Moms stage 'nurse-in' at Halifax children's hospital

A woman who was told to cover up while breastfeeding returned to the IWK Health Centre with a dozen other mothers for a "nurse-in" Wednesday.

Shannon Hardy and her supporters sat in the foyer of the children's hospital in Halifax and fed their babies.

They decided to stage the peaceful protest after someone handed Hardy a blanket to cover herself as she fed her son, Griffin, in the foyer last week.

"I said, 'Oh no, thank you,' and she handed it to me again and I said, 'No really, no thank you. Did someone complain?' And she said, 'No, but it would be for the best,'" Hardy said.

Then the woman, who was dressed in hospital scrubs, dropped the blanket and left.

Emily Coyle said it can be a bit daunting to breastfeed in public.

"There are times when I haven't felt comfortable because of some of the looks I get," said Coyle, one of the nursing moms who came out to support Hardy."I think some people feel shy about it because breasts are sexualized in a way."

Jocelyn Vine, vice-president of patient care at the IWK, said the hospital supports public breastfeeding and this was simply an isolated incident.

"The stance of the IWK is breastfeeding anywhere, anytime is absolutely ideal," she said.

Vine said she didn't know the identity of the employee who handed Hardy the blanket.

Hardy, a pregnancy coach at the IWK, said if one person didn't know the hospital's policy on breastfeeding, she wondered how many others also might not be aware.