One would think that the hospital would be the best place for mothers to nurse; after all, doctors and nurses and health practitioners in general know the importance of breast milk.
This mother’s story of how she was ordered out of the hospital for nursing, will make you think otherwise.
According to a Telegraph report, 18-year-old Darcie Pennington was at the Royal Liverpool Hospital visiting her grandmother when her son, Vincent, got hungry.
So she began to feed him.
A female nurse soon walked up to her and said that she should move to a private room so she wouldn’t make other hospital visitors uncomfortable.
“The nurse then came over and slammed the curtains shut, telling me that I couldn’t feed him as there were males I would make feel uncomfortable,” she shared. “I asked her why I was being targeted and why she wasn’t promoting breastfeeding as a nurse I thought was strange, she told me she was protecting my dignity.”
Asked if she’d feel uncomfortable if a bottle were used, the nurse replied that she wouldn’t be. Bottle feeding wasn’t sexual.
Photo credit: Cascade News
“Appalled by this comment I asked her what she found sexual about a baby having something to eat from his mum,” Darcie said.
At that point another nurse approached them.
Darcie said she felt “confronted and harassed,” so she and her mother got their stuff and left.
Since her story has gained the attention from the media, the hospital was quick to issue a statement regarding Darcie’s nursing incident.
Speaking on behalf of the hospital, deputy chief nurse Colin Hont apologized saying:
“We are aware of a complaint made by Ms. Pennington in relation to visiting her relative who was recovering on a ward that is primarily used for recovery from breast and eye surgery.
“We have apologized for the distress that has been caused and we are currently looking into the matter and would be happy to discuss this further with Ms. Pennington.
“We fully support breastfeeding and visitors to our hospitals are welcome to breast- feed where they choose to and feel most comfortable,” he added.
