The company that manages Downtown Silver Spring is working to educate both staff and customers about women’s right to breastfeed in public following an incident last week that generated complaints from moms and breastfeeding advocates.
District resident Jamie Smith told Patch she was asked to leave the downtown Silver Spring area last week because she was breastfeeding her 11-month old near the fountain.
“We had a security guard who for some reason had a miscommunication with a breastfeeding mother,” said property manager Lillian Buie, who said she’s not sure exactly how the miscommunication occurred or if Smith was actually asked to leave.
After getting insight on the topic from community members, Buie, who said this is the first time they have received a complaint of this nature, is working to make sure staff and customers know that women are legally permitted to breastfeed in public.
Local advocacy group La Leche League will have a table in downtown Silver Spring after the Farmer’s Market on Saturday, where representatives will be handing out copies of the law permitting breastfeeding, said Emily Johnson, one of the leaders of La Leche League Silver Spring.
