Mother upset after waitress places napkin over infant during breastfeeding

KATY, Texas – A mother is upset after she says a waitress placed a napkin over her infant while she was breastfeeding in a Katy restaurant.

Dylan Downing was having sushi at Atami Restaurant on Mason Road when baby Mason decided he was hungry, too.  Downing said she discreetly started nursing the newborn at the table.

“The waitress comes along with a napkin and places it over me and my infant,” Downing said.  “I quickly moved it and she said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry.  Some women like to cover.’ And I said, “Well, I do not.  Please don’t touch me again.”

Downing said she was shocked.

“Take my breast out of it, take breastfeeding out of it, if someone put a napkin over my infant’s face…that’s unacceptable.”

Downing said she doesn’t want to shame the waitress or the restaurant but she does want to bring awareness to the subject of breastfeeding in public.  It’s legal and sometimes, she said, it’s necessary.

“It’s just about feeding our babies,” she said.  “I want to be able to go out to lunch without any of THIS happening.”

The waitress, Ratanna Bontmahamontkol admits she placed the napkin over Downing’s chest and covered up baby Mason.  She told Channel 2 news, she now feels terrible and is very sorry.

“I’m very sorry, since last night I cannot sleep,” she said.

The restaurant manager explained that some men sitting nearby were uncomfortable with Downing’s breastfeeding and the waitress was just trying to accommodate them.
He told Channel 2 he has spoken to his staff and something like this will never happen again.

“I just want their restaurant to bring awareness to it and realize it’s completely normal.” Downing said.