Swansea mum speaks of 'traumatic' experience after being told to express milk in pub toilet

A breastfeeding mother has spoken of her anger after a traumatic experience trying to express milk in a pub toilet.

Stephanie Booth from Swansea claims she was subjected to constant banging on a cubicle door after she was unable to to find suitable privacy to use her breast pump.

She is now calling for more awareness of women's needs to pump after the upsetting experience on her first night out since having her now eight-month-old daughter Freya.

The mum-of-two said she would not have dreamed of going on a night out when still breastfeeding her first child but built up the confidence to allow herself some "me time" after her youngest daughter reached eight months.

It was during that night out in Swansea where she was celebrating her birthday when she said she needed to find somewhere suitable to express some milk.

She said due to a lengthy queue for the women's toilets, she asked if she could use an overflow toilet but was told they were for staff only.

Stephanie said: "I found the manager and told her my situation and asked if I could use the overflow toilets to pump. She told me it wasn't her problem and to either pump there by the bar or leave. I had paid for a table so couldn't leave to go elsewhere as I would lose my money. It resulted in me waiting in line, going in a cubicle for 20 minutes while other women banged on the door telling me to hurry up.

"There are laws out there that you have a right to pump in work, there is a right to breastfeed your baby but there is nothing about pumping in public places. I am a mum, I want to try and have time for myself to help my mental health a bit. I didn't do stuff like this with my first but I thought it was my birthday I will do it for myself and this is what I was met with."

Stephanie shared her experience with a breastfeeding support group and other mums expressed their outrage at her experience. One woman said: "What you'd expect is for her to offer you the office or a room out the back to pump. So sad people can be this way."Another said: "Pumping in the toilets would've been bad enough, she should've offered you a clean space as well. I'm shocked."

The pub concerned said a problem behind the bar hindered their ability to help. They said overflow toilets are only opened to the public on nights that are extremely busy due to special events.