Mother breastfeeding 17-month-old son told to 'cover up’ in Wetherspoons

'I couldn't understand it, I was confused and angry', Rebecca Bolger says

( SWNS)

A mother has complained to JD Wetherspoon after being ordered to “cover up” while breastfeeding her 17-month-old son by a member of staff.

Rebecca Bolger, 30, was confronted by the floor manager of The Square Peg in Birmingham as she fed her son Sebastian during lunch.

She was with her sister Danielle Harris, 22, who went to get them some soft drinks before the floor manager came over.

Ms Bolger said she was shocked and angry when she was asked to cover up and explained her son would start screaming if she did.

When she got home her husband James Bolger, 31, was furious and sent an email to the CEO and complaints team at Wetherspoons.

Ms Bolger, of Chelmsey Wood, Birmingham, said she only wants an apology and for the staff to be properly trained.

“I couldn’t understand it, I was confused and angry,” she said. ”I said to her that I have never been asked to do that before and I don’t know why I’m being asked it now.

“No one else seemed to have a problem with it, no one was even looking.

“I told her if did try to cover my son’s head, he would make more of a fuss and he’d end up screaming.

“It seemed as though she waited until my sister left the table before she came over to tell me to cover up.”

Ms Bolger said she did not want to create a scene and did not raise a complaint at the time.

“All I really want is an apology for the embarrassment I was put through,” she said. “I would also like the staff to be properly trained to know what to do and not do when someone is breastfeeding.”

Ms Bolger has tried to breastfeed using a muslin cloth, which upsets her child.

“I don’t know if my son’s age might have been the issue, it could’ve been but I’m not sure,” she said. “You’d think with her being a team leader, she’d lead by example.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) advises mothers to breastfeed their children exclusively until six months of age “to achieve optimal growth, development and health”.

After this period, the WHO encourages breastfeeding to be used intermittently to complement other nutrition until two years of age or beyond.

Ms Bolger said she has since received help from a breastfeeding support group.

“Some people even said maybe we should protest and all breastfeed outside the building,” she said.

A spokesperson for JD Wetherspoon said the member of staff had made an “error of judgement” during the incident last Thursday.

“It is Wetherspoon’s clear policy that breastfeeding mothers are welcome at all of our pubs,” the spokesperson said. ”On this occasion a member of staff had made an error of judgement.

“We will be reinforcing the message to all of our staff, that all mothers are welcome to breastfeed in our pubs.”

SWNS