Breastfeeding rights

A local woman is rallying fellow mothers to take part in a “nurse-in” this weekend after she says she was humiliated while breast feeding in public this week. The “nurse-in” is aimed at bringing attention to the breastfeeding rights of women.

It stems from a recent experience the woman had while she was breastfeeding in public here in Hamilton at a place she frequents regularly. she says she was shocked to have been treated the way she was, and she’s now making it her mission to inform other mothers of their rights when it comes to breastfeeding.

This is how Monika Skarratt breastfeeds her youngest child Calista whether she’s at home or out in public. But Thursday evening, this became an issue for her at The Centre on Barton food court: “I saw the security guard near our table and he asked ma’am, do you have a blanket? And I kind of knew where he was going, but I asked why, and he said ‘oh, to cover up'”

He said other patrons had complained and that the food court was private property. Monika and her family left. But she didn’t take the encounter lightly: “I felt very hurt and angry and also humiliated.”

And Monika had every right to be upset. Breastfeeding is protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A woman has the right to breastfeed in any location, whether it’s public or private property that’s open to the public.

The Centre on Barton declined to comment on camera, saying the issue has been resolved. Monika received the following apology from management stating: “I sincerely apologize for the embarrassment this would have caused you. You can rest assured that this was a one-off incident, and will never happen again.”

Halton’s health department says people can learn from this incident.

Jennifer Schmidt, Halton Region Health Department: “So we can actually go in and talk to business owners to see what we can do to help support them, look at their organizations policies around the environment they provide for breastfeeding and really look at an opportunity to educate and support breastfeeding in the community.”

And while Monika did accept the apology, she is organizing a nurse-in at the food pavilion to educate others so that what happened to her won’t happen to another mother who may already be insecure about breastfeeding in public.

Monika: “If we can reach one person to show hey, it’s normal, it’s beautiful, it’s appropriate, it’s your right, and we’re behind you, that’s what we’re hoping to tell all the nursing mums out there, together, we can do this.”