A breastfeeding mum has described her anger after a traumatic experience suffered while she was trying to express milk in a public venue.
Stephanie Booth, a mother of two from Swansea, unable to find a private place to use her breast pump, claims she was forced to use a restroom at a bar leading up to a horrible experience.
After a distressing encounter on her first night out since giving birth to her daughter Freya eight months ago, she is advocating for greater awareness of women’s needs to pump.
Ms Stephanie said that she was too busy caring for her children to even consider going out of the town while she was nursing her firstborn, but that she worked up the courage to treat herself to some “me time” when her youngest daughter was eight months old.
To commemorate her special day, Stephanie spent the evening out in Swansea with her friends. However, she experienced difficulties when trying to find privacy in order to pump some breast milk.
The 32-year-old woman reported that the line to use the restrooms was extremely long, so she was relieved to find a sign indicating the location of overflow facilities. However, she was told that they were reserved for employees.
She offered an explanation for needing to use the unused restrooms, but was instead directed to the bar’s management.
Stephanie said: “I found the manager and told her my situation and asked if I could use the overflow toilets to pump. She told me it wasn’t her problem and to either pump there by the bar or leave. I had paid for a table so couldn’t leave to go elsewhere as I would lose my money. It resulted in me waiting in line, going in a cubicle for 20 minutes while other women banged on the door telling me to hurry up.
“I was just in a state of shock. She didn’t wait for my reaction, she just carried on serving. My frustration is the fact that they had an area I could have used, that wasn’t even sign posted as staff toilets, they said overflow toilets. There was just no sympathy whatsoever.
“I can’t imagine a lot of people asking to use these toilets to pump so I don’t see why it would have caused a problem. The fact that someone who was clearly on a night out and was a member of staff she had the privilege of using them still.
“There are laws out there that you have a right to pump at work, there is a right to breastfeed your baby but there is nothing about pumping in public places. I am a mum, I want to try and have time for myself to help my mental health a bit. I didn’t do stuff like this with my first but I thought it was my birthday. I will do it for myself and this is what I was met with.
“So many mums have anxiety around stuff like this happening to them it just stops you from wanting to go out. I really think we need to educate these companies and support breastfeeding mums who need their me time for their mental health.
“People legally need to provide and area for when you breastfeed your baby but why is it any different when you need to pump?”
After hearing Stephanie’s story, the mothers in a nursing support group were outraged. A woman remarked, “What you’d expect is for her to offer you the office or a room out the back to pump. So sad people can be this way. “
While another explained: “Pumping in the toilets would’ve been bad enough, she should’ve offered you a clean space as well. I’m shocked. “
When WalesOnline called the bar, the manager who spoke to Stephanie that evening said the sink had overflowed because of an issue being handled behind the bar. People only have access to the overflow restrooms on evenings when normal restrooms are overflowing due to special events like Halloween. She stated she told Stephanie she could help after the flooding was over.
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