Do not stare, we are just breastfeeding our baby! High time we speak about the importance of breastfeeding, and the taboos surrounding it.
In lieu of the #WorldBreastfeedingWeek2019, I just want to contribute my writings in a reminder that breastfeeding might be a mother’s task but it is everyone’s responsibility in order to provide a private and secure environment for the new mothers.
Some Facts and Figures:
According to the World Health Organization, Breastfeeding promotes better health for mothers and children alike. Increasing breastfeeding to near-universal levels could save more than 800 000 lives every year, the majority being children under 6 months.
Breastfeeding in public is not illegal and is not indecent exposure at all. I have heard of mothers getting negative comments and nasty looks when breastfeeding in public. Hence I conducted a survey on 50 real women around me.
Below is the graphical representation to my question, based on the four categories I tried to understand what do they think of a woman breastfeeding in public?
While the majority of women found it natural means to suffice her baby’s hunger, there were few women who found it extremely awful feeding a baby in public. They said they would rather sit at home or give them a bottle instead of facing embarrassment in public places.
When a woman is breastfeeding she is feeding her hungry baby. Breastfeeding in public tends to be controversial and eye-catching just because of the sexuality attached to it. Women are certainly not going to stay cooped up at home all the time thinking their baby might ask for feed when they are out.
We will have to step out to buy groceries or medicines someday and that hunger alarm can buzz anytime. Like many other mothers, I have fed my baby in the store of a Grocery shop, Shopping mall trial room and also in washroom once.
What happens when the supermodels and actresses, pose for the renowned magazines revealing their body, nobody makes foul faces and calls it disgrace to the culture and this breastfeeding is something natural, a need, a baby is hungry she needs her feed, would you like to have your lunch in the washroom, storeroom or trapped inside a cloth?
Personal Experience:
I understand and very much agree with the fact that we need to cover ourselves while feeding, but my point here is that we need to differentiate between something natural and something fancy. I have breastfed my baby for almost two years and trust me once at a temple also, I was with my six-seven other female relatives. My baby was seven months old and she woke from her sleep and started crying, I had to feed her. I saw a side corner wherein I would have easily grabbed five minutes with my little one. Instead, all the ladies asked me to sit at the stairs and they all covered me making a circle which obviously gave me the unneeded attention.
Although they were helping me out I just wanted to run from the place.
Conclusion:
No matter how badly we are suggested and adviced to breastfeed our baby for at least six months of her age we also need to bring it to the notice of society that we need a secure place first.
With paid maternity leave, paid paternity leave should also be encouraged and acted upon. This will only lead to an environment of shared responsibility for caring for the child and nurturing relationships.
New mothers can look out for parent-friendly workplace options to continue breastfeeding or at least having access to breastfeeding breaks. A demand for a safe, private, and hygienic space for expressing and storing breastmilk; and affordable childcare is not too much to ask for.
Many mothers quit their job as soon as they enter their motherhood anticipating the challenges she would be facing in initial years. Just by adopting a few measures and helping a woman sustain her identity by providing necessary access will change many lives.
It will only lead to a better workplace, better productivity in women and the decline in work rate of women might as well reduce.
P.S: Also published at Momspresso
Much love and gratitude
Priyanka Nair
Virtual Siyahi
Virtual Siyahi 
Salute to the courage for choosing this topic dear !!
😊😊❤️
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Thank you for appreciating. 😊
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Hats off Priyanka for this bold post.. Your words, a need of the hour.. 🙂👌
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Thank you so much 🤗
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Anytime.. 😇💕
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Wonderful post and good to bring this to the attention of others ❤ 🙂 I think so many people are conditioned to think that breastfeeding is somehow ugly, or something that should be done in private. It's certainly the feeling I had even when growing up the people around me would always mutter things about the woman who was just feeding her baby. I do think there should be safe spaces for women to be able to go to, to feel like they can have a more private moment with baby if they choose. I also think that it's good to cover up a little as it avoids staring from some individuals, but I don't think it's right for women to feel that they have to go to unhygenic places like public toilets in order to do what is natural. Society needs to change it's attitude, especially in the area I gew up in here in the UK.
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Thank you so much for reading, I was surely a little skeptical about this post but I think the situation is more or less same everywhere.
Thank you for echoing my thoughts.
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I so agree with you – but we live in a absolutely dithered society
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True! Thanks for reading this one
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My pleasure
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Breastfeeding started out so hard for me that I feel proud for another breastfeeding mother when I see it in public, but I personally try to time leaving the house or feed in my car. But babies are unpredictable though! Never know when hunger strikes! Beautiful blog.
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Seriously, you never know 😃 Thank you so much for reading ✨
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A point to poke at the eyes that seek are attentive towards. This is natural and every mother does it. Because of these eyes people never come out and this must change. A Bold post Priyankar Nair 👏 appreciate the effort to word out. Society attitude must change.
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Thank you so much for appreciating my efforts. 😊
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Hats off dear your topic are very difficult but you write real fact….proudly of you
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Thank you for supporting Surabhi, it wasn’t easy.
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I don’t have this experience but your writing is beautiful. Being a woman, I can feel it. It touched my heart. You write so well😍
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Thank you so much for saying that 🙂 I am glad you like it.
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Am glad priyanka you always choose topics which are so important to talk about and spread awareness about… Very nice post..
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Hi Kushal, Thank you so much for saying that 🙂
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Love this post! What if I am comfortable with breastfeeding in public, but my husband is not and thinks it’s disrespectful?
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Thanks for reading! 🙂 This is because he is being protective for you but at the same time you need to make him understand that it is just a matter of time and soon your kid will grow. A woman feeding her child is her dharma and of course we do take care of our privacy in public.
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It is beautiful things for any mother. I love your post. Thank you for sharing this.
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Most welcome 🙂
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