Why must we make it so hard for mothers to breastfeed?
THE report on British mothers being the least likely to breastfeed their babies (Mail) had a big impact on me. I’m breastfeeding my 16-week-old little boy, something with which I’ve surprised myself. I’d love to help raise awareness of why breastfeeding rates in the UK are so low — and to provide some support to new mums. I feel emotional about this as I’ve recently gone back to work, which has shown me the first reason why the rate of breastfeeding is so low. Formula milk is expensive, but many mums have to go back to work much sooner than they would like to. I wonder how this compares to other nations such as Sweden or Switzerland. I know maternity leave is a minimum two years in the Czech Republic. Here in Britain, mothers feel rushed to get their newborn to fit into their routine, which is hard to do when breastfeeding. I’ve found feeding my son on demand a wonderful experience. I don’t want to push him into strict feeding times or give him formula milk, but I may have no choice as I have to go back to work. I shouldn’t complain: my employer is very supportive and flexible but I don’t think this is the case for many mothers. I’d like to show that you can be a mum and have a career while still trying to give my son the best start in life. The other reason for the low breastfeeding rate is the stigma surrounding feeding your baby in public. The British public seem to prefer seeing a rubber and plastic bottle in a baby’s mouth rather than a tiny bit of the mother’s skin — I see more of women’s chests on TV or on the High Street on a Friday and Saturday night. I used to enjoy nights out in a revealing outfit, but now I hate the way people stare and make me feel uncomfortable when I’m breastfeeding in public. ‘Feeding rooms’ are usually in the nappy changing area and stink to high heaven. I’ve found only one retailer with a room where I wouldn’t mind feeding my child. I enjoy getting myself and my son out of the house, but wonder if some mums turn to bottles because they don’t want to breastfeed in public because of the stigma and the lack of facilities.
GEMMA, Oxford.