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Mum Is Kicked Off Bus For Breastfeeding Her Daughter

Lucy Devine

Published 
| Last updated 

Mum Is Kicked Off Bus For Breastfeeding Her Daughter

Featured Image Credit: Caters

A mum has claimed she was kicked off a bus after she refused to stop breastfeeding her daughter.

Holly Chapman, 28, from Wiltshire says she was feeding her 19-week-old daughter, Raiya, when she was asked to either stop, or leave the bus.

After being kicked off, Holly said she was forced to feed her baby by the side of the road while waiting for another bus.

Holly was told to either stop breastfeeding, or leave the bus (Credit: Caters)
Holly was told to either stop breastfeeding, or leave the bus (Credit: Caters)
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"My daughter Raiya was crying when we got on the bus so I started to feed her," said Holly.

"The driver told me I couldn't do it. I explained she was crying because she was hungry and he said if I was going to carry on then I needed to get off the bus.

"It was such a horrible experience. I was so shocked and didn't know what to say."

Holly said she was so embarrassed by the experience that at first, she didn't even tell her fiancé, Damien Baker-Davis.

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But a few days later when she confided in her sister, Holly made the decision to make a formal complaint.

"A few days later I was at a café with my sister and she noticed that I asked the staff permission to breastfeed. My sister knew that was a strange thing for me to do, and asked me what was going on," Holly continued.

Holly made a formal complaint following the upsetting experience (Credit: Caters)
Holly made a formal complaint following the upsetting experience (Credit: Caters)

"She was absolutely furious when I told her what had happened on the bus and she encouraged me to make a formal complaint."

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Holly, who is a maternity assistant, added: "I help new mums and I am upset with myself that I didn't stand up for myself, but I felt so choked up and humiliated in front of everyone on the bus.

"I have breastfed both my children, and I'm still breastfeeding my eldest child, Gracie, three. I tried to brush what happened off, but it impacted me a lot more than I thought."

Mum-of-two Holly has since received an apology from Swindon's Bus Company - but wants to share her experience in a bid to raise awareness that a mother can, by law, breastfeed her child in public.

"I want to encourage other feeding mums to speak up if you are ever confronted and know that you are doing nothing wrong," she said.

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"Breastfeeding in public is ok and you are protected by law to feed your baby whenever they need to be fed. I have had strangers say it's disgusting before but I've never been thrown off a bus."

Holly said she'd never been thrown off a bus for breastfeeding before (Credit: Caters)
Holly said she'd never been thrown off a bus for breastfeeding before (Credit: Caters)

Holly's fiancé, Damien added that work is clearly needed to help others understand the law.

"It is clear that breastfeeding is still not seen as natural and that has to change," he said.

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"Staff training or education work is obviously needed. It is difficult enough for mums to juggle feeding, naps and getting out the house, without being confronted in this way for doing something natural.

"I am angry that Holly has been treated this way for tending to our hungry daughter."

Holly's fiancé, Damien added that work is clearly needed to help others understand the law (Credit: Caters)
Holly's fiancé, Damien added that work is clearly needed to help others understand the law (Credit: Caters)

Alex Chutter, general manager for Swindon's bus Company said: "I am very sorry to learn of this customer's experience.

"Our drivers are highly trained in customer service, and I would like to reassure those who travel with us that incidents like this are extremely rare and completely unacceptable.

"We would never condone this type of behaviour from any of our drivers, I would like to sincerely apologise to Ms Chapman for the experience she has endured."

Topics: Breastfeeding, Life News, Parenting

Lucy Devine
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