An Ipswich shopping centre has hit back at claims it's being sexist by not allowing men into an area set aside for breastfeeding mothers.

Riverlink Shopping Centre said it had to make parts for a parents room women and children areas only after complaints from breastfeeding mums.

Many other shopping centres in the greater Brisbane area do not have the modern facilities enjoyed by parents at Riverlink with many having only a change table near toilets. Riverlink has separate toilets and change areas away from the feeding areas, which have comfortable chairs for mothers to feed their children.

But Leichhardt mum Rebecca said the centre was being sexist by not allowing her husband, and other fathers, into the area of a parents room for breastfeeding mums.

``If we didn't know any better, my other half would have to feed our baby in the car park or in the main shopping area,'' said Rebecca, who did not want to give her surname, the mother of a six-month-old girl.

``This is derogatory to men. I understand it's every woman's choice (to breastfeed their children), but you can't stop fathers wanting to (bottle) feed their children.

``They could have dividers up in the rooms for privacy.

``It's really affecting other families. I know one hubby who was standing up against the change table not knowing what to do.

``It think it's sexist. It makes me feeling like I don't want to go to the shopping centre. It was previously a parents room, but men are not allowed now.''

A Riverlink spokesman said they had had complaints from breastfeeding mothers about men being allowed into the feeding areas. The spokesman said fathers were allowed to feed children in the parents room.

``After complaints from breastfeeding mothers that Riverlink did not have a private area where they could feed their babies without men watching, a section in each of the three parents rooms (the Target end, adjacent to the food court and East Mall) was curtained off at the suggestion of (Australian) Breastfeeding Association,'' the spokesman said.

``The areas have been signed 'Mothers and Children only'.

``Each of the parents rooms still has the facility for both parents to feed and change their children. They are clean, modern and more than adequate.

``We have allocated funds in the 2012-13 budget for an extension to the existing parents room facility near the food court, which would be a dedicated breastfeeding area and would allow the current curtained off area to be opened up for parents who want further separation from the feeding/changing area.

``We are hoping to fast track this though and are currently talking to the owner about the early allocation of funds.

``Unfortunately when the centre was designed, breastfeeding areas were not considered and the only area that we can now extend is the food court facility.

``It will, at least, be centrally located. This facility has proven very difficult to section off, as there is a toilet at the rear which means people still have to walk through the breastfeeding area to take their children to the toilet.

``The other two areas are of different design and this is not an issue. The extension will also eliminate this problem.''

The centre was opened five years this month.



Originally published as Dads' ban in breastfeed zone called sexist