What is Breast Location? October 7, 2008

Come and visit my new website http://www.breastfeedinganywhere.com/ to better help mommies everywhere to feel comfortable and confidentially nurse their babies in public. Anywhere, Anytime.

My hope is to help mommies far and wide know which public places have breastfeeding-friendly facilities, where they are and what their conditions are like.

What made me want to start this site is because of my friend’s sister who was very shy about feeding her son in public so in a moment of desperation, she actually fed him in a bathroom stall. I was so saddened that I felt I needed to start this site so no baby has to see the inside of a bathroom stall again!

It’s tough to get out when you’re a breastfeeding mommy because you may not feel comfortable breastfeeding out in plain sight, you may need a private place to pump or just need that quiet place so your little one can focus on what she needs to.

So with your help, let me know which places, stores, etc in your area offer breastfeeding-friendly facilities. If you have any of the following information, send it to me! Canada, US, Australia, wherever! I’ll start to categorize them all so mommies of all walks of life can look up the city they live in or a city they’re visiting and know where they can go and feel comfortable and breastfeed their little ones for a healthy future!

Even if you’ve lived in the same city your entire life, it’s very different when you have a baby. You’ll know where all of the elevators are in every store, which bathrooms are ‘family friendly’ and be shocked as to how many places DON’T have a breastfeeding friendly room.

If you’re a new mommy, please check my locations to see if there are any in your area you can take advantage of!

Let me know any or all of the following:

1. City/State/Province

2. Store/Location Name (is it in a shopping center? What’s the shopping center name?)

3. Breastfeeding area? Room?

4. Extra perks? TV? Reclining chairs? Toddler play area? Change tables?

5. Clean? Dirty? Old? New? What did you think about the location?

6. Website/physical address of the location?

Please let me know if I’ve forgotten anything that you think would be important info for mommies to know!

More and more research is showing how many benefits breastfeeding has on babies AND mommies. Formula companies have been trying to duplicate it for decades and have not come even close.

I’d like to thank you ladies (and daddies) up front for your help! One of the best things about being an experienced mom is helping the new moms.

Please note: This site is for educational purposes only. I have not been to all of these places (not yet!) and the opinions and information given are those of individual personal experiences. Any medical advice is purely educational. Please consult your phisication.

Come visit my new site! August 12, 2009

If you’re nervous about breastfeeding in public, there’s no need to be.  Learn everything you need to know about nursing your baby and even pumping your breast milk in public places such as the airport or even at work!

Here you’ll find nursing rooms and breastfeeding friendly establishments all over Canada and the United states (there’s even some in China, Philippines and New Zealand!).

No need to be scared… we’re just a click away!  http://www.breastfeedinganywhere.com

Oh, and if you already know of some nursing rooms and would like to tell us about them, we’d love that too!!

COLORADO October 11, 2008

Colorado Springs

Chapel Hills Mall

• Family restroom

• Right next to bathroom

• Changing table

• Private…rocking chair with a little table and lamp and a plant

• Lockable door.

• A little bit worn, but I find it charming that they considered comfort and ambiance.

NEWFOUNDLAND October 9, 2008

SAINT JOHN’S

Winners

Harveys / Swiss Chalet, Rothesay Avenue

West Branch of the Saint John free Public Library

Market Square
Market Square has a large family washroom with chair for nursing.

Harbour Station
Harbour Station has a breastfeeding room with chairs and a changing area.

McAllister Place
McAllister Place has re-opened their “Mommy and Me” Nursing Room by the washrooms.For

Sears – McAllister Place
Sears will let you use the chaging rooms in the Ligerie department for breastfeeding

For detailed information: http://www.sjba.ca/bfl.html

CALIFORNIA

Davis

The Mother and Baby Source

• They have a back room that is used for classes and breastfeeding consults. And, it has a couch and a glider for moms to use any time that it is not being used for a class or consult.
• Plus, there is a changing table complete w/ complementary diapers and wipes.
• They even have breastfeeding pillows and cover-ups available for moms to use.
• And a water cooler! It really is fabulous.
• The store specializes in specialty items, difficult to find items, attachment parenting props, etc.

REDWOOD CITY

• The BabiesRUs near here, in Redwood City, Ca, has a nursing room that’s also a private baby changing area with free diapers (newborn) and wipes.

SAN DIEGO

• Norstroms at Fashion Valley mall
  – Nursing room – right next to bathroom – close to changing table – private…lots of couches
  – Very clean. I love this room and thought it was very convienent when I was BFing in public
• Babies R Us in San Diego also has a mothers room

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a sign!

Please feel free to print off this sign and post it in your store/restaurant/office etc. window so everyone will know that you support (and encourage!) breastfeeding. Anywhere, anytime.

For more resources to help you as a business promote a breastfeeding-friendly establishment, please go here: INFACT Canada (infant feeding action coalition)

ONTARIO

BURLINGTON, ONTARIO

SEARS (Mapleview Centre)– very old room located in the baby section.

• Has 2 rocking chairs
• Has change table
• Has a sink
• When I was in there nursing my daughter, every announcement over the loud speaker was ridiculously loud and it startled her every time.

Mapleview Centre (mall) – FOOD COURT

• Private area with a bench seat, a door that locks and a play area for older siblings
• 2 private bathroom stalls
• Change table
• 2 sinks
• Not bad… clean most of the time
• The mall is going through extensive renovations and management tells me they’re building a really nice BF room complete with tv’s & comfy recliners! To be completed in 2009.

IKEA – Plains Rd. off the QEW

• Family room just inside the front entrance
• Private nursing area inside the cafeteria
• Both are clean most of the time

JOSEPH BRANT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL – Lakeshore Rd.

• Breastfeeding clinic
• Appointment needed
• They will help you with any questions, problems or concerns you have
• FREE!
• Hours and more info here: http://www.inform.hamilton.ca/details.asp?RSN=69955

BURLINGTON MALL – Guelph Line

• “Family Room” located in the food court
• Detailed information: http://burlingtonmall.shopping.ca/cambridge/jsp/cs_fs.jsp?mallid=bur

OTTAWA ONTARIO

“In Canada, “anytime, anywhere” is the slogan. That said, just about all malls in Ottawa have nursing rooms

Bayshore mall – not that nice

Carlingwood mall – pretty nice

St.Laurent mall – pretty nice but often crowded

Rideau Centre in Sears – okay if it doesn’t smell like poopy diapers). I’ve used them to pump before, but rarely would to nurse. I just nurse in the food court or on a bench.

– Thank you phdinparenting!!

TORONTO, ONTARIO

These restaurants were recognized by Toronto Public Health as Breastfeeding Friendly!

http://www.toronto.ca/health/breastfeeding/friendlyrestaurants_south.htm

Boston Pizza 900 Dufferin St. (Dufferin Mall) 416-531-6879

Cambalache – 505Mount Pleasant Rd.

George Bigliardi’s Dining Lounge – 463 Church St.

Churrasco Portugril – 480 Danforth Rd.

Commensal Vegetarian Restaurant – 655 Bay St. 416-596-9364

Golden Griddle Family Restaurants – 3080 Yonge St.

ki modern Japanese and bar – 181 Bay St.

Quail & Firkin – 1055 Yonge St.

River – 413 Roncesvalles Ave.

Sammy’s Eatery – 158 O’Connor Dr. Unit 1

Second Cup Forest Hill Village – 415 Spadina Rd.

Siji Restaurant – 143 Dundas St. West

Suba – 292 College St.

Sushi Garden Japanese Restaurant – 30 Eglinton Ave. West Unit 1

Ten Feet Tall – 1381 Danforth Ave.

TOGO Food Bar – 1133 Yonge St.

A&W Warden – 1585 Warden Avenue

Agora – 3015 Dundas St. West

Kingsway Fish and Chips – 3060 Bloors St. West

Lone Star Texas Grill – 930 Dixon Rd.

Rebas Cafe & Gallery – 3289 Dundas St. West

_______________________________________

throughthemonsoon
http://canadianlactivist.wordpress.com/

I wanted to recommend a fantastic ballet school in the North Toronto area. Victoria Ballet Academy – is not only a great place to for young dancers, the atmosphere is exceptionally family and very breastfeeding friendly. I have nursed my 11 month old son there since he was born while I attend my daughter’s ballet classes.

There is no particular room for breastfeeding, but the parents waiting area has a couch and a lounge chair that I have often nursed in. No one here has so much as batted an eye at breastfeeding and when I commented to the director about how open an environment it was, he seemed flabergasted saying that breastfeeding is normal and it never even occurred to him!

People have always offerred me a spot on the couch or chair and have gone out of their way for my comfort.

I have always felt more than welcome there and would highly recommend this school to any parent looking for a great place for their child to learn to dance and a place that is completely welcoming to parents and to nursing mothers.

What a great atmostphere and a great business!

For concerns about breastfeeding in public please contact Ontario Human Rights Commission.

ALBERTA October 8, 2008

EDMONTON

WEST EDMONTON MALL

2008 Breastfeeding Challenge

Oct 11

NewCap Radio Stage
10 a.m. to noon
BLISS (Breastfeeding and Lactation Information and Support Source) will be competing in the Breastfeeding Challenge for the most mothers breastfeeding simultaneously in one place. BLISS is committed to providing breastfeeding families one-on-one assistance with breastfeeding, credible resources and information. For details visit bliss-breastfeeding.ca.

• “Mothers Room” located by the Cineplex theatre
• “Mothers Room” located by the Galaxyland Amusement Park
• “Mothers Room” located in section D
• Detailed mall map: http://www.westedmontonmall.com/pdf/maps/Maps_Summer05.pdf