I am now 8 months into my breastfeeding journey with my second child and the first time around, I breast fed my daughter for over 2 years. As a new Mum, it can be a little nerve wracking knowing where to feed. Whilst I have never had any bad experiences anywhere in Solihull, I did find that I soon became familiar with which places were ‘breast feeding friendly’, and tended to stick to them to ensure I felt comfortable and relaxed when feeding.

I recently chatted to the ladies of the Solihull Breastfeeding Facebook Group about their experiences of breast feeding friendly locations. Here’s a little round up of some of both mine, and their experiences, on the best breast feeding friendly locations in Solihull & Birmingham.

The Top Rated:

John Lewis

Bringing up the front it has to be John Lewis in Solihull, which has one of the best equipped, and most spacious parent rooms in the region. This large room has changing facilities, a toilet where parent and child can go together (with room for a buggy too!). If you’ve ever been out with a baby and a potty training toddler, you will appreciate beyond belief all being able to go the toilet in the same place!!! It also has large comfy chairs for feeding in, and little touches such as a water machine for filling up your bottles (feeding can be thirsty work!).

As it is accessible to males too, there are chairs around corners with a screening wall for more discreet feeding if you prefer.

The John Lewis café itself is also very breastfeeding friendly, and has become a regular meeting venue for NCT groups and the like, with high chairs a plenty for older children. I have fed Neve at the table here on a number of occasions and always felt totally at ease (with the exception of the pain in my purse strings from the cost of my cake!)

Mothercare Sears Retail Park

As you would expect from a brand aimed at babies, Mothercare in Solihull also has it’s own Nursing Room. Small but with enough room for 2 feeding Mums at the same time (and a buggy or two!), this room is great for those who prefer to feed with a bit of privacy, with two large chairs and a water machine just next to the changing rooms at the back. The room is also near to the toilets and baby changing areas should you wish to kill two birds with one stone!

Desco Lounge Shirley

Desco Lounge is very family friendly overall. With a selection of games for older children and high chairs a plenty, Desco has quickly become a great location for Mums to meet up with friends during the day, perfect for those on maternity leave. I have personally breast fed here on numerous occasions, and never once felt uncomfortable. They also do a mean fish finger sandwich.

Parkridge Centre, Solihull

We first took Erin to the Parkridge centre when she was four days old, and still visit regularly. I have fed here on numerous occasions. In the early days with Erin, I once asked if I was “ok to feed” and the response was “If anyone complains, I will be asking THEM to leave” 🙂 The Parkridge centre also does a great kids lunch box for older children, and has a beautiful nature walk behind the centre which is fun to explore.

Solihull Library Café

Reasonably priced and with plenty of space for pushchairs and car seats, this venue again is popular with families during the day. During the summer months, this is also close to Touchwood’s Costa Del Solihull, which is fantastic if you have toddlers or preschool children in tow.  (I’m praying it comes back this Summer, as it’s rare we get to go to the actual seaside!!)

Mortons Dickens Heath

Another popular daytime retreat and meet up point for NCT groups and the like, Mortons has a relaxed vibe and some fantastic food options. It also has  high chairs that clip onto the table so that baby can sit right at the table with you – for weaning babies this makes life a LOT easier!

House of Fraser Restaurant, Solihull

The restaurant in House of Fraser, Solihull has plenty of comfy sofas and you can feed discreetly as its quite a bit space. There are a few toys and a TV in the corner to distract older children – “a bit tatty, but enough to keep them busy for a quick pitstop”

Merry Hill, Family Room

“The Merry Hill Family Room is fab – Nursing booths with dimmed lights and a nursing chair” – sounds like a great way to rest your legs from all that shopping too! 🙂

The Unexpected

Ikea Coventry & Ikea Wednesbury

Ikea cafe’s have a small area in the corner with screens up which are perfect for discreet feeding whilst not feeling like you are locked away in a different room. Nice comfy sofas, and a toddler area for older children to play, perfect for keeping them distracted whilst you feed your little one. “There’s even somewhere to charge your phone and plenty of room for the pushchair!”

Fat Face Solihull

This one surprised me, but great to see that a clothes retailer is open minded to breast feeding Mums! A couple of ladies in the Solihull Breastfeeding group mentioned good experiences feeding here, with the store manager being very supportive and understanding. A great option if you are wanting to feed whilst out and about!

Worth a mention…

“The staff at The Renewal Café are really nice and will often come and check you’re ok or offer a glass of water”

“Starbucks and The Village Hotel are great!”

“Druckers in Solihull”

“George in the Tree in Balsall Common – “The manager told me if anyone commented or was offended he would be more than happy to ask them to leave”

“You+ in Chelmsley Wood were always friendly and provide a privacy screen if wanted”

M&S Café at Sears Retail Park have been fab. “On a side note, the baby change at the back of the store is really clean and a lovely environment to change your baby – it’s tucked away at the back so a little bit hidden”

“Costa Coffee is well known for being breast feeding friendly across the board” One Mum told us how they “Put drinks in takeaway cups as easier to drink one handed”

Supermarket cafe’s such as Tescos and Morrisons (Sheldon) – “My little girl was screaming for a feed and a staff member told me to go and she would get my drink and took my money so she could pay for it”

Café No.1 Shirley – “both male and female staff completely unfazed” and “Staff were lovely and kept my four year old entertained with colouring whilst I fed”.

House of Frazer Birmingham town centre on 3rd or 4th floor – “large carpeted area with sofas and mirrors separate to the toilets but still part of the ladies restroom. Not many people use it so nice and chilled”.

Notcutts café – “Staff were very helpful, and will carry drinks to table for you”.

National Trust property cafes – including Packwood House and Baddesley Clinton  (I can second this!!).

Hillfield Farm – “put my food back on the heater for me when my baby wanted feeding as soon as dinner arrived”

Mixed Reviews

Touchwood Feeding Room, Solihull

Depsite being one of the larger feeding rooms in the area, the Touchwood feeding room has mixed reviews-  with some saying that it was “freezing cold” and “smells awful”, however was “Clean, spacious and quiet”. There is often very little phone reception there either, which for me is annoying as I tend to blog whilst I’m feeding! 🙂 Appreciate that’s not everyone’s priority though!! 🙂

Café Nero in Solhull has “great sofas to sit on” however their “changing facilities are a little grubby”

Ones to Avoid

Boots Feeding Room, Solihull

Disappointingly for a brand who is otherwise so family friendly, there was a lot of negative experiences of the Boots Feeding room in Mell Square. Not only is this upstairs requiring a very small lift to access (not ideal), but is consistently reported as being dirty or smelling unpleasant, not a place of choice to sit and feed your child!! I have been in there once, and once only – it didn’t smell dirty, but had an overbearing stench of bleach! Never again. Other Mums in the Solihull Breastfeeding group said similar – “It was disgusting. I nearly wrote to complain but never got round to it!”, “Was so dirty, One at the Forte was the same – always a last resort for me”.

Massive thanks to the ladies of Breastfeeding Solihull for sharing their thoughts. If you aren’t already a member of the group do head along and request to join – I have found this an invaluable source of breastfeeding advice and support since I became a Mum! I hope you find this list useful!

Lucy x