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Breastfeeding mother ‘escorted’ from Newry Omniplex

Newry Sinn Féin MLA Mickey Brady has commented on reports that a nursing mother was forced to leave Newry Omniplex last night.

Speaking to Newry Times, Brady said, “While Omniplex staff will argue that the child should not have been admitted to a 15 certified film I think there should have been a more common sense approach taken to the matter. The baby in question is 6 months old so the chances of it being negatively affected by something on screen are absolutely zero.”

“The other issue is that since the mother was breastfeeding she could not leave the baby at home. I think in general we need to give much more support to mothers who choose to breastfeed. This includes support in practical terms and not just with populist rhetoric that means nothing.”

Brady added, “Breastfeeding is well recognised as being the optimum source of nourishment for a baby, therefore we should not penalise mothers who follow medical guidelines and breast feed their children.”

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=20364

Posted by on Jul 27 2012. Filed under Community, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

12 Comments for “Breastfeeding mother ‘escorted’ from Newry Omniplex”

  1. John Mallon

    It would seem the cinema needs a more female led management system to better understand the needs of mothers. Sexism MUST NOT be tolerated.

  2. Sarah Walsh

    I’m glad to see there are still politicians in Newry to stand up for the rights of women in this town. I only wish there were more.

    Its a sad day when the rights of anyone are trampled. Better management is clearly urgently needed

  3. yeah right

    The baby should not have been admitted in the first place, it is against the BBFC 15 certificate which clearly states that babies are NOT allowed.

    Maybe some common sense should have been shown by the mother by not breastfeeding in the middle of a cinema. I’m sure if approached the staff would have suggested a more secluded area.

    • Gerry

      wise up! You must be an employee of omniplex?

    • Bronagh

      What utter nonsense!

      Breastfeeding a baby is led by instinct and not common sense. A Mother is responsive to the needs of the child and not to the needs of people who have grown up in such a repressed environment that they cannot cope with the sight of a breast and a baby. Why should the mother have moved to another secluded area? What has that got to do with this debate? We are no longer living in the Victorian era, for goodness sake.

      In Edinburgh, cinemas have screenings for parents and children where the rules are relaxed. As someone who has breast fed three children (wherever and whenever they needed it), I have never encountered such narrow-minded opinions such as yours.

      I would STRONGLY encourage a breastfeeding mass action group to return to the Omniplex and to feed their babies publicly with pride.

      Breast is best!

  4. PC gone mad!

    it’s nothing to do with sexism…..the woman should have asked management 1st ..last thing a parent wants is there son staring over with someone with her jeds out breast feeding even tho it’s only natural!

    • Bronagh

      Why should a Mother need permission to feed her child?

      Maybe if ‘the son’ was raised in a society where this was considered normal, he wouldn’t feel the need to stare. And, if it was a 15 rated movie, then I would presume a 15 yr old would be perfectly aware of what a breast actually was.

  5. KMA

    Bend the rules for breastfeeding mothers, do me a favour! I doubt the cinema escorted the mother as she was breastfeeding. This is a story cooked up, as usual, by the militent breastfeedign lobby intent on castigating mothers who chose to bottle feed.

  6. I find it interesting that Odeon cinemas have weekly screenings for parents with babies and these movies are very often 15 rated. How can a large national chain like Odeon do this if it is supposedly not allowed?

  7. Martyn

    The manager of this cinema is a absolute gentleman and would defiently not let any of his staff be sexist to anyone. The baby shouldnt have been in the film, its a film about male strippers and has a age rating of 15, it is illegal for anyone under this age to view the film, regardless if they have adult supervision and (or) consent. Omniplex like any other cinema can not bend the rules for brest feeding women. The women was offered to come see the film at a differnt time and also a full refund.

  8. John

    I think the cinema could have dealt with this better but I suppose they had to deal with the situation. Is upholding the BBFC guidelines not an obligation of their cinema license? Could have jepordised their license renewal. Besides I would find it annoying and uncomfortable to sit beside a baby in an over 15’s film.

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