I was so excited to visit the Eden Project, I'd been as a child and couldn't wait to go again. We'd picked up the Gardeners' World magazine in May 2015 (you can order a back issue here), which had a 2 for 1 card in for over 300 gardens across the UK.
The Eden Project was one of the gardens included in this offer, making the price of entry for 2 adults only £25, rather than an extortionate £50! The card is valid until April 2016 and can be used as many times as you like, so it's well worth ordering a copy if you plan on visiting any of the gardens included in the offer.
I researched the facilities available at the Eden Project, to see if it was accessible with a pushchair and was impressed to see unisex baby changing rooms, the whole place was accessible for pushchairs/wheelchairs and a breastfeeding room. However, upon arrival I was really disappointed by the facilities for babies. The breastfeeding room was an uncomfortable chair, next to a smelly nappy bin. Not exactly where I'd want to eat my lunch! The chair was in one of the baby changing rooms, baring in mind there were only a few baby changing rooms in the whole building, it made feeding Isabella very awkward.
During the 10 minutes I could face in the 'breastfeeding room' (partially due to the smell and partially due to the constant knocking on the door), there were a number of people wanting to change their babies/breastfeed as well. The room was tiny, so there wasn't space to have someone breastfeeding and changing a nappy, so I was left feeling very embarrassed for taking so long while there was a queue of parents wanting to come into the room. It got to the point that my husband had to explain to the people waiting that I was breastfeeding and could be a while. Usually a breastfeed would take about 30 minutes, but there was no way I could handle the stress and embarrassment for that long, so we had to go to the cafe and breastfeed there. That would have been fine, they just shouldn't advertise themselves as
having a breastfeeding room if, in reality, they don't. It was made more awkward by the fact that the other baby changing rooms were downstairs, so the poor parents had to battle with the lift and pushchairs to get to the other facilities.
Anyway, it's just worth considering if you are planning a visit to the Eden Project and are breastfeeding.
Have you visited the Eden Project? What did you think?
Feel free to leave me a comment :)
Helen x
Ooooh I do hate those 'breastfeeding rooms' which are in actual fact no better than a toilet cubicle with a chair. To me a breastfeeding room should have a few comfy chairs, room for pushchairs and be clean and fresh. It's not much to ask really, is it?
ReplyDeleteYour photos are just stunning. Hubby fancied going there at some point. So disappointing about the facilities though. It makes you feel like an inconvenience. Second time around I'm not even bothering. Think I may buy a sling and feed on the move lol xx #maternitymondays
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a wonderful day and it definitely is worth getting that voucher! The room sounds horrible and I totally understand how you feel. Because they have a room you feel you should use it rather than feed elsewhere but then if it's horrible you can't relax and it makes you more uncomfortable! Thanks for linking up with #MaternityMondays xx
ReplyDeleteI've seen a few 'breastfeeding rooms' now and most are the same, where do they get that hard chair from?, this time round I just feed where ever I need to, discreetly of course, but sometimes it would be nice to have a comfy relaxing place to sit. #maternitymondays
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I've never understood why any business/attraction thinks it OK to put a chair in a toilet or baby changing area and believe that will be suitable for breastfeeding mums. It takes time...Tin Box Baby can feed for up to 45 minutes sometimes. What is everyone else meant to do in the meantime? And it's unpleasant. It would be much better to create a breastfeeding friendly area in the cafe.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I haven't been to the Eden Project for years and would love to go back. Your pictures look amazing. #MaternityMonday
Super random that I stumbled on your blog, but so glad I did. I am going here in a few weeks and I will defiinitely make sure to have the coupons so we don't have to pay the full price! thank you for the tip! x
ReplyDeleteLeahSephira
http://www.sephira.dk/
I've never visited the Eden Project but i feel like i should when I go down to Cornwall, would you say it's worth it if you have to pay the full £25 each?
ReplyDeleteJade x
Girl Up North | UK Lifestyle Blog
Personally, probably not just because when we went the weather was bad so we couldn't really look around the outside. Also £50 is a serious amount of money for half a day out. But you can order a back copy of Gardeners World magazine (May Edition - just type it into google) which has a 2 for 1 voucher in :)
DeleteHelen x