Breastfeeding in Public

Breastfeeding in public

Anytime, Anywhere

One of the great things about breastfeeding is that you can do it anytime, anywhere. You can breastfeed your baby at the mall, at the park or at a restaurant.

Breastfeeding mothers have the right to breastfeed anytime, anywhere. This right is protected by the Ontario Human Rights Commission. No one should stop you from breastfeeding your child because you are in a public area. They should not:

• Ask you to cover up
• Disturb you
• Ask you to move to another area that is more "private"

What can I do?

If you feel your breastfeeding rights are not being respected, you can:

• Inform the person, business or community agency of your right to breastfeed your baby in public
• Consult with The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario or by phone at 1-866-598-0322
• Contact groups such as La Leche League Canada or INFACT Canada for support
• Talk with Ottawa Public Health at 613-580-6744

Other sources of infant feeding information:

• Best Start Resource Centre 
• Health Canada 
• Public Health Agency of Canada 
• Canadian Pediatric Society
• Public Health Ontario: Addressing Obesity in Children & Youth (PDF)