We would like to hear from local mums about your favourite places to breastfeed in Medway. Please email your reviews to ifp@medway.gov.uk.
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Pentagon Grill, Chatham - review written by Jessica on August 6 2011
"I did manage to feed in here and the staff were lovely and didn't bat an eyelid! But my son was 6 months and I found it VERY difficult to fit him between the fixed tables and chairs, I did have to sit on the edge facing outwards. Luckily I am not a shy breastfeeder, but if you have a larger baby or you are a larger woman it may not be easy :-(."
Pentagon Grill, 80A The Pentagon Shopping Centre, Town Centre, ME4 4HP, Phone: 01634 826872
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The Deaf Cat Café, Rochester - review written by Aileen on August 8 2011
"One of the friendliest places to breastfeed and to see others doing the same. There are so many soft seats and space for prams (or slings!!). The staff are friendly and because the cafe is quite dark you don’t feel conspicuous feeding here."
The Deaf Cat Café, 83 High Street, ME1 1LX, Phone: 01634 830789
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Mr Bean Coffee Shop, Chatham - review written by Vicky on August 14 2011
"No problems here, staff friendly, great thing is if you shop at Primark first you get a discount when you show the receipt."
Mr Bean coffee shop, 192 High Street, ME4 4AS, Phone: 01634 818345
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Debenhams, Chatham - review written by Aileen on August 8 2011
"Debenhams has a chair in the baby change area which could be used for feeding, but it is not at all comfortable! The cafe now has a corner with soft chairs which are much better for feeding in. Whenever I have gone in they have been available to use. For mums who want to be discrete, these chairs are in the corner so it does feel less exposed."
Debenhams, 240-246 High Street, ME4 4NJ, Phone: 0844 5616161
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Little Potters, Sittingbourne - review written by Rhiannon on October 10 2011
"This is an excellent place to go for coffee and a chat with friends - you can do the pottery painting or just chill. There is plenty of free car parking, and space and access for buggies is good. There is good food in the Cafe including baked potatoes cooked properly not just microwaved.
There's a soft play if you've got toddlers in tow and bouncer type and walker toys for younger children. The people who run it are friendly and welcoming, and very positive about breastfeeding. There are soft comfy tub chairs and padded bench sofas, so if you prefer to have a bit more privacy you can turn the chair round to face out from the room towards the bench sofas and be pretty discreet. They do good kids parties too".
Little Potters (Pottery Painting Studio), Central Park Stadium, Church Road, Eurolink, Sittingbourne, ME10 3SB, Phone: 01795 424444
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Riverside Children's Centre, Rainham - review written by Rhiannon on October 13 2011
"I'd like to recommend Riverside Childrens Centre in Rainham as a breastfeeding friendly venue. Breastfeeding mums, especially those
trying to breastfeed a second child whilst managing a toddler or preschooler will find this a fantastic, supportive place to come.
The staff are very supportive of parents in general, and it is a friendly and relaxed place to take my children. There are plenty of
activities for children and useful courses for parents such as a NCT funded First Aid for Parents course that was run recently.
There are outdoor as well as indoor activities and a good range of physical, creative and learning type groups.
My baby is my second child, and staff at the centre are excellent at taking the initiative to keep my preschooler busy and involved while I am breastfeeding at their groups. They offer plenty of moral support and advice and have helped to make the first 6 months with a second baby a pleasant and manageable experience, and enabled me to continue breastfeeding when I might have given up without their support. There are a range of places to sit and feed, from benches and tables out in the garden to comfy chairs indoors, and a drink is always offered, as well as healthy drinks and snacks for the children. There is a library for parents with books on various childcare topics, and a breastfeeding support group meets there fortnightly on Tuesday mornings.
I love this place :)".
Riverside Children's Centre, St Edmunds Way, Rainham, ME8 8ET, Phone: 01634 338700
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BB's Coffee and Muffins, Chatham - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"Very friendly and helpful staff who helped bring my drink to the table. It’s great for feeding if you can get a sofa but that’s rare as this place is popular. The upright seats are not comfortable to feed in and it really feels very exposed".
BB’s Coffee and Muffins, 42a The Pentagon Shopping Centre, Town Centre, ME4 4HY, Phone: 01634 407790
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Cafe Sinatra's, Chatham - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"I have fed here and didn’t feel awkward, but the chairs and layout are not really designed for prams or feeding".
Café Sinatra’s, 92A The Pentagon Shopping Centre, Town Centre, ME4 4HP, Phone: 07845 055984
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Costas Coffee Shop, Chatham - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"Very easy and comfortable to feed here. There are so many soft seats and space for prams. The staff are friendly and because the cafe is quite dark you don’t feel conspicuous feeding here".
Costas coffee shop, 255 High Street, ME4 4BQ, Phone: 01634 812315
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Latinos Coffee Shop, Chatham - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"Extremely friendly and helpful. Felt very welcome to feed here. Room for prams. Sadly the chairs are all upright and rather uncomfortable to feed in. For less confident mums, this may feel too exposed as no discrete corners to sit in!"
Latinos Coffee Shop, Kiosk 2, The Pentagon Shopping Centre, Town Centre, ME4 4HY, Phone: 01634 838 765
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Mr Bean Coffee Shop, Chatham - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"A number of comfortable seats and sofas make feeding here easy. It’s quite dark so you don’t feel too conspicuous. There’s enough room for prams and a nod to a children’s area at the back. The baby change is small though and you have to ask to get access to it."
Mr Bean coffee shop, 192 High Street, ME4 4AS, Phone: 01634 818345
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New Arts Centre Cafe, Chatham - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"A number of comfortable seats and sofas make feeding here easy. The staff are very welcoming and helpful. There’s enough room for prams. I just can’t work out why there is no baby changing when the toilet space here is so large!"
New Arts Centre Café, 272a High Street, ME4 4BP, Phone: 01634 406971
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Boomers Cafe, Chatham - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"Very friendly and helpful. Enough room for prams and felt welcomed to feed here. Sadly it’s all upright chairs which are not comfortable for feeding in and it can feel a bit like a goldfish bowl, there’s no hiding here!"
Boomers Cafe, Unit 46a, Dockside Outlet Centre, Maritime Way, ME4 3ER, Phone: 01634 890890
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The Cupcake Sanctuary, Chatham - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"If you get the sofa by the door this is a nice place and is extremely welcoming and accommodating, even if there is a group with a few prams. It’s a shame the rest of the shop is full of hard upright chairs!"
The Cupcake Sanctuary Cupcake & Coffee Shop, 4 High Street, ME4 4EP, Phone: 01634 780424
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Mama Mia's Cafe / Simply Italian, Rochester - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"These places were very accommodating and welcoming of babies and Mama Mia’s cafe has a sofa section which is very comfortable to use for feeding".
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The Cathedral Tea Rooms, Rochester - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"Lovely on a sunny day to sit in the garden on the grass and feed. However, the upright chairs indoors are uncomfortable and very tightly squeezed together so it makes it hard to get in never mind feed at a table."
The Cathedral Tea Rooms, Rochester Cathedral, 178 High St, ME1 1SU, Phone: 01634 810076
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The Deaf Cat Cafe, Rochester - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"One of the friendliest places to breastfeed and to see others doing the same. There are so many soft seats and space for prams (or slings!!). The staff are friendly and because the cafe is quite dark you don’t feel conspicuous feeding here."
The Deaf Cat café, 83 High Street, ME1 1LX, Phone: 01634 830789
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Rochester Community Healthy Living Centre - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"If you can get one of the two sofas in the cafe then this is a nice place. It seems accepted and normal to feed here. Sometimes you see health visitors you recognise. The upright chairs are not very easy to feed in though."
Rochester Community Healthy Living Centre, Delce Road, ME1 2EL, Phone: 01634 334203/334200
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Rochester Library - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"I’ve only visited here for bounce and rhyme session and to feed then is normal and accepted and easy. They have some little seating arrangements you can use too."
Rochester Library, Adult Education Centre, High Street, ME1 1EW, Phone: 01634 337411
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Cafe Sunlight, Gillingham - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"This cafe has just upright chairs so not very comfortable for breastfeeding. I did find it friendly and didn’t feel awkward because of anyone’s reaction though."
Café Sunlight, 105 Richmond Road, ME7 1LX, Phone: 01634 338602
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Strand Leisure Pool and Park, Gillingham - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"Lots of open space to sit and picnic in but it’s hard to find shade without sitting round the edges so on a hot day this is not very safe for the baby...or you!"
Strand Leisure Pool And Park, Strand Approach Road, ME7 1TT, Phone: 01634 852907
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Sainsburys Cafe, Hempstead - review written by Aileen on August 12 2011
"Has some sofas down the end which are easier to feed in than the upright chairs. If someone was a bit shy about feeding in public this is also quite discreet as it’s right down at the end of the room."
Sainsbury café, Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre, Phone: 01634 382 400
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Review written by Emma-Louise Gates on March 27 2012
"I breastfeed everywhere in medway and have never had any problems ...... even now im feeding a 17 month old. I found everywhere welcoming for breastfeeding in particular the 3:16 Cafe at Parkwood Precinct - they were very helpful and always polite".
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Review written Jo on April 3 2012
"In Chatham High Street I always found the Debenhams Cafe to be the most convenient place to breastfeed, and in bluewater you can breastfeed in Mothercare.
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