Breastfeeding mom kicked out of Claire's store in N.S.
CBC News
Posted: Dec 28, 2012 10:43 PM AT
Last Updated: Dec 29, 2012 12:32 PM AT
Some concerned mothers in Nova Scotia are lending their support to a Cole Harbour mom who was asked to leave a store in Mic Mac Mall because she was breastfeeding her baby daughter.
Kendra-Ann Nugent said she was shopping at Claire's in Mic Mac Mall on Christmas Eve with her family when her eight-month-old daughter Brooke-Lynn became fussy.
Nugent asked an employee for a chair and started to breastfeed her baby in the back of the accessories store.
She said she used her husband's winter jacket to cover herself, but while she was in the middle of breastfeeding an assistant manager asked her to leave.
"I informed her [of the] rights of mothers breastfeeding, they can feed anytime, anywhere in Nova Scotia," Nugent told CBC News.
The province declared breastfeeding a human right in 2000.
But she said the assistant manager repeated herself and asked Nugent to leave if she wished to continue breastfeeding.
Claire's says it's iin the middle of interviewing associates at the Dartmouth store to determine all of the facts. (CBC)"I left the store immediately. I was pretty shocked and I was upset. I felt bullied," Nugent said. "I [feel] that all mothers in Nova Scotia should have the right to breastfeed… and feel comfortable while doing so."
Nugent said as far as she knows, no customers had complained about her breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding protest
Now a group of advocates is organizing a "nurse in" at the Claire's in Mic Mac Mall on New Years Eve.
Nugent's friend Nicole Fraser said she is hoping a lot of people will show up for the demonstration.
"We will just be there together to show the store that it's important to understand and to educate their staff so that something like this doesn't happen again," said Fraser.
A Claire's spokesperson said the store is investigating the complaint.
"We do not have a company policy that would require a mother that is breast feeding a baby to leave our store, so we would not condone such an action," wrote Stacy Forgang in an email.
"We will ensure that all our store associates are aware of our policy and are sensitive to these types of situations in the future."
It's the second time in a week a Nova Scotia mother has been told to stop breast-feeding in public.
Earlier this month a Dartmouth restaurant owner said customers complained about her breastfeeding, sparking a food safety investigation.
Share Tools
Latest Nova Scotia News Headlines
- Sydney `hackathon` challenges techies
- Cape Breton techies are building computer programs from scratch in Sydney`s first hackathon. more »
- Worker falls in ocean in Digby accident
- RCMP in Nova Scotia are investigating after an excavator and its operator plunged into the ocean Saturday. more »
- Rescue attempt over for New Brunswick fishermen
- The rescue attempt for two missing fishermen has been called off in New Brunswick, hours after one body was found. more »
- Roundup of Bluenose Marathon street closures
- Thousands are gearing up for this weekend's 10th annual Bluenose Marathon and motorists are being advised of street closures. more »
Must Watch
Top News Headlines
- Rescue attempt over for New Brunswick fishermen
- The rescue attempt for two missing fishermen has been called off in New Brunswick, hours after one body was found. more »
- Spectator killed at Edmonton Jeep event
- A 20-year-old woman died Saturday during an event for Jeep enthusiasts held in a parking lot just west of downtown Edmonton. more »
- Astronaut Chris Hadfield adjusts to 'earthling' life
- Canada's space ambassador, Chris Hadfield, is still readapting to life on this planet after spending 146 days in zero gravity as commander of the International Space Station. For now, though, he's taking his homecoming one step at a time. more »
- Winning ticket sold in Florida for $590M Powerball jackpot
- A lottery official says one winning ticket has been sold in Florida for a record Powerball jackpot of more than $590 million. more »
- Luck changes for $3.2M lottery winners from Cape Breton
- Worker falls in ocean in Digby accident
- UFO sightings in Canada in 2012 doubled previous record
- Blue Nose Youth Run draws thousands
- Sydney `hackathon` challenges techies
- Sailor fighting cancer says AWOL charges dropped
- Sailor with cancer charged for being AWOL over sick day
- Rescue attempt over for New Brunswick fishermen
- Man sentenced to 7 years in Spryfield shooting

