Woman shamed for breastfeeding in Vernon mall food court
BREAST FEEDING MOM TOLD 'THERE'S A TIME AND A PLACE FOR THESE KIND OF THINGS'
VERNON – A feed-in is being organized to support a Vernon mother asked to stop breastfeeding her son at the Village Green Shopping Centre earlier this week.
Megan Deuling was breastfeeding her four-month-old son at the food court in the mall Wednesday evening, April 1, when she was approached by a security guard.
“I had noticed a woman giving me some really nasty looks, but I just ignored it,” Deuling says. “I noticed she went up to a security guard and then he came over and he couldn’t even look me in the eye. He said, ‘Mam, there’s a time and a place for these kinds of things.’”
Deuling was told what she was doing was inappropriate, and that she should be using a baby bottle instead. She breastfeeds her son everywhere, but aside from some looks, she’s never before been asked to stop what she was doing.
“I just feel so disrespected and insulted. I can’t even believe this would happen,” she says. “I’m just giving my son life, just doing what’s best for him.”
Once posted to Facebook, her story spread quickly and local mothers have rallied behind her with a feed-in set for this Saturday, April 4 at 1 p.m. in the food court of the Village Green mall. Deuling says many mothers have shared their own negative experiences breastfeeding in public.
“I hope a lot of people show up. This is really unacceptable for a mother to be shamed for feeding her baby. I don’t want it to happen to any other moms,” Deuling says.
She says she’s not going to stop going to the mall, but will stand up for her right to breastfeed her son wherever and whenever.
Ian Papa, the regional manager of Concord Security Corporation issued an apology Thursday afternoon saying the company deeply regrets and apologizes for the comments made by the security guard and added the "misguided statements" are not condoned. The guard in question has been temporarily relieved of his duties until he receives sensitivity training and an evaluation on public relations conduct, Papa said.
"Clearly this interaction was unacceptable and we will take steps to ensure it is not repeated," Papa said.
In an email, Village Green Centre marketing manager Darren Robinson said the mall "encourages all members of its community to enjoy its facilities and strives to welcome the entire community within an open-minded and respectful environment."
"The conduct and decisions of our contracted employees, as with those of our community members, should always reflect tolerance, open-mindedness and a civil acknowledgement of differences," Robinson said.
This isn’t the first time a woman’s right to breastfeed in public made headlines in recent weeks. The West Kelowna municipal hall was the site of a feed-in March 24 as council discussed a Baby Friendly Initiative.
The mothers organizing the feed-in this Saturday in Vernon say anyone who supports a woman’s right to feed her baby in public, including dads, grandparents and others, are invited to attend.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
—This story was updated at 3:40 p.m. April 2, 2015 to include comments from Village Green Centre marketing director Darren Robinson and an apology from Security Concord Corporation.
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30 responses
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Breast feeding is natural so I don’t think any one has the right to say no to feeding your baby when he or she is hungry. If I had of been that lady I would have told that guardto take a flying leap, you know what I mean. Look at what you see on TV these days far worse than breast feeding. Way to go all you moms, I’m proud of you, this is coming from a 71 year old raised the old fashion way but changed my line of thinking. Good luck to all.
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This has nothing to do with the people of Vernon, ignorant people are everywhere these days. The security officer should have handled the matter differently.Women should be able to feed their babies where they choose.
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Agreed Carolina breast feeding is natural! Bulling of any kind in any circumstance is unacceptable.
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This a part of life. It is a beautiful thing for a mother to be able to do. The woman who was narrow minded to complain owes Mothers especially Megan. I wish you well on your feed in. Hope there are loads of mother and babies there.
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Why are so many people upset about mothers breastfeeding in public? It is such a natural healthy age old process. Is it fear of scandalous behaviour if a man sees a bare breast? How repressively christian is that?
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As God intended it to be,…, or what ever you believe. I can not imagine what has happened to or is in the mind of anyone that would find anything offensive or indecent about a baby being breast fed. SHAME ON THE PERVERT THAT COMPLAINED!
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Yes, it seems that breastfeeding is a matter of life or death and damn all etiquette. I wonder how babies survived 10 years ago when breastfeeding in public wasn’t as prevalent? Oh well, we’ll all get used to breastfeeding in another 10 years or so.
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Yes! How would people like to eat their lunch in a public bathroom!! Feed your babies ANYWHERE!
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You are actually saying your find a woman breast feeding an infant offensive? Then look away. It is the mostbeautiful natural loving act any woman can perform. As a species we should be grateful for women like her!
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We could learn from Brazil – São Paulo, Latin America’s largest city is poised to pass legislation that would levy a £100 fine on any business or organisation or person that prevents women from breastfeeding in public!Go mommies!
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A sad day for Vernon mall, better get some reality training for the guard and a family room for the mall, bloody hell this is 2015, not 1915
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I applaud these moms that are breastfeeding their babies in public. In many part of the world is considered the normal thing to do, because for a baby the breastmilk is the basic necessity for a healthy life. Nothing to be ashamed off.
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Never havin kids, I have nothing against moms wanting to nurse their children in public. After all when you are hungry, don’t you eat? Besides the security guard, that woman should also take some sensitivity training as well!! SHAME ON HER!!! Best of luck on your nurse in!!!!
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Excellent. I’m so glad the moms are going to stand up for this. I am now a great grandmother ,but I breast fed all 4 of my children whereverand whenever they needed. Sure I got a few comments but even back 30 years ago most people rarely noticedthe feeding or didn’t care. I even fed my little ones on the beach while wearing a bikini.lol. I am a little surprised at the attitude of some people these days about something so natural as breast feeding when you see so many young people in various stages of undress with cleavage ( butt and breast) showing for all the world to so. And the best I can see it really has no nutritional or health value to anyone.
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I breast fed all three of my son’sI had some people make rude remark’sabout it was not like my breastwas exposed I believe in breast feeding over bottle and women have been doing this for century’s. I am proud of you for letting people know what nappened.
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Totally wish I could be there…..totally support breastfeeding in public…. however I also support the Concord Security Corporation – they have obviously taken steps to help sensitize staff and ensure the situation is not repeated.What else can we ask for?Let’s give people a chance to catch up and then support their efforts to do so….
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”He said, ‘Mam, there’s a time and a place for these kinds of things.’”.Yeah… the time is when baby is hungry and the place is wherever you are the time when baby is hungry….
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If a person is offended by watching a Mother feed their Baby the natural way then maybe they should look the other way instead of being closed minded or don’t go a restaurant or food court where you plan to eat yourself…find a closet for the simply fact that maybe we don’t want to watch you eat…when a baby is hungry it shouldn’t matter where they are fed as long as they are fed.
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good for you girls , breast feeding is the most natural thing you can do , it is not distasteful nor wrong!
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really I thought that Vernon had more respect than that. Any mother who has breastfeed or is breastfeeding should have just as much right as anyone else.
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I hope they get hundreds of breast feeding moms in attendance.Bitter old grumpy women need to get a grip.My grandmother would be right in there supporting my daughter if she was still alive, she would be 110 if she was.She was all for breast feeding, she had 14 of her own and when I had my children it was never even discussed.I fed my children in front of anyone in the house, didn’t care if it was my grandparents, my uncles, my aunts, never occurred to me that it would be frowned upon.My grampa was so cute, he could bend over and say, awww he sure knows how to eat that little guy.It was perfectly normal in our family, everyone breastfed.It would have been considered odd if we didn’t want to, never happened that any of us didn’t want to do it, it’s what is best for baby that counts.
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Really people. Breastfeeding has so many benefits for Mother and Baby. Would you rather the baby cry because they were hungry? Babies need to eat too! I thought that as a society were were becoming more open to this. It is natures way after all. Is there a space in the mall for this mothers to feed their babies?
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OMG. This is stupid! People of Vernon are a real disappointment these days! Must have been a Target shopper!
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Some busy bodies have nothing better to do with their lives. She is the one who should be shamed.
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Yes breast feeding is normal healthy thing and if the people don’t like itdon’t stare .moms are not doing it to flash their breasts to the world ,it is not a sexual thing , people do not eat covered up ,in the bathrooms , so why should babies , I will support all moms bottle feeding or nursing moms … Stand strong and do not ever let ignorant people discourage any mom .
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