Breastfeeding mothers hold mass ‘nurse-in’ at Hamilton shopping centre

Just two days after a Hamilton woman was told to cover up while breastfeeding in a public place, dozens of fellow mothers gathered this morning to breastfeed in the same location to show their support.

It’s a brigade of babies down at The Centre on Barton food pavilion. And while they may not know it, they’re a key part of this nurse-in organized by Monika Skarratt. it’s the same place where she was recently asked by a security guard to cover up while breastfeeding. feeling humiliated, Skarratt left, and ended up posting on Facebook about the experience.

“People were suggesting let’s do a nurse-in. Let’s go back there, reclaim the space, let’s show that nursing is beautiful, innocent, appropriate and that we have the right to nurse wherever and whenever we need to in any way that we’re comfortable.”

Dozens of mothers, fathers, babies, and supporters came out to show their solidarity.

“I thought it was important just to support breastfeeding. I’ve been turned away from lots of places and been told to cover up or just stop feeding.”

“Companies need to start training their staff, maybe including that, it is our right to be here and to breastfeed our children.”

And that’s exactly what Halton’s baby-friendly initiative aims to do.

“One of the things we have is a toolkit that we provide for businesses to give them information on how to educate their staff so their area is more baby-friendly and breastfeeding-friendly.”

Skarratt says she wants normalize breastfeeding, using signs to show it in a different perspective; even printing out a sheet for women to carry which summarizes their breastfeeding rights.

“If you’re already struggling with something like postpartum depression or just being overwhelmed as a new mother, the last thing you need is more obstacles in the way of your breastfeeding relationship.”

She hopes the nurse-in has helped give women the strength to overcome any of those obstacles, as well as educate others so that babies can peacefully be breastfed, in any manner their mothers see fit.

Skarratt was quick to say that she received a very heartfelt apology from The Centre on Barton management. It was not their employee, but rather one hired through an outside security firm who wasn’t aware of the Centre’s policy of welcoming breastfeeding mothers. Skarratt says the security company has even gone as far as to send out a memo to all its employees reminding them of the breastfeeding rights of mothers.