Banned from breastfeeding at hotel

[Newbie_hk]

A hotel just banned me from breastfeeding at their place.

I just got the shock of my life when I went to hotel in Causeway Bay this morning to have morning tea with visiting friends. I arrived early and asked for a quiet corner at their lobby cafe. There was only one other guest there. My bub was getting hungry so I took out my bebe au lait cape and pacifier/dummy on the table. Just as I was about to scoop up my baby, the waitress came up to me and asked if I was breastfeeding. I said yes and she said "you cannot breastfeed here".

I was shocked. I asked her why and she asked if I was a guest at their hotel, I said no and I was afraid she might be thinking I was there just to breastfeed. I told her I am here to have morning tea with 3 other friends and that I will be discreet with my cape. She just looked at me and repeated ?you cannot breastfeed here?. At this point, I was livid and firmly told her ?no, I have the right to feed my baby? and promptly scooped up my baby, planted myself in the chair and asked for the menu.

Do hotels have the right to ban breastfeeding at their premises? They are considered public places after all aren't they?

I want to write a complaint to the manager but I need to know where HKG stands in terms of breastfeeding in someone?s premises.

 

[howardcoombs]

Something to read : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breastfeeding_in_public

Hotels are private premises and they can ban anyone they like for any reason.

Name & Shame would be one way to get satisfaction.

 

[Gracey]

Never mind the legal technicalities -- name and shame is the way to go.
Write a complaint letter to the general manager. It might not change their policies but, trust me, these things do get brought up at meetings, etc.
Write a letter to the SCMP. They do allow you to do so anonymously, if you wish.
My HK Chinese sister in law breastfeeds in public -- discreetly and with a large shawl over her. I think (I hope) attitudes are changing.

 

[Gracey]

BTW, which hotel?

 

[ssheng]

I'd also like to know which hotel - there was a recent complaint thread posted on Geobaby about a certain bookstore and the response just by posting it on Geobaby was that the store apologized to the woman and educated the employee. I would hope the same would be done in this scenario.

I am sometimes embarrassed to BF in public, regardless of the fact that I also always use a nursing cover (which quite frankly is annoying and difficult to manage, esp in this recent hot weather), and if something like this happened to me I can't imagine how horrible it would feel. So sorry this happened to you, Newbie, and shame on this establishment. I am proud, however, of your reaction. Good for you!

 

[Portia]

Sounds like things haven't changed too much, but there was a protest by breast-feeding mothers at the Peninsula in 1999 after a woman was asked to feed her baby in the toilets!
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[lesliefu]

Never mind the legal technicalities -- name and shame is the way to go.
Write a complaint letter to the general manager. It might not change their policies but, trust me, these things do get brought up at meetings, etc.
Write a letter to the SCMP. They do allow you to do so anonymously, if you wish.
My HK Chinese sister in law breastfeeds in public -- discreetly and with a large shawl over her. I think (I hope) attitudes are changing.

would write to the SCMP - but it does not take anonymous letters anymore...at least not the letters to the editor. fact is though, i wouldn't hesitate putting my name on such a letter - it's outrageous thing to happen in this day and age - especially if you were doing it discreetly! quite a scary thought really - more people should know this kind of thing happens and boycott this hotel.

 

[AudreysMom]

Please share which hotel so I will never go there! They should be ashamed of themselves! I definitely say write to the SCMP.

 

[erina320]

The whole notion if being against nursing seems counterintuitive to me. What a shame! And a relatively modern concept to be anti-breastfeeding at that, as formula wasn't really widely used and marketed until the 1950's.

I always felt nursing your baby leaned more to the conservative side as it ties the Mom a bit more to a motherly role... I know this is not necessarily true with the advent of the breast pump and many working Mom's nurse their LO's now days but still... and formula frees a woman up to working out of the house.

 

[banane76]

NAME AND SHAME this establishment for sure...write to all the papers. You were being discreet by using a cover and I'm sure no one was bothered by it. Who makes a policy AGAINST breastfeeding. Sure, they can do whatever they want, but you were feeding your hungry baby. Would they rather have a screaming baby? LLL should also be notified. Breastfeeding is being encouraged by the HK public system...why not get everyone on board?