In the US, over 50 states have breastfeeding laws to protect breastfeeding moms from discrimination. However, there are still establishments who appear to disregard the legality of breastfeeding in public. In a report by Fox News, they said one mother was forced to leave a Pizza Hut restaurant when she started breastfeeding her baby in public.
Page Martin, a mom from Ohio, claims that a Pizza Hut employee asked her to just leave the restaurant when she started breastfeeding her baby inside the restaurant premises. The mother explained later that her baby refuses to feed if he is covered with a blanket. The baby is currently three months old.
Fox reported that "Paige Martin was dining at a Northwest Ohio Pizza Hut with her husband and 3-month old son when she says her baby began to cry. Martin started to nurse her hungry infant in the dining room but she says a restaurant server rushed over and asked her to cover up". Martin also said in an interview with WTOL "I was approached by an employee there who asked me if I could cover myself up with a blanket and I said, "No it's my right because he won't eat with a blanket over his head".
She was first asked to move to a lesser crowded area because other parents complained that they don't want their kids to witness the breastfeeding.
According to Western Mass News, Page insisted her right to breastfeed in public "That's when she said 'well I'll have to ask you to leave,'" said Martin.
WTOL said "Ohio law states that a mother is entitled to breast-feed her baby in any location of a place of public accommodation wherein the mother otherwise is permitted. "
Martin is asking for a public apology from Pizza Hut.
WTOL also reached to Pizza Hut for their side but they refused to talk, instead, they issued a statement that says
"Pizza Hut fully supports state law regarding a mother's right to breastfeed in our restaurants. While this customer was not asked to leave the restaurant, but rather offered another table with greater privacy, we deeply apologize that this situation in anyway upset her or if she felt mistreated. We will take this as an opportunity to further train our employees."
But Martin insists on Pizza Huts public apology, also, she is calling for more breastfeeding awareness in their area so that this incident will not happen to anyone again.
