By Heather Abrey
Kitchener Post staff

The community and infrastructure services committee declared all facilities run by the City of Kitchener breastfeeding friendly  locations, and signs will be installed to indicate as much.

The Ontario Human Rights Code states that women have a right to publicly nurse their children undisturbed and cannot be asked to move or to “cover up”, but in the last year there were two incidents in which breastfeeding mothers were asked to cover themselves or move to a more private location, according to a staff report to council.

Since then the city has educated staff at pools and community centres about the rights of nursing mothers, and on Monday decided to officially declare that the facilities are “breastfeeding friendly” and install signs, a move that was supported by the Region of Waterloo Public Health.

While women already have the right to nurse in public facilities, Michelle Buckner, from the Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre, noted that the explicit support helps, particularly when attitudes in Canada still vary.

“A community that explicitly supports breastfeeding families sends the message that they are welcome, that they are included and that they are supported,” she said.

Buckner spoke about the many reasons breastfeeding and protecting the rights of nursing mothers is important.

“Breastfeeding is good for the community and it promotes healthy role modeling, healthy body images and it spans beyond the sexual. Above all, breastfeeding is the most natural and normal way to feed babies,” she said.

“A community that supports the health of the child and mother is a community that supports breastfeeding. Women must feel comfortable breastfeeding their children whenever they are hungry, wherever they happen to be.”