New mums feel more judged by ‘food police’

NEW mothers and pregnant women feel more judged than ever before, according to a survey.

Pregnant women say they feel like they are being watched by ‘food police’ and are fed up with strangers touching their baby bumps.

New mums said they were being ‘watched, evaluated and judged’ and subjected to ‘intrusive policing’ over their parenting decisions.

One woman told Cardiff University researchers how a waiter refused to serve her afternoon tea because of her ‘big belly’ and told how he acted ‘like the kinda food police’.

Some of the women quizzed said strangers would approach them and question their choices on breastfeeding or diet.

Dr Aimee Grant, who led the study, said the interference from others can result in ‘highly self-aware and self-conscious’ performance of ‘public motherhood’, which make it more ‘difficult to follow advice from health professionals’.