Mothers prevented from breastfeeding at a conference designed to promote it

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A group of mothers have complained after they were told that the venue holding a conference on nursing babies was ‘not designed to accommodate’ breastfeeding.

The Breastfeeding Summit organized by the Scottish government had been planned for health workers and volunteers to kick start a year long commitment in promoting the practice.

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The Independent reports: A number of women with babies who requested to attend the event, however, complained after they were told the venue was “not designed to accommodate” breastfeeding, The Scottish Sun has reported.

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The Scottish Government has now arranged for facilities to be provided for the event at Murrayfield Stadium, in Edinburgh, following the complaints.

Elise Stirling, who runs parenting consultancy Bond, Baby!, said she was sent an email by organisers informing her it was “not appropriate” to breastfeed at the event, after she had informed them of her dietary requirements because she was breastfeeding.

She told The Independent: “It basically said thank you for your response, but it’s not appropriate for nursing mothers to bring their babies, we will organise a separate meeting for mothers of babies.

“I was absolutely dumbfounded – I couldn’t believe it at all, so much so that I actually had to go back and check the e-mail word for word to make sure I wasn’t mistaken.”

She said she became angry however after speaking to others about the e-mail, although she admitted she was also amused by the “blunder” – adding the “irony is unbelievable”.