Cafe Offers Breastfeeding Moms a Welcoming Break
A simple sign hanging outside a British restaurant won applauds from parents across the country. And now, a picture of the scrawled chalkboard welcoming breastfeeding mothers has gone viral.
The French restaurant owned by celebrity chef Raymond Blanc hung a chalkboard on an umbrella outside the restaurant which read:
Breastfeeding mums – Pop in & have a free cup of tea if you need a pit stop… no need to eat, no need to ask – please relax 🙂
The General Manager of the Cheltenham branch where the sign was hung, Emma O’Connor had this to say about her decision to make the breastfeeding-friendly statement:
[The sign] was literally from a mum that was tired. I made her a cup of tea and she looked like I’d given her a million pounds. I wish I’d done it ages ago, if I’d known it would make people feel more confident.
O’Connor recognises the challenges of breastfeeding. She goes on to say:
Sometimes you just need to sit down with your baby. Not everyone is as confident, and it’s not as easy for everyone. You can’t just sit on a park bench sometimes.
O’Connor explains that the restaurant branch has received an amazing response from people. She hopes that the sign reaches out to not only breastfeeding moms but also to those bottle-feeding who just need a break.
A spokesperson for the restaurant chain confirmed that while the other 19 Brasserie Blanc outposts have a “policy of being welcoming and accommodating” for those either breast feeding or bottle feeding, they do not currently offer the free tea.
I love everything about you. ..
WOW! That is fabulous! I love it when businesses think about their customers and do things like this. This is fantastic! *applauding*
I’m not surprised this went viral! Its brilliant! You don’t know how many times I was shamed into sitting in the backseat of my car to feed my starving child. It was uncomfortable and humiliating. We need more people like this owner!
I had seen this on social media, it’s a nice thing to offer!
I saw this on Facebook…love it, It is about time that people recognized there is nothing shameful about breastfeeding!