Linda feeding her baby son at Serangoon Public Library
Linda Ho is a placenta encapsulator at acaringmum.com and mother of four. Last week, she was at the Serangoon Public Library at library at Nex Mall. While breastfeeding her 10-month-old son (in the manner as shown in the photograph she shared with us above), a library staff came to tell her to cover up.
Linda tells theAsianparent what went down at the library and how she stood up for herself. This is not the first time a mum has been publicly shamed for breastfeeding in public. It seems like there is now an upward trend in Singapore of not accepting mums who are breastfeeding in public.
“I was not even exposing my breast. In fact she looked for a long time before determining that I was feeding my child. The staff claimed that a young boy and a few other men were looking on. And it was a protocol that they ask breastfeeding mums to cover up since there were males around,” says Linda.
Adding on, “I told her that it was a natural thing and it should be a social norm that I’m breastfeeding in public anywhere and my baby is simply…. eating. I went on to ask her if I was exposing anything. Nothing could be seen and nobody could even tell what I was doing unless they really stared. She agreed that I wasn’t and then seemed like she was tired of the conversation. She ended off with telling me that it was up to me.”
Linda expresses to us that a family-friendly establishment with a kid’s corner would be the last spot she would think would frown upon her actions. She took her stand and highlighted to the lady that there were no laws stating that she couldn’t breastfeed there.
Linda had shared this in a Facebook post and while most of her commenters echoed her sentiments, there were a few who pointed out that perhaps the lady didn’t have a choice but was instructed by a superior to convey that message to her. Especially since she left the decision up to Linda. Or maybe the librarian was just concerned that she was being ogled by perverts.
The incident has elicited reactions ranging from shock to anger from mothers everywhere. What is it about breastfeeding in public in Singapore? A similar case of a Singaporean mother being told off while dining at a restaurant was reported recently. Did Linda overreact? And how appropriate is breastfeeding in public?
Tell us here- we would love to hear from you!
Read Also: 8-year-old Singaporean girl tells lady off for shaming her mum for breastfeeding in public