Mums share their experiences of public breastfeeding
THIS World Breastfeeding Week, Coventry and Warwickshire mums have been sharing their own personal experiences of feeding their babies in public.
Some mums claim they get funny looks when they are out and about leaving them feeling ashamed.
One mum even said she had been called a ‘tramp’ for breastfeeding her baby.
Despite the stigma around breastfeeding in public, it’s actually against the law for any business to stop a woman breastfeeding in a public place.
Mums have been sharing their stories, positive as well as negative, on our Facebook pages.
Lucy Wilkinson said she’s had mixed experiences when breastfeeding in public and has sometimes felt the need to cover up.
She said: “I’ve breastfed all three of mine, and had good and bad experiences breastfeeding in public.
“It does get exhausting being stared at from everyone who thinks it’s wrong but chooses not to dare say a word.
“I’ve chosen to cover up in places I’ve not deemed appropriate and other times I’ve happily free fed for the world to see.
“When your baby’s hungry they can’t wait and you can’t go and hide in a toilet for them to feed.”
Jess Jaques, who says she has been breastfeeding her son for almost five months now, told us she had been “stared at” and “called a tramp and all sorts” while breastfeeding in public.
Despite the unpleasant experience, she said: “If I need to feed my son in public I will do so, it’s the most natural way and I know my son is getting the best. Let people judge and stare, but all breastfeeding mums are amazing in my eyes and you’re all doing a lovely job,” she added.
Amy Mercado said she never feels uncomfortable breastfeeding because she’s proud of what her body can do.
She said: “I always get stared at like I’m giving my son poison or something but every now and then I will get a lovely lady come up to and tell me how it’s amazing to see that I’m doing it!!
“I don’t find it difficult to find a place because I will do it everywhere and anyway - and why should I be made to feel uncomfortable by a childish ‘adult’?
“Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world! It’s not like we force milk to come to our boobs. We have a baby and our body makes it.
“I will never feel uncomfortable breastfeeding because I have kept my little boy alive for three months without any help from anyone. He relies completely on me as his mother, his carer and his food!”
She also suggested attitudes had changed in recent years and women had been made to feel ashamed of breastfeeding.
She added: “Weird how times change. There was one day on this planet where women were ashamed for bottling feeding, and it was completely normal to feed from breast! But as time passed, people sexualised breasts more and more to the point where people think it’s wrong to breastfeed. It’s just ridiculous!
“No-one should be ashamed for feeding your baby - breast, bottle or tube. As long as they are happy, clean and fed people should just keep out of it!
“Let people raise their kids how they want!”
Nicole Louise said she had had good experiences of breastfeeding her fourth child, despite not being able to for her first three.
“I’m not sure if it’s because I’m having a good experience or that I really don’t care what’s going on around me,” she said.
It wasn’t just women getting involved in the debate. Trevor Worwood showed his support for breastfeeding women.
He commented: “There’s nothing wrong with mothers breastfeeding anywhere. If the baby is hungry, feed them. It’s the same as any one else - if we are hungry we go and eat. There is no difference.”
Niki Parker had a quick-witted comeback when she she was told to breastfeed her baby in the toilet, by her own father.
She said: “I breastfed my eldest daughter for nine months. Didn’t bother me feeding anywhere and never had anything said to me... Except when I met my dad for lunch and he came out with ‘oh my god go in the toilets or something and do that’ to which I replied ‘why don’t you go and eat your lunch in the toilet?’ He had no answer to that.”
Jen Godfrey said the looks she got when breastfeeding as a new mum were “quite intimidating” and forced her to cover up for the first few months.