Breast-feeding flash mobs
Up to 40 mothers, some accompanied by their partners, descended on Brighton, East Sussex, and breastfed their children in front of Christmas shoppers.
Claire Jones-Hughes, 38, organised the demonstration after she was criticised by customers in a cafe for breastfeeding one of her daughters last week.
She was confronted by a group of four middle-aged women and a man in her favourite vegetarian restaurant, Wai Kika Moo Kau, after feeding four-month-old Callie.
Mrs Jones-Hughes said: "One woman said, 'It was very unpleasant watching you feed. You should have covered up more'. When I protested, the others joined in, and the man said, 'You should have used a towel'.
"I was really shocked, especially as I'd gone to a lot of effort to be discreet. You usually get nice comments when you're with a baby, and I couldn't believe I was having this conversation. In their world, it was completely unnatural that they should see me doing that."
Despite the support of another customer, Mrs Jones-Hughes was visibly shaken and reduced to tears by the incident.
She said: "After they left, the manager came over to ask what happened and was mortified when I told him. When I calmed down it reminded me of all the stories I've heard from other women who've had similar experiences."
After drumming up support online, Mrs Jones-Hughes encouraged other women to brave the cold to feed their babies as part of the flash mob at the Clock Tower.
The customer services manager, who also has a three-year-old daughter Lexie, said she hoped the event would give confidence to mothers who are nervous about breastfeeding in public.
"They wouldn't let us do it," Napoli, of St. Clair Shores, said. Napoli had organized the event along with In Home Lactation Specialists, LLC.
As one of 11 women who came to the event, Napoli had just sat down to start nursing her 1-year-old son when a security guard confronted her and told her she needed to stop.
When Napoli said she didn't understand why they couldn't do it, the security guard said, "We do not allow flash mobs."
But Napoli, who breastfed both her sons, thought it was about more than just a flash mob.
When she asked, "So, you don't allow nursing in the mall?" a mall manager replied: "Not in public, we don't."
Michigan state law says that public nudity laws do not apply to a woman breastfeeding a child, though Michigan is not one of the 45 states that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location.
"Clearly, feeding your child a meal is offensive to do in the rest of this part of the mall, even though according to the state of Michigan, it's permissible and encouraged," Napoli said.
Edward Nakfoor, spokesperson for The Somerset Collection, said in a statement issued Sunday evening that the mall does allow breastfeeding, though it does not allow "demonstrating or protesting of any kind, as we are private property."
"I am extremely disappointed in the sheer ignorance of Somerset Collection," said lactation consultant Brandy Walters, who was present when the flash mob was dispelled. "I know the breastfeeding community will be supporting Mary."
Well done them on taking a stand. Here are some images of the day. To all the breastfeeding mums who took part, we salute you - and obviously we secretly hope that you were wearing our