, and we were now allowed to stay!  (Whatever happened to the
>'policy"?)  Anyhow, good luck with the crusade against Victoria's Secret.
> If it were in Australia, I'd boycott like a shot.  I used to live in
>Canada and the US for 5 years, so I know the store.  I am also mortified,
>saddened and whatever else, that this woudl happen in Australia.  I was
>always so proud of our liberal attitudes here :-)  Now my American
>friends can laugh at me!  My 16 month old just weaned himself a couple of
>months ago.  I would have given ANYTHING to have been able to have
>whipped him out of his stroller and breastfed in that security officer's
>face.  He really ruined my day.  Anyone reading this who lives in
>Melbourne or who is planning on visiting, please be aware that your
>breastfed babies are NOT welcome at CROWN at Melbourne's Southbank unless
>you banish yourself to the change room for feeding!
>
>Cheers, Cath
>
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