Gander adopts new breastfeeding policy

The Town of Gander has taken a formal step to provide more support to mothers who want to breastfeed their children.
At a regular meeting in July council adopted a town policy on breastfeeding 
The policy states the town will promote and support breastfeeding at all municipally-owned buildings and spaces, which includes parks and playgrounds. Town events will also be subject to the policy. 
“The intent is that any event we run or ones we sanction or host that we will make any effort we can to accommodate breastfeeding mothers,” said Mayor Percy Farwell. “A mother shouldn’t feel that she can’t breastfeed her child.” 
The town will display breastfeeding friendly signage in its buildings, as well as support employees who continue to breastfeed after returning to work. 
As an employer in the community, the town felt it was important to be a leader in this area. This would include the storage of breastmilk at work sites, as well as welcoming employees to bring their child to work during breaks to breastfeed should they need to do so.
“It is new for us to have this policy,” said Mayor Farwell. “It will be done with the greatest amount of privacy that we can provide, so that if a mother says she wants a place (to breastfeed) we will provide it.” 
The town has also pledged to work with the Baby-Friendly Council of Newfoundland and Labrador in the implementation of the Space for Everyone project being promoted by the provincial organization. 
While the news of this policy is being hailed as a positive step forward by the Gander Women’s Centre, program coordinator Wendy Secord would like to see society get to the point where a policy isn’t needed. 
“We’d like people to realize that breastfeeding is a human right,” she said. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ensures this right.
 Secord applauds the new policy adopted by the Town of Gander.
”It is moving forward and helping people to understand it is a woman’s right.”