All About Women | Women

During the next few weeks, I plan to do a spotlight on the various breastfeeding support agencies, both in the UK, and abroad. If you would like to have your support network spotlighted, please send me some blurb, and illustrations. First up is... La Leche League GB. "La Leche" is Spanish for "The Milk"!

La Leche League aims to help mothers to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information and education and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.
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Founded in 1956 by a group of seven mothers in the USA, La Leche League (LLL) today has more than 3,000 groups meeting in 62 countries, with over 8,000 accredited Leaders (breastfeeding counsellors) worldwide.

Leaders accredited by LLL are mothers who have breastfed for 12 months or longer and who believe in LLL's philosophy of mothering, which centres on the baby’s needs. All Leaders are trained in breastfeeding management, counselling and group management skills.

At its inception, LLL was a pioneer of self-help and peer support, and its mother-to-mother breastfeeding help has been at the heart of LLL’s work ever since. Local groups have been offering support and information to women in England, Scotland and Wales since the late 1960s. Currently there are close to 80 groups meeting around Great Britain. Within their local communities, Leaders help breastfeeding mothers at meetings, by telephone, in person and by email. Many local LLL groups are involved in other breastfeeding initiatives and Leaders often work locally with health professionals.

Working at grassroots level, LLL groups have behind them the resources from a repository of the world's most complete and up-to-date information on breastfeeding.

LLLGB publishes leaflets and information sheets covering many breastfeeding subjects useful to both mothers and health professionals. Breastfeeding Matters is the charity's flagship magazine. It publishes bi-monthly and contains...

To see these and other resources, including books published by La Leche League International (LLLI), visit:

http://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/

Help for individual mothers is free of charge, and you do not have to join in order to either ask for help, or attend meetings. The National Helpline 0845 120 2918 connects mothers directly to an accredited Leader, while the organisation's website includes an online help form to which an individual Leader responds to help each mother directly with her particular concerns.

LLL believes that every mother is the expert on her individual child and is best placed to make her own parenting decisions. Mothers are so often bombarded by conflicting advice and LLL encourages them to follow their instincts. While seeking to dispel the myths surrounding breastfeeding and to replace them with facts, LLL is respectful and supportive of mothers' differing choices.

Women expecting a baby, new mothers, experienced mothers, those struggling to breastfeed, women enjoying breastfeeding, those wanting to wean or mothers interested in supporting other mothers to breastfeed ... all who approach LLL will be supported in their decision to breastfeed.

UK Phone Number For Immediate Breastfeeding Support:

0845 120 2918

UK Online Support

La Leche League International: Support Menu Page

Join LLLGB and subscribe to Breastfeeding Matters At only £20 for an annual subscription (£12 unwaged), it’s a must for breastfeeding and pregnant mums as well as anyone who is helping them, health professionals, friends and relatives. Individual issues can be.

"Protect My Baby, Protect Me"

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Join Us!

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A Breastfeeding Picnic at Parliament Square, London

EDIT - Victoria Tower Gardens

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And A Regional Centre Near You!

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Monday July 20th, Noon 'till 3pm

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R.S.V.P

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You can also attend online if you cannot physically make an event:

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Facebook Virtual Group

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This year's Breastfeeding Picnic continues on under the Protect My Baby, Protect Me banner, as it will do, every year, until legislation is introduced in England & Wales, protecting babies and mothers from harassment during feeds.

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The Breastfeeding Picnic will once again take place on Parliament Square the day before Westminster breaks up for Summer Recess, to ask MPs to think about babies and their Mums, during the long summer break. Regional picnics will also take place up and down the country in the constituencies, for those MPs who have already left London. (There is no escape, honourable peoples.)

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We've also launched an epetition at Downing Street, to ask the Prime Minister to bring in said legislation. The petition reads:

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We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to bring in new and specific legislation in England and Wales, to make it an offence to prevent a parent or caregiver feeding milk to a hungry child, in any location the child has a right to be. We also ask that this legislation makes it a specific offence to intimidate or harass the parent or caregiver feeding their child.

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Babies and children need feeding regularly. Many mothers feel intimidated about feeding their child in public spaces, and are often subjected to bullying and harassment, and demands the feed be stopped and they leave the premises or public space in which the child is feeding. We ask that all children, and their caregivers, be given protection to allow them to be fed milk, regardless of type of milk, feeding method and location. Make it a specific offence to interfere or ask the feed be stopped. Babies and children deserve protection, as do their caregivers.

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If you are a UK citizen, or an ex-patriot citizens overseas or in the Armed forces, please sign this petition. And don't forget to also sign in the name of your own baby! What a wonderful keepsake, to put their name on this petition asking for protection for their right to feed in public spaces. Print it off and put it in their keepsake box - or go fully ITC, and save the webpage on disc for them. :-) Democracy in action, babies and children count too.

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There will be regular updates on the various details of the main event, and the Regional picnics, but you can act now, to help:

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1) Sign the petition if you are a UK citizen, at home or abroad. Sign on behalf of your children.

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2) Invite your MP to attend the picnic and also to sign the petition. Do this for MPs throughout the UK, not just those in England & Wales.

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Dear .....

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As a constituent, I'm inviting you attend a Breastfeeding Picnic in Parliament Square on Monday July 20th, 2009, from noon 'till 3pm. The picnic is being run by Mums, for Mums, to highlight the need for legislation in England & Wales to protect hungry babies needing milk feeds in public spaces. Many Mums and babies face harassment, bullying and being asked to stop the feed. At last year's regional events, many local newspapers publicising picnics, published the most horrific and vile comments about babies needing to feed, and some comments that men would be turning up with video cameras to film the free pornography show. Such was the bigotry expressed, one of the regional picnics had to have pre-arranged police support. After the London event, two mothers were subsequently harassed and asked to stop feeding their babies as they travelled home alone on public transport. This sort of lactaphobia must be stopped: hungry babies need fed where and when they get hungry. Mothers have reported for years that they feel unsafe feeding their babies in public spaces, due to such bigotry, and in England & Wales no one is listening. We need protection for England & Wales, similar to that in Scotland. It is simply unacceptable that mothers have protected when feeding their children in Edinburgh, but not in London or Cardiff.

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There is an epetition in support of such legislation lodged at Downing Street. I'd ask, as your constituent, that you consider showing your support for hungry babies and children, by signing the petition. If you do not feel you can do so, I'd appreciate a response detailing why not. The petition is at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/protectbaby/

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Looking forward to an early reply

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Yours faithfully

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To find your MP, simply , put your postcode into the box, and you can then hit 'email your mp' and it will open an email form automatically.

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3) Forward on information about both the Breastfeeding Picnic, and the petition, to all appropriate forums and communities. Spread the Word!

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4) Volunteer to run a regional picnic, or help support one already in place. Email breastfeedingpicnic@nursingmatters.org.uk and offer your services. All you need is another Mum, a couple of babies, and some tea and cakes. :-)

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Details of the regional picnics will follow shortly.

For all my new readers, popping in to have a look today... please go to the petition at Downing Street and sign:

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We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to bring in new and specific legislation in England and Wales, to make it an offence to prevent a parent or caregiver feeding milk to a hungry child, in any location the child has a right to be. We also ask that this legislation makes it a specific offence to intimidate or harass the parent or caregiver feeding their child.
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Babies and children need feeding regularly. Many mothers feel intimidated about feeding their child in public spaces, and are often subjected to bullying and harassment, and demands the feed be stopped and they leave the premises or public space in which the child is feeding. We ask that all children, and their caregivers, be given protection to allow them to be fed milk, regardless of type of milk, feeding method and location. Make it a specific offence to interfere or ask the feed be stopped. Babies and children deserve protection, as do their caregivers.

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More details, and details of this year's Breastfeeding Picnics.

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Protect My Baby, Protect Me

Monday July 20th, 2009

Noon - 3pm

Victoria Tower Gardens

Facebook 'virtual' Online Event

Due to whatever rather ardent protesters attractive over Parliament Square for the past two months... and it looks same they'll still be there for added couple of months...

We've moved the borough Breastfeeding Picnic to Victoria Tower Gardens. In many ways, it's a better venue - not a roundabout on a hot and bowelless traffic heavy square. Cooling wind soured the river. Railed in. Nice tree cover. Traffic crossings! But it's not the super picture shoot possibleness of the Square. It does provide a pleasant side view of Parliament however.

Many thanks to the Royal Parks, for gift us permission. We're gathering on the crescent Atlantic as you enter the tract from the Parliament end, by the Pankhurst statue, and tucked behindhand the sculpturer sculpture. It's a pleasant stretch of grass, and the kids crapper separate free on the river side, as it is blocked soured by an shackle receipts to borough Palace itself.

Transport

Buses come into this Atlantic from every around. 3 and 87 kibosh on St Margaret Street by the park. The close Tube is Westminster. Which is a some hundred yards away, downbound Bridge Street. borough Tube is disabled accessible, so it has lifts from every levels, up to street level. The test little lift up to the street, is the Bridge Street exit. So buggies and strollers are dustlike from that approach. You literally emerge under the shadow of Big Ben. (And there module be tourists attractive photos.) You emerge into a rattling narrow and crowded paseo - so clutch children by hand first. You turn correct downbound Bridge Street, cross the road to the face of the Houses of Parliament, carry on downbound the whole length of the building, and the gates into the Park are on your left, as you walk past the test policeperson at the far modify gates.

You crapper wager every this in rattling good detail, on Google Maps, if you input Victoria Tower Gardens and click to 'satellite'. Zoom in, and you module wager that the Underground is rattling close. You module also wager the trees, statues, swings and Embankment seating.

Car parking is rattling expensive and street parking lethal to essay and get into. Disabled badges are not legal for double chromatic lines etc, in Westminster. However, if you tract crossways the river, you are in Lambeth, and blue disabled badges are legal there.

Amenities

Above borough Underground Station as you emerge into Bridge St, in the shadow of Big Ben, is a Tesco Express. It is a daylong thin corridor, stuffed with food, drink, crisps, chocolate, sandwiches and MP's 'run around people' elbowing the tourists discover of the way. The line is awesomely daylong looking (the length of the shop) but there is 5 or 6 tills at the end, and it goes fast. No mother should be in Westminster, and not know it exists. Equally, the danish pastries are at bambino clutch height.

The public toilets are stepped, and 50p, but hit a disabled commode they say. They are underground the green triangle of lawn behindhand Parliament Square and in face of the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre. However, six feet away, is Methodist Central Hall, which has a lovely restaurant and nicer, free, toilets. It's in Storey's Gate, crossways from borough Abbey. It has a aggregation of fancy pericarp steps, so if you hit a buggy, go for the disabled access entry to the left. The restaurant and toilets are digit take down, by the lift as you enter. Disabled commode excellent.

Ironically, the close commode and cafe, and a lovely 'wet weather' Atlantic is actually inside Parliament. borough uranologist is a astonishment to behold, bounteous sufficiency for bambino freedom, has toilets and a restaurant at that level, and has a fancy new path downbound to that level. Anyone crapper enter borough Hall, but you hit to go through personnel security. If you hit never been in, it is worth a look. If you appear to be part of the event in the Gardens, they haw respond you. So don't essay and enter with banners, badges etc. But if you hit instance to go through section (anywhere from 3 to 30 minutes) it is substantially worth a look. You crapper use a camera in there too.

Rules of Engagement

It is illegal to protest, shew or hold a feat within half a mile of Parliament. It is not illegal to hit a picnic, celebrate breastfeeding, and raise cognisance of issues as daylong as you hit received the comely permissions from the police. So, we are celebrating, and in doing so, raising cognisance of an issue close to our hearts - our breasts! ;-) The Royal Parks are modify stricter than Parliament Square, we can't modify hit a table, or any posters or placards AT ALL.

So we ask that no digit alter homemade placards or banners. Feel free to wear anything slogany you want to, in terms of t-shirts etc, but alter null for your safekeeping that looks same we are protesting.

We'd same you, if possible, to invite your MP to the picnic.

Things You Might Need

The grass is nice, there is whatever shade, you haw alter brollies etc. The wind soured the river crapper be sharp - so outer rain/wind wear reccommended, Just In Case.

Bring your picnic, and something pleasant to sit on the grass with. Bring a rubbish bag, for parcel up.

Bring cakes!!!!

If are a baby wearer, babies and younger toddlers best strapped to you. Older toddlers and teen children module need digit grown to digit child for eye-keeping on the side with the gates to the important road. But there is shack for a good separate most on the another side, and we'll endevour to keep the kids on that side. We module hit adults without kids there, and we module endeavour to support with games and letting them separate most for part of the picnic, but we cannot pronounce sufficiency that keeping the children safe is a priority.

You crapper alter soft balls for games for children under 5 etc. Good wind for kites. Very diminutive country with a couple of swings at far modify of tract area.

Bring cameras and take a aggregation of photos for our picture album.

Modus Operandi

The holiday is officially from noon, though there should be organisers there from most 11.30ish. Depends on traffic etc. We're looking for the important part of the holiday to build up to most 1pm, when press module hit been invited to attend, to provide people instance to relax from the trip. We were dead on our feet last assemblage by 3pm, so we module likely every be absent by 3.05! :-)

If you hit any particular special needs (such as knowing you are bringing a couple of travel kids and there is exclusive digit of you) email us and we'll provide you our mobile sound numbers in case you need support etc picnic@dreyfuss.demon.co.uk Also email if you crapper substance to help.

On that, if you are reaching and you are an grown without kids - please permit us know! We need a dedicated band of adults watching discover for the kids same a hawk! :-)


See you there!

EDIT: Final blog post with picture of where we are meeting.

I mentioned early this week most the UK Gov finally stating in their advise promulgation that breastfeeding would be covered in the upcoming Equalities Bill.

I had hoped to be able to verify whatever time and get whatever answers from my MP, amongst others, as to what the Bill actually proposes. Unfortunately, I'm finding more and more interpret and opinion pieces, every over the internet and mothering forums, on how 'great' it is that breastfeeding is finally feat to be fortified in England & Wales, and modify suggesting MPs need letters informing them to hold the Bill.

In reddened of this, I conceive it's essential to attain whatever things very clear to you every most the phraseology of the bill. And note, this is the phraseology of the calculate itself, not the phraseology in media advise releases or shiny Government published leaflets.

Breastfeeding is mentioned in 2 places in the planned newborn Bill, Clause 16 and Clause 17. Clause 17 is actually pretty beatific - it's most endorsement in the workplace, so that a Mum must be aerated equally if she is breastfeeding. Fab.

Clause 16 is most treatment outside the workplace, and reads:

16 Pregnancy and relationship discrimination: non-work cases
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(1) This country has effect for the purposes of the application to the fortified symptomatic of relationship and relationship of -

(a) Part 3 (services and open functions);

(b) Part 4 (premises);

(c) Chapter 2 of Part 6 (further or higher education);

(d) Part 7 (associations).

(2) A mortal (A) discriminates against a blackamoor if A treats her inferior favourably because of a relationship of hers.

(3) A mortal (A) discriminates against a blackamoor if, in the period of 26 weeks beginning with the day on which she gives birth, A treats her inferior favourably because she has given birth.

(4) The meaning in segment (3) to treating a blackamoor inferior favourably because she has given relationship includes, in particular, a meaning to treating her inferior favourably because she is breast-feeding.

(5) For the purposes of this section, the day on which a blackamoor gives relationship is the day on which.
(a) she gives relationship to a living child, or
(b) she gives relationship to a dead female (more than 24 weeks of the relationship having passed).

(6) Section 13, so far as relating to stimulate discrimination, does not apply to anything ended in relation to a blackamoor in so far as.
(a) it is for the reason mentioned in segment (2), or
(b) it is in the period, and for the reason, mentioned in segment (3).

(7) In this country and country 17, a meaning to a blackamoor existence aerated inferior favourably is a meaning to her existence aerated inferior favourably than is reasonable.

Notice the meaning to breastfeeding in open spaces there? No, me neither. All I wager is digit line that says categorically \"We mean breastfeeding is part of this.\" Which is nice...but, and oh this is a lovely big but.. I do wager limited mention of 26 weeks. That's sextet months. This is the confusion that Downing Street spin sparked last year, when they prefabricated an announcement that it would finally be jural to nurse a female low sextet months in England & Wales. Total claptrap as it is jural to nurse in open spaces in England & Wales. When challenged, the Gov admitted that there was no limit to Maternity endorsement per se. And their advise promulgation says 'no geezerhood limit'. Keep that in mind, I'll get backwards to this.

The issue is not most it existence jural to nurse in open spaces, the issue is most existence fortified from inteference whilst you are feat most your straight playing - ie, intake your child.

So where is breastfeeding in open spaces in Clause 16, the very Clause to be used most breastfeeding in open spaces? I'll tell you where it is, it's in the examples:

Examples
• A café someone must not communicate a blackamoor to yield his café because she is breast-feeding her baby.
• A merchant must not respond to sell cigarettes to a blackamoor because she is pregnant.

So there we hit it. Compare it to the Scottish wording:

2. The purpose of country 1 of the Bill is to safeguard the correct of a female low the geezerhood of two eld of geezerhood to be fed concentrate in a open locate or licensed premises, where the female otherwise licitly permissible to be. Accordingly, the Bill does not affect Scottish licensing law, nor does it preclude a playing from excluding breastfeeding on its premises where the straight custom or training is to exclude children generally. Where a female is licitly permissible to be in a open locate or licensed premises, that female may be fed bottled milk, and the child’s care (or whatever another blackamoor who has charge of the child) module be entitled to nurse him or her if she so chooses. Any mortal who deliberately prevents or stops (or attempts to preclude or stop) a mortal from bottlefeeding or breastfeeding a female in such circumstances module be guilty of an offence, liable on sentence to fine not prodigious level 4 on the standard scale (currently £2,500).

Wee taste different, ain't it?

In Scotland, you interfere, and the care picks up her mobile phone, phones the police, the police embellish and vindicate to the mortal trying to stop the feed, that they are committing an unlawful behave which if convicted, module result in a £2500 fine. Mother carries on intake and is not tangled discover of the cafe. Do state this accumulation safeguards the correct of the child.

In England...? What? Well, if I read it right, and I'm not a lawyer... this is what the planned Equalities Bill says...

108 Jurisdiction

(1) A county suite or, in Scotland, the sheriff has jurisdiction to determine a verify relating to.

(a) a resistance of Part 3 (services and open functions);
(b) a resistance of Part 4 (premises);
(c) a resistance of Part 6 (education);
(d) a resistance of Part 7 (associations);
(e) a resistance of country 102, 105 or 106 that relates to Part 3, 4, 6 or 7.

So, what, the care tangled discover of the cafe, then sues for restitution in a county court? This is exactly that has been said is already the housing in England & Wales. And has been stated repeatedly, by the Gov, they are just making a taste clearer, and 'strengthening' the understanding.

\"This type of favouritism has in fact been unlawful for more than thirty years, and the care - with a female of whatever geezerhood - could contest the someone low the Sex Discrimination Act.” Barbara Follett, July 2008.

So where is the newborn protection? What is the newborn protection? Mentioning it low 'six months' Maternity provision? That's not new, that's clarifying another artefact to do things.

What, in fact, is endorsement in the eyes of the UK Government, as far as England & Wales is concerned? The ability to verify in a civil court, low your possess responsibility and cost, for restitution after the event? Or to preclude the circumstance happening in the first place?

Incidentally, after sextet months isn't modify in a civil court, if I read it correctly...it's a Sexual Discrimination tribunal! And we every undergo how easy, cheap and emotionally uncreased those are, for women who've got 16 suitcases of files proving they've been discriminated against at work! Never mind crapper prove they were tangled discover of a restaurant for breastfeeding. What's the restaurant someone feat to do, clew a example of essay stating that's ground he threw her out? Need I repeat this another time?

Oh, and don't woman discover on the last whatever words of country 7.... aerated inferior favourably than is reasonable. One wonders what a county suite would deem to be reasonable in a housing of breastfeeding in public? You don't conceive how such boob might hit been exposed, may impact on that, do you? Heaven forfend it was an over the top bra motion, and no pashmina!

I said I wasn't a lawyer, and I'd not desired to place on this yet. That's because I'd asked my MP, Alistair Burt, to clarify every this stuff, by asking directly. Alistair and I don't wager eye to eye on a lot of things, especially Yarl's Wood, but he is an exceptionally hard working MP for his constituents and he module follow ended doggedly on requests for clarity. His office has responded and is on the case... but there simply hasn't been time to get decent answers discover of the Government. So I'd desired my fears most this planned newborn governing confirmed, so I could bring you answers, not questions.

However.

In reddened of every the publicity sweeping ended breastfeeding endorsement circles, trumpeting this Bill as a historied newborn step... I felt it was exclusive correct to bring my questions to you all, and communicate you to do the same: get your MP to communicate the questions most what this Bill actually means. It is rattling essential we contest what is feat on in this Bill, and get a rattling beatific sense of what it actually means, before feat soured on a lovely easygoing fortuity from campaigning as it's every sorted. I don't believe it's every sorted digit taste - I conceive we are existence fooled into swing our feet up and swing the timpani on, whilst we still need to be outside The House, demanding endorsement for our babies to hit the correct to take free from interference.

You crapper indite your MP here, place in your code and it module provide your your MP's study and you crapper then click to telecommunicate them direct. I undergo whatever of you effort to theorize letters, so you could ingest the following, personalised for you:

Dear
I'm writing to letter you seek illumination from the Government on the details of how breastfeeding in open spaces is fortified low the planned Equalities Bill. Specifically, could you communicate what would happen if a care was asked to stop intake her child, and yield a cafe? Would she hit to leave, when asked, and then bring a verify after the event?

I'd also revalue you inquiring what endorsement a care has if she is approached in the street, or on premises, from a passer-by and not the staff or someone of the premises? If a man passenger on the train, for instance, starts to demand she stop intake and yield the carriage, what endorsement would the care hit low the Equalities Bill?

As you know, if this took locate in Scotland, the care could hit either staff, or passer by, charged for an operation liable to a £2500 fine. I'm greatly concerned that the proposals in the Equalities Bill are not equal to this and would communicate that you seek illumination on my behalf.

Yours...

I'd so fuck to encounter discover I'm wrong, and hit egg every over my face...!

Why is this important, really, hard them on this? Isn't that fact that they've mentioned breastfeeding at all, a triumph?

I'd argue not. I'd argue that they've been place low huge push on this, and they hit had to sit up and verify notice. But that they hit no intention of actually making real changes. This smoke and mirrors Bill is most reducing the pressure. And it's working: so many people are feat on most how enthusiastic it is. Also, and this is rattling important, the chances of this Bill existence passed are very slim. As presently as a General Election is called, this calculate is dead.. and the Bill has serious, serious flaws in it that module order a enthusiastic deal of work.

My worry is that every this trumpeting module create the notion that the impact is ended - we are there, we hit protection, and that's it's already happened. And modify what's in this Bill, is unlikely ever to be passed. Although that doesn't appear to matter, as it's every in accumulation already, right?

And whilst we every place our feet up, attain the tea, and chat most how wonderful it is... somewhere, a teen Mum module encounter herself tangled discover a shopping paseo for breastfeeding her sextet week older baby. And she'll defence there and say \"You can't throw me out, I'm protected.\" and the security guards module escort her soured the premises regardless. Far fetched? Two weeks ago, Emily Pulling was breastfeeding her sextet week older female in a shopping paseo in London. She was approached by a security guard. As it happened, female ended before the protect arrived. Emily asked ground the protect was approaching her. The protect said \"Oh it's every correct now, you've stopped anyway...\"

We'll wager you in Westminster on Monday July 20th.

Sign the petition.

Email your MP.

EDIT: 13th May, 2009

I had cause to indite to UNICEF UK, and kvetch that they were asking mothers to indite their MP and asking them to hold the Equalities Bill as it was introducing breastfeeding protection. I said to UNICEF UK, what I said above, that as far as I could see, there was no newborn protection, and if a care was asked to yield a cafe, she would hit to go. UNICEF UK replied that this was correct.

So we do hit confirmation that indeed, low this legislation, which is already in locate anyway, if a care is asked to yield premises, SHE MUST DO SO.

My saucer to UNICEF is my saucer to every and whatever breastfeeding hold agencies who attain open statements most supporting Clause 16: you are environment backwards the date, significantly, on effort comely endorsement for babies and mothers in England & Wales. Every time whatever agency says up front it is supporting Clause 16, you are saying It Is Good Enough. And when we communicate for more, we'll be told \"Everyone was bright with this legislation.\" It module be used to near down whatever talking and to resist push for comely protection. It may be a generation before we get backwards on track.

It is dead feasible to state you are bright that the Government is taking breastfeeding endorsement seriously, and you hold Clause 17 wholeheartedly, but that Clause 16 is not beatific enough. It is dead feasible to respond to overtures from the UK Government most improvements, without rolling over dead and letting them tickle your tummy.

Please spread the word, that if a care supports Clause 16 she is supporting a accumulation that effectuation if she is asked to yield a restaurant for breastfeeding, she has to do so. No digit should clew up for this, without knowing that is what they are doing. In my opinion, none of the breastfeeding endorsement agencies should be mentioning this Bill, without making this fact expressly clear, and stating that this is Just Not Good Enough.

Dear Morgan,
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Thank you for your telecommunicate most the Equality Bill.
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UNICEF UK welcomes the breastfeeding viands in the Equality Bill as we wager them as an essential travel towards realising neutral 5 of the Breastfeeding Manifesto to develop policy and training to hold breastfeeding in public. Legislation is exclusive digit part of the framework required to encourage a adjunct environment for breastfeeding mothers still we believe these clauses beam discover a communication that breastfeeding is an essential and natural practice.
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The Equality Bill is anti-discrimination governing whereas the accumulation that was introduced by Elaine Smith in 2005 in Scotland introduced a malefactor operation which prefabricated it illegal to preclude a female existence fed concentrate (artificial or breast) in a open place..
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UNICEF UK welcomes legislative measures that advance to a more adjunct environment for breastfeeding. For this reason, in 2005 we supported David Kidney MP’s endeavor to inform governing in England and Wales that was similar to Elaine Smith’s Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Bill. His Bill did not embellish accumulation still we continue to hold attempts to encourage and protect breastfeeding ended governing and another means.
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It is true that if this Bill becomes accumulation as it is, a café someone could communicate a blackamoor to yield the café, but this calculate would attain that letter unlawful. This is not the aforementioned as what parents in Scotland have, which is an absolute correct to take a female low 2 eld concentrate (breast or formula) in a open place. By welcoming this provision in the Equality Bill we are not suggesting that there is not more impact to be done. Far from it, we are actively working to create a better discernment of the importance of breastfeeding in Parliament and Government. To coexist with National Breastfeeding Awareness Week we hit published The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative: Improving the health of the UK ended breastfeeding which outlines the barriers to breastfeeding as substantially as the impact of the Baby Friendly Initiative to overcome these. It you would like a hard copy of this briefing essay please beam me your address
.
Regards,
Senay
,
Senay Camgoz

Senior UK Policy and Parliamentary Officer

http://www.unicef.org.uk/

I swear I should have named this blog

... you couldn't make it up!

I'm writing to request you essay clarification from the Government on the info of how breastfeeding in public spaces is fortified under the planned Equalities Bill. Specifically, could you communicate what would happen if a care was asked to stop intake her child, and yield a cafe? Would she hit to leave, when asked, and then alter a verify after the event?

I'd also appreciate you inquiring what protection a care has if she is approached in the street, or on premises, from a passer-by and not the staff or someone of the premises? If a fellow traveller on the train, for instance, starts to demand she stop intake and yield the carriage, what protection would the care hit under the Equalities Bill?

As you know, if this took place in Scotland, the care could hit either staff, or passer by, live for an offence liable to a £2500 fine. I'm greatly concerned that the proposals in the Equalities Bill are not equal to this and would communicate that you essay clarification on my behalf.

Yes, you may indeed recognise the words.

Today, by post, she received the above honor from Vera Baird, QC, MP, Solicitor General at the Equalities Office. It came via her MP, Cheryl Gillan.

So let's just get that ordering straight shall we? Emily emails her MP, Cheryl, and asks for limited information on the breastfeeding section of the upcoming Equalities Bill. Cheryl forrad it onto Harriet Harman at the Equalities Office. Harriet forrad it to Vera, in the Equalities Office, who replies to the email, and sends Cheryl, the MP a careful reply. Cheryl sends the reply, by post, to Emily.

Are we clear?

Good. Now, what does Vera's state say? It thanks Emily for her hold for the Equalities Bill, and tells Emily how encouraged she, Vera, is, by Emily's comments and how enthusiastic it is that every the breastfeeding mothers are so bright most the legalisation.

So, there's Vera, QC, MP Solicitor General... and unable to read. There's her secretary, digit presumes, picking up a letter from an MP, glancing at it, seeing the text 'breastfeeding' and 'Equalities Bill' and puts it into the \"fulsome approval for breastfeeding and the Equalities Bill\" pile (a very diminutive pile, digit presumes) and then prints out a form letter of smarmy approval and thanks... and Vera signs it. Without, digit presumes, noticing it is actually a letter requesting aggregation and clarification, and that it actually says that this breastfeeding care is GREATLY CONCERNED about the planned Bill.

It makes you proud to be British, don't it?

*sigh*

Emily, once she'd calmed down... anger just covers it, I crapper tell you... fired off a honor to her MP:

Dear Mrs Cheryl Gillan,

Thank you for the honor you forwarded to me which I conventional this morning.

Unfortunately, unconnected from the fact that you hit got my name wrong, you and Vera Baird QC, MP hit not feature my example request at all. The honor from Ms Baird thanks me for my hold for the Equalities Bill, when my example telecommunicate to you was a request for illumination on the actualised noesis of the Bill.

So that you crapper reassess my enquiry, I module copy and paste my example telecommunicate to you.

\"I'm composition to request you seek illumination from the Government on the details of how breastfeeding in public spaces is protected under the planned Equalities Bill. Specifically, could you communicate what would happen if a care was asked to kibosh intake her child, and yield a cafe? Would she hit to leave, when asked, and then bring a verify after the event?

I'd also appreciate you investigatory what endorsement a care has if she is approached in the street, or on premises, from a passer-by and not the body or owner of the premises? If a fellow passenger on the train, for instance, starts to demand she kibosh intake and yield the carriage, what endorsement would the care hit under the Equalities Bill?

As you know, if this took locate in Scotland, the care could hit either staff, or passer by, charged for an operation liable to a £2500 fine. I'm greatly afraid that the proposals in the Equalities Bill are not equal to this and would communicate that you seek illumination on my behalf.\"

Yours sincerely

Emily (not Emma!) Pulling

The duty were quick to respond:

Dear Ms Pulling

Firstly, I am very compassionate to hit typed the wrong name - and I do apologise for that mistake. Cheryl did beam a copy of your telecommunicate to the Minister, so sadly, the Minister made that assumption that you supported the Bill.

I module copy your telecommunicate and re-submit that to the Minister and request that she focus on the point that you make below.

As soon as Cheryl has a salutation she module be in touch with you again, once again, compassionate for the mistake on your name.

Kind regards

So, back to the bated respite for us! For those who've not been mass it, the answer from Vera Baird should hit been that yes, if asked to leave, the care module hit to go, and verify afterwards. And that there is no endorsement at all, from being asked to kibosh by a passer-by, or being harassed on the Underground, as Emily herself was terminal year. It module be fascinating to see if she has the courage to say so in her response, given the running self-congratulations she displays in the form honor where she states that Ms Pulling's comments are particularly welcome.

That would be the greatly afraid comment, eh Vera?

What is so depressing about this, is it's so familiar. Concerned Mums composition to their MPs to indite the Government for answers, and effort garbage in reply. At least we ready catching them discover on it, and crapper permit others know.

Now, I hesitate to ask, I really do.... anyone else had this garbage? Or worse?

Charity, The Queen Victoria Memorial, The Mall, London

It's taken me two days to start writing this: I've nearly lost the will to live with it, honest.

*sigh*

So, on to Vera. How do you solve a problem same Vera? How to you catch a darken and pin it down? Well, I declare it's time we indite to Vera, directly, and register that we are COMPLAINING most Clause 16, and REQUESTING a clear respond on the issues.

Those of you who have conventional Vera's letter via your MP, should also cc your email to your MP. I've not had any response from my possess MP yet, so I'm going to indite the following:

....Vera Baird

To: Vera Baird, Equalities Office,

vera.baird@geo.gsi.gov.uk

bairdv@parliament.uk

Dear Vera Baird QC,

I’m composition to you in your power as Minister at the Equalities Office and hit cc’d this act to my MP, Alistair Burt.

Myself and individual friends hit requested information from the Equalities Office via their MPs. All, except myself, hit been sent by convey a honor from you, as this is your area of authority.

Without exception, your convey honor has not answered their points, or even acknowledged their enquiry. Even when prompted again by an MP to move to the honor for information, you responded by once more sending the same modify letter. In fact, when visaged with individual letters stating concerns about the upcoming Equalities Bill, you responded to these concerns by thanking the sender for their support.

Therefore, let me make this act exceptionally clear.

THIS IS A LETTER OF COMPLAINT. I desire to register my resistance to clause 16 on the Equalities Bill. I desire you to know, as the Minister involved, that as a breastfeeding mother, I am stating that I DO NOT SUPPORT Clause 16 of the Equalities Bill. If you now beam me the modify honor thanking me for my support, I’ll undergo you stop your electorate in the utmost contempt. It is a basic tenet of subject with Ministers, by either MP or voter, that you bother to read, and move to their communication. I wait you to move to me understandably and competently. I wait you to acknowledge that I hit qualified with you that I do not stop Clause 16 of the Equalities Bill.

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION. I repeat the honor that has been nervy on to your individual nowadays over the past few weeks, by individual MPs acting on behalf of their constituents, and which you and your duty hit utterly ignored.

Could you please confirm that low the provision of Clause 16 in the proposed Equalities Bill, that if a mother who is breastfeeding in England & Wales is asked to yield premises providing her with goods or services, she must leave? I do not desire to hear an move that states you think that as it is (note IS, not will be) an offence to do so, no person in dominance on those premises would ask a mother to do so. I’m not interested in that response. I’m interested in the move to the question: if she is asked to yield premises by a person in authority… must she go? The move is either a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’: if that helps you narrow down and formulate your response.

I look nervy to an primeval reply.

Yours faithfully


Morgan Gallagher

You may desire to indite to Vera on your possess behalf, or to ask your MP to re-prompt her to actually bother to move to your prototypal letter. :-)

Now, whatever interesting things to feature about every this. First of all, the picture of the statue at the top, is what the Royal Family see when they are on the Balcony at Buckingham Palace. I thought it was 'apt' for another wrangle with politicians.

Secondly, there hit been a couple or three MPs signing the epetition. Including Clare Short, who is the MP for city that covers the Cathedral (which is hosting digit of our regional Breastfeeding Picnics).

Unicef UK, who had been asking mothers to indite into the Equalities Offices and crow the Government... no longer appear to be doing so. Seems to hit disappeared off the website, anyone healthy to find it? Can't help intellection the \"thank you for your support\" honor existence churned discover by Vera Baird's duty was ordered up to deal with every this 'praise'...

Gosh, I do hope there is whatever beatific news on this soon, or even just a response. It's such a grind having to force the powers that be just to feature their bloody letters!

EDIT: July 12th

My MP, Alistair Burt, confirmed he'd had the 'thank you for your support' modify honor and had been craft a salutation back to Vera Baird requesting a more appropriate response. This is exactly what I thought had happened. Nice that at small digit MP, had actually feature the incoming response, and compared it to the honor that instigated it. Well Done Alistair!!!!! Maybe with Alistair & Cheryl on the case, we might intend a response. :-) If you haven't done so - please stimulate your possess MP. I undergo it feels like pushing a sway up a hill, but we requirement to ready making grouping accountable. Flagging as the responses are so dopy and incomprehensible is how they dress us down!

This is the spot we'll be gathering at for the borough Breastfeeding Picnic this year. weekday July 20th, falls Towers Gardens. That's the Palace of borough (Houses of Parliament) in the background, and Emily Pulling, and her weeks older daughter, is stagnant in face of the Rodin Statue in the crowning half of the daylong triangle that is the park. We'll be having the Picnic on the lovely naif gage you crapper see behind her.

That's my didymos by the way, so anyone attempting to 'acquire' it on the day will hit me to answer too! Be afraid, be very afraid! ;-)

I name the naif grass, and grassroots, for a very specific reason. You can't hit a holiday without naif ontogeny grass. You especially can't hit a Picnic in the heart of London, without naif ontogeny grass. Why? Because our picnics hit babies and teen kids and Mums and Dads. And you can't take teen kids and babies into Summer heat, without green, growing, grass. This is ground we had much a hard job finding a replacement for Parliament Square. If we'd not had access to this lovely stretch of grass, we'd hit had to cancel. Even 'tho the Sri Lankans hit mitt Parliament Square, the gage wouldn't hit had instance to recover.

Living things, especially diminutive and very undefendable baby experience things, requirement nurture. And our babies and toddlers and teen wild and liberated kids, needed grass, and trees, in order for our holiday to be nurturing to them. Hot concrete, or pavement, or tarmac wouldn't do. So the gage is very important.

It's also very symbolic. Not as it's naif (although breastfeeding is a very naif activity) but because it's diminutive and grows slowly and quietly in the background. Grass is everywhere... it is the most successful plant on the planet. It's also diminutive and tiny and little and not very complicated. That's ground we refer to small, topical and simple semipolitical active as 'grassroots'. It's the most basic form of activism, or organisation for change.

And the Breastfeeding Picnics illustrate much grassroots activity, perfectly. We're not a big organisation, we're meet Mums with computers in the kitchen. (Well, I touched mine to the experience room as I spent too much instance on it.) Emily definite digit farewell to do the prototypal one, to make a stand. She was told no digit would come. She was also told not to do it, as bigger and better organisitions were planning Great Things, and she should wait. Emily didn't wait, she did what she wanted, baritone key and local, and in a couple of weeks and on Mumsnet, unreal something where 70 nonnegative Mums & Tots, overturned up and breastfed on Parliament Square.

The incoming assemblage was meet as baritone key and spontaneous, a interpret on a mail list, and there was added holiday - a spur of the moment. Regional ones were additional in discussion - meet Mums on computers - as the requirement to 'be there' modify if they couldn't travel to London, was expressed. Last year, between all the picnics, the prizewinning part 400 Mums and their kids breastfed at a picnic.

It's meet the aforementioned this year. Mums on computers. Some are too busy, or too pregnant, to do added one. Some are asking 'can I do one?' and hit set up their possess 'first time' topical one. So this assemblage we hit Birmingham, Poole, Stroud, Warrington, Salford, and Durham. Colchester meet got cancelled due to pregnancy throwing-up-ness. Sorry. :-( We already hit new 'first times' for incoming year! (Say hello Brighton!)

We also have 'new' things this year. Birmingham Picnic really got inspired for this their second year, and they have had a wonderful 'Breastfeeding Photo Shoot' Day, where Mums and babies, and a professional photographer (a Mum!) went about Birmingham City Centre and just had fun. Shopping, lunch, coffee, ice-creams. And the photos reflect that Mums are in public spaces, with breastfeeding babies and... so what? Not a comment made once, whilst they went about the business of existence a women existence in public spaces who happened to have babies to feed with them.


And that's one of the functions of the breastfeeding picnics - when women are together, and are breastfeeding in public spaces... no one says a thing. Comments are usually exclusive said to individual mothers, isolated from support. Present the concern with a few Mums breastfeeding normally, and its no big deal. In the same way that a blackamoor who appeared in the streets displaying her ankles could be pilloried... when she appeared in the company of other women with ankles on display... she was safe. Eventually, no one found ankles risque.

It also crapper be very empowering for the mothers concerned. Feeling dead connatural and every day, and relaxing to the point where you forget to attending that what you are doing is 'shocking', is extremely liberating. A significance of country kinda than unease. A significance of country mothers report feeling when in Scotland, modify on their own. It's kinda shocking, isn't it, that what we're talking most is women feeling vulnerable in open spaces... well, safe in open spaces in Scotland, and vulnerable in open safes in England & Wales.


Hungry babies and kids who crapper be fed without fear in Scotland, but who can't be fed without some inner panic and a taste of trepidation in England & Wales. Oh please, don't be hungry now... just move until I crapper find somewhere safe... Of course, we're making that up, aren't we?

Another little grassroots shoot, again, from Birmingham, has been environment up t-shirts and tops with the slogan Colchester set up last assemblage - breastfeeding is not a crime. Particularly multipurpose as the London picnic can't hit posters or a table. But it crapper hit covering and badges. Must intend the badge machine out and intend cracking, actually. We're hoping to hit a Protect My Baby, Protect Me for everyone for London. Oh my blistered hands!


We also hit this mythologic professionally produced poster, acquirable for all the sites, made by a Mum who does this for a living. Birmingham really hit pushed the boat out this year. All on their own, meet getting on with what seems obvious to them. No budget, no committees, meet simple actions condemned spontaneously: grassroots. Join them, print off a bill for your area's picnic and pin it up somewhere, hand it on. Just be a Mum. Change the world.

This is a ps to the previous post.

Vera's office hit been laboring little bees, and this edition has been sent discover to the MPs who prompted for a proper response. Not by Vera, or by the office bod I got mine from, but by Michael Foster MP, also at the Equalities Office. Michael, Deputy Lieutenant for East Sussex, btw, is also a accumulation bod. However, he's listed as existence interested in Poverty & Animal Welfare. One wonders why he's answering Vera's mail?

Anyhows, here's his salutation to Julie Kirkbride, MP:

Dear Julie,

Regarding [letter from constituent]

Thank you for your honor of 23rd June to the Vera Baird QC MP on behalf of the essential Ms Goodwin concerning the Equality Bill. I am replying as the Minister responsible. I am compassionate for puting you to the difficulty of having to indite a ordinal honor as our prototypal reply did not full respond your constituent’s concerns. This was due to an administrative error.

On your constituent’s prototypal point, if a mother was asked to kibosh intake her female and yield a cafe, she module undergo that the accumulation is on her side and this should give her the certainty to challenge the restaurant someone by pointing discover that he or she is treating her in a discriminatory manner. However, if for any conceive she feels unable to do this, she crapper bring a discrimination verify against the restaurant someone before the county court. Information and support on bringing a verify crapper be obtained from local Citizens Advice Bureaux, local Law Centres or the Equality and Human Rights Commission helpline.

With affectionateness to her ordinal point, the Equality Bill provides protection crossways specific areas - work, goods, facilities, services, public functions, premises and associations/private clubs. As is the housing with discrimination accumulation now, it therefore does not administer to exchanges between individuals in a individualized or clannish capacity much as passers by in the street.

I hope this information is adjuvant to your constituent

Michael Foster DL MP

So it's his 'area' now, is it? Vera no longer in charge?

Anyway. I'd like to draw your attention to a gap.

It takes locate here:

\"..discriminatory manner. .................However, if for....\"

Spotted it? Between the declare 4 and 5 above? Second paragraph, starting \"On your essential prototypal point...\" that declare and the next.

See that tiny gap? Here's what is in it:

\"I'm telling you to go, you can't do that here.\"

\"You can't intercommunicate me out. It's my correct to defence here and feed my baby.\"

\"Look love, this is a clannish Mall. You can't do that there, kibosh intake now, and go into the toilets, or leave.\"

\"I'm telling you, it's unlawful for you to intercommunicate me out. I module not kibosh intake my baby, you are breaking the law\"

\"Look love, kibosh shouting, people are looking, let's move absent from here.\"

\"I'm not moving anywhere, I undergo my rights. You can't kibosh me intake my baby, I'll sue.\"

\"Right, move on now, correct this second, or we'll hit to intercommunicate you out.\"

\"Don't contact me, I am not going, I am not fastening intake my baby. Let go of my arm NOW!\"

\"Charlie, call finished to control, and get the personnel here now. Right lady, let's move off correct the doors here, you're on clannish property and you must go correct now. The personnel module be here, and they module care with you.\"

\"I'm feat to process you.\"

\"Fine, process us. But get off the property correct now, or we'll hit you live for trespass.\"

Quite a aggregation to fit in a little gap, isn't it? Of course, she today has to collect evidence that this has happened, encounter a lawyer, sort finished the funding and finances, and issue a claim. So the gap is quite a bit bigger than above.

Let's essay the same gap, in Scotland...

\"I'm telling you to go, you can't do that here.\"

\"You can't intercommunicate me out. It's my correct to defence here and feed my baby.\"

\"Look love, this is a clannish Mall. You can't do that there, kibosh intake now, and go into the toilets, or leave.\"

Mother picks up mobile phone. Dials police. \"Hello, I'm breastfeeding my child in the St Enoch Centre. Two Security guards are telling me to kibosh intake my child and yield the premises, please crapper you support me?\" Police attend and defend the mother, cautioning the two section guards that they may be live and fined. Also hold to intercommunicate to employers most re-training.

Sheesh. Bit different, huh?

Lets today countenance at the declare a bit further down.

\"As is the housing with discrimination accumulation now, it therefore does not administer to exchanges between the individuals in a individualized or clannish capacity much as passers by in the street.\"

Let's see how that pans out, shall we, between Edinburgh and Westminster?

Edinburgh:

\"I'm sorry, I hit children in this park, I'm not having them unclothed to this. Stop that immediately.\"

\"I'm sorry?\"

\"I encounter that offensive, and you're in sight of my children, kibosh it correct now.\"

Mother phones police. \"Hello, I'm in Princess Street Gardens, and I'm existence asked to kibosh intake my child by a very annoyed blackamoor who is outcry in my ear. Can you become and support me?\" Police attend and defend the mother, cautioning the other blackamoor that she may be live and fined.

Westminster:
\"I'm sorry, I hit children in this park, I'm not having them unclothed to this. Stop that immediately.\"

\"I'm sorry?\"
\"I encounter that offensive, and you're in sight of my children, kibosh it correct now.\"

\"But I'm not doing anything wrong?\"

\"You're existence obscene, and you're doing it in face of my children, and I poverty you to kibosh and go away. I've never seen anything so foul in my life, why don't you hit some common decency and use a blanket, I don't poverty to see this and I certainly don't poverty my kids to see your saggy breasts.\"

And on it goes... Mum either has to shout back, meet her instruction with the tirade, or get up and leave.

Ho Hum.

An awful aggregation not in their letter, ain't it? Wonder how old that child is, in his letter... we better get that clarified!

Of course, that's what we conceive would happen... what we suspect. We still don't undergo for sure, as no one module respond the question....

BAIRD, Vera wrote:
> NO
> ----

Yes, that's the whole reply. But at small we got one!

I dispatched the following:
---
Thank you. At small we're getting somewhere.

I'm compassionate to say, I couldn't see your acknowledgement that I do not support the Bill.

Could you today please vindicate where in the Bill it explains the aid acquirable to the care refusing to yield the premises when asked to do so? This needs to be passed on to mothers who have been asked to leave, so they know what to feature if the person in dominance states the police will be called if they respond to yield the premises.

As other honored sources involved in the Bill being formulated, such as UNICEF UK, has expressed that yes, under the law the care would have to leave, you crapper understand ground it is so imperative to get the info precise from the highest source.

Many thanks

Morgan Gallagher