A mum has been praised for her quick thinking response to a stranger who suggested she put a towel over herself while she was breastfeeding her son.
Avery Lane, from Georgia, US, was feeding her two-month-old baby, Wilder, in a HR office on the military base where she lives with her family.
Lane explained in a Facebook post that during the time she was accompanying her friend to the office, she needed to nurse, but the manager said to her: “Can you cover up with a towel or something?”
Despite being shocked by the request, Lane did not back down or leave, instead she raised her voice and said: “No, but I have a muslin if you would like to cover your face. You must not know Georgia’s breastfeeding laws.”
Instead of realising the error of his ways and apologising, the member of staff then asked Lane to leave the building.
But the mother-of-one was not ready to “nurse in my car” or cover up, because Wilder does not like being covered. So instead she called in the local military police force, who patrol the site, so they could “come and inform him”.
Explaining: “I’m glad they came and informed him that he could not tell me to leave. Also one of the military police told me that there is nothing wrong with a mother breastfeeding her child.”
Lane said that she wanted to share her experience with other mums in order to “normalise breastfeeding” and make it easier for mums to feed in public without being shamed.
She has since posted a follow-up interview on her YouTube channel, answering questions about the incident and saying that she didn’t want the member of staff to be fired, but educated about the problem.
She also said her husband Robert was her “biggest supporter” and that he thinks it was “a little ridiculous” that someone would ask her to cover up.
The post was shared over 10,000 times within five days of being posted, with many mums rushing to share their own experiences.
Kayleigh Hammond said: “Well done beautiful lady! The most natural thing in the world I can’t believe it’s ever been seen as taboo.”
And Matthew Thompson added: “You’re a good mother standing up for you and the rights of your baby.”