Claridges tells mum to cover up while breastfeeding

Luxury hotel engages in not-so-classy treatment of a breastfeeding mum

35-year-old Lou Burns was ordered by staff at Claridge’s five star hotel to cover herself while breast-feeding her 12-week-old daughter Isadora in order to avoid “causing offence” to other guests. The waiters rushed with a large napkin as soon as they spotted the mother of three.

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Her first reaction was to burst into tears, said the wife of actor Nick Burns. She said that women are under pressure to breastfeed and it isn’t easy, so she did not appreciate being made to feel as though she had done something wrong.

Instead of walking out of the luxury restaurant she stayed as she was there with her mother and the outing had been planned for three months in advance. She tweeted photos of herself with and without the napkin to show how much more obvious it was to breastfeed with a napkin.

The incident took place even though there had been no complaints from other customers. The Equality Act 2010 of the UK states that “it is unlawful for a business to discriminate against a woman because she is breastfeeding a child.”

Mrs. Burns has been inundated with messages of support since her husband retweeted her comments.