Katherine Guest, 22, pictured, was forced to run while clutching tiny Zachariah Forster, pictured front, to make it to a doctor’s appointment on time
A breastfeeding mother claims that she was turned away from a bus – because the driver feared her ten-week-old son would choke to death on her milk.
After being ordered off the vehicle, Katherine Guest, 22, was forced to run while clutching tiny Zachariah Forster to make it to a doctor’s appointment on time.
The mother-of-two was hoping to catch the 8.30am 436 Arriva bus from Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth on Tuesday for a routine check-up.
But the stunned housewife, of Bridgnorth, Shropshire, told how the bus driver turned her away – despite the vehicle being near-empty.
Katherine was told that because of the risk of the baby choking on her milk she couldn’t enter.
Speaking yesterday, the mother – who lives with her barman partner Mike Forster, 22, and one-year-old son Benjamin – said: ‘The whole thing has been very hurtful.
‘As a young mum, you expect to have the right to feed your child wherever you need to – I thought public attitudes allowed that.
‘I was on my way to a routine doctor’s appointment at Bridgnorth Medical Practice when it happened.
‘I had Zach just ten weeks ago, and it was to look at both of us to see how we were doing.
‘There was no one else at the bus stop as we were waiting and Zach was crying out for feeding, so I obliged, thinking that there would be enough time for me to feed him before the bus arrived.
Speaking yesterday, the mother – who lives with her barman partner Mike Forster, 22, pictured right, and one-year-old son Benjamin – said: ‘The whole thing has been very hurtful.’ Zachariah is pictured left
Katherine was told that because of the risk of the baby choking on her milk she couldn’t enter the bus
‘Evidently there wasn’t, because when it got there he was still sucking.
‘I expected to just walk straight on to the bus without any problems. I didn’t think twice about it when the doors opened and I stepped on.
‘But the driver turned around and said ‘I can’t let you on here’.
‘When I asked why not, he said it was because of the potential health and safety risks associated with breastfeeding. That absolutely stunned me.
‘When I asked him what health risks he could possibly be talking about, he said that there was a chance that he could choke to death on my milk.
‘But if there were a risk of that happening on the bus, surely there would be a risk of that happening anywhere and everywhere? I don’t understand why it’s different.
The stunned housewife, of Bridgnorth, Shropshire, told how the bus driver turned her away – despite the vehicle being near-empty
‘You see mums breastfeeding on public transport all of the time. I don’t know why it should be any different for me, really.
‘Because of what he did, I had to quickly finishing feeding Zach, and then run to the hospital to make it on time, which is probably more dangerous for a new-born than riding a bus.
‘It’s baffling. All I want is some sort of apology and recognition that mums should be allowed to breastfeed in public.
‘It’s a scary world for mums my age, and things like this don’t help at all.’
Jamie Crowsley of Arriva Midlands said: ‘We are currently looking into this incident and unfortunately we cannot comment upon the individual circumstances until the investigation has been completed.
‘Our drivers do have a duty to ensure the safety of our passengers as they get on and off our buses and during their journeys and are mindful of this responsibility at all times. We would like to reassure mothers.’