A mum in the US took to social media to share her frustration over a shocking incident in a local café, with her post going on to anger parents all over the internet.
Stephanie Barlow Scott took to Facebook to share her experience at Stouthaus Coffee shop, writing: “Be warned: nursing mothers are not welcome. According to the barista, SHE wasn’t uncomfortable but there were a lot of men there and they probably were.”
Recalling the incident to local news station KXAN, Stephanie explained that she and her friend Amberly paid a visit to the café with their infants.
“[Amberley] was nursing him and was pretty discrete. A lady came over with a towel and asked ‘if she wanted to cover up?’ and my friend said, ‘No, am I making you uncomfortable?’” she said.
Astonishingly, while the woman admitted that she was not uncomfortable, she said that there were a number of male customers whom, she felt, might be.
The coffee shop’s initial response, by a male member of staff, claimed that while they welcome breastfeeding in their establishment, they “simply ask that the respect [they] offer to you would be mutual towards [their] patrons and staff”.
He added: “Simply the use of a covering would be very appreciated, and is generally and widely understood and practiced in the nursing community.”
Needless to say, the response drew a number of complaints from concerned members of the public, and the owner was forced to issue a further statement.
The statement read: “As the owner and the person who had the actual conversation with our customer, I’d like to sincerely apologise for how this was approached. My hope is to personally contact the mother I offended and offer her my apology directly.”
While we are glad to see the company apologising for the error, it is astonishing and alarming to see the initial response.
What are your thoughts?
