Kiwis unfazed by breastfeeding
Kiwis are a laid-back bunch when it comes to breastfeeding in public, according to a new study out of the University of Auckland.
Using the nationwide New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study, a team of researchers led by Yanshu Huang found only a small minority – 5 per cent – opposed breastfeeding in public, with men more likely to be opposed.
The results, Huang said, highlighted that most New Zealanders – 75 per cent – were positive on the topic.
‘‘There hasn’t been much research conducted in New Zealand until now when it comes to people’s attitudes to public breastfeeding ... It’s quite important to know how the public view breastfeeding in general.’’
In New Zealand, about three-quarters of newborns are breastfed from birth, however, that figure drops below 60 per cent by three months of age.
It was that, along with an existing lack of data, that inspired the research team to find out whether social attitudes played a role in creating a barrier to breastfeeding in public.
While this was the first time such a large number of New Zealanders had been surveyed on the topic – 19,000 in total – Huang said there had been previous studies focused on the experiences of Kiwi
❚ Most New Zealanders (75.3 per cent) support women breastfeeding in public.
❚ A small minority (5.2 per cent) of our participants opposed women breastfeeding in public.
❚ A moderate proportion of New Zealanders (19.5 per cent) are neutral on the issue of support for women breastfeeding in public.
❚ The findings from this study provide the first comprehensive overview of New Zealander’s stance toward breastfeeding in public.
women. ‘‘In the past, there have been a few studies that have looked at mothers’ experiences in terms of breastfeeding in public. These papers have suggested that women experience embarrassment with public breastfeeding.
‘‘I think we need more research in terms of women’s actual experiences of breastfeeding in public though.’’
For the study, participants were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement ‘‘women should avoid breastfeeding in public’’ using a scale of one to seven.
‘‘Our results were comparable to similar Western nations in terms of support for breastfeeding in public,’’ Huang said.
Along with her research tea, she recommended that future public health initiatives continued to work towards fostering support for women who choose to breastfeed in public.