I was asked to ‘cover up’ while breastfeeding my son during a cricket match
A new mum has claimed she was asked to cover up while breastfeeding at a cricket match by another member of the club, who is also her boyfriend.
Leah Wong, 32, from Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, watched her partner play at Hyde’s Flowery Field Cricket Club on April 22 when her 16-week-old son Tristan needed feeding.
In response, the outraged mother, who works in PR, continued to feed her baby until he was ready. She then told her partner what had happened before the couple left the cricket ground.
She subsequently lodged a complaint but claims the club ruled it was not discrimination because she was only asked to move, rather than leave the premises. Leah also claims that the club member refused to say sorry.
When the club brought in an independent witness to review her complaint, Leah claims the witness said she shouldn’t have breastfed where she had been, and should have gone inside.
Leah Wong, 32, from Stalybridge in Greater Manchester, has claimed she was asked to move or cover up by a fellow cricket club member when she was breastfeeding her 16-week-old son, Tristan
The furious mother, who is “very upset” by the incident, said: “I was sitting on a bench outside the changing rooms – there were benches everywhere.
‘When I started [breastfeeding] the game was on, so there were people on the field and people sitting behind me, but no one walked by.
“Then the game was over and the players went by to go into the dressing room.
“The woman came to me. She is someone my partner has known all his life and I have known for a few years so I was just expecting a pleasant conversation.
“Then he said I shouldn’t have breastfed where I was and I should have gone in.”
The furious mum, who claims she’s never felt insecure about breastfeeding before, said she was told she was ‘inappropriate’
Leah claims she finished breastfeeding Tristan before telling her partner what happened and the pair left the club
The mother claimed the woman told her she had been a midwife, which qualified her to voice her opinion on where Leah should breastfeed.
Leah then claims the woman told her, “It’s not appropriate, it’s embarrassing for everyone else – it’s not appropriate around the male players.”
The mother continues: “She referred to my nipples and my breasts and said people had been discussing them.
She suggested I go somewhere more discreet. I said it was completely natural and I was not doing anything wrong.
“Then she said ‘will you at least cover up?” I said no.’
Although Leah was initially upset by the encounter, she quickly grew angry and said it “shouldn’t have happened.”
She recalls telling her partner about the incident after the game, after which he also expressed his anger and disappointment at the actions of someone he “considered to be a good friend.”
Leah lodged a complaint after the incident and was invited to a meeting at the club on May 30, but claims she was told the other member had not acted in a discriminatory manner.
She claimed: ‘They said her comments were not the feelings of the club and they had tried to do what was fair and appropriate under the circumstances.
The incident happened in late April when Tristan (pictured) was just a few weeks old
Leah claims she was summoned to a meeting with the cricket club at the end of May after making a complaint
The mother (pictured with Tristan) claims she was told the dispute did not amount to discrimination and the other member would not apologize
“They asked her to apologize and she refused, but they said the club has no control over its members.
“They also said she didn’t ask me to leave the site just to go somewhere else, so it wasn’t discrimination.
“They invited a club member as an independent witness, he said it’s not discrimination, it’s someone’s opinion.
“Then he said I shouldn’t have breastfed where I was and I should have gone in.”
After the dispute, Leah claims the club put up posters showing that breastfeeding is welcome on the premises.
“I’m glad they’re putting up these posters, but given that the club member said at the meeting that I shouldn’t have breastfed there, it’s clear the posters will have absolutely no effect,” she said, speaking to the club. added tried to distance himself from the queue.
Now she says she is not comfortable returning to the cricket field and breastfeeding again, despite never feeling insecure about it before.
“I’ve had more positive experiences than negative ones, but we also need to show that it’s legal to breastfeed in public and most locations are very happy with it,” she said.
“I’m not going back to the club to watch cricket again.”
A Flowery Field Cricket Club spokesman said: ‘We as a club have been in contact with the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Lancashire Cricket Foundation, who are looking into the matter.
“No comment can be made until the ECB’s investigation has been completed.”
The ECB has confirmed that they support the LCF’s research, as is customary.
A Lancashire Cricket Foundation spokesperson said: ‘We are looking into the complaint that took place at Flowery Field Cricket Club as we aim to ensure that cricket as a game is inclusive and welcoming to all.
“No further comment will be made until the investigation is complete.”
Femail has contacted Flowery Field Cricket Club and LCF for further comment.