As a part of family function I had been to one of the finest jewellery shops in my town. As my family members were busy looking at ornaments I happened to observe a lady with small baby for whom she was breastfeeding in the main seating area, immediately one of the members from that section came and told the lady not to feed her baby as it would be recorded in the cameras and might lead to some defame. I was so surprised, I was clueless, and my question was why can’t women breastfeed at public places?
Everybody wants the baby to grow healthy but at the same time can’t they make some room?
Just like birth process, breastfeeding is also one of the natural process.
Being a developing country, making women comfortable for this process is very essential, development is needed but not only economically or technically, people need to encourage, support and consider it as normal as any other process.
Breastfeeding is one of the natural process and is very essential for the proper growth and healthy development of the child, child survival, prevention of childhood infections, since it contains all the nutrients (antibodies that protects child from any bacterial or viral infections) that are vital in the initial days of growth, also if you Google the facts only 6 percent of the women are okay and comfortable with public breastfeeding.
Doesn’t this give us a clear picture about narrow minded and backward our nation is?
There are restrooms in airports, corporate world, IT-Centers where a mother can breastfeed her baby but what about public transport system?
In India we don’t have that option, even though if a lady tries to breastfeed 6 out of 10 people would be staring her and make it uncomfortable.
We need to stop this, put an end to such embarrassments.
World breastfeed week is celebrated every year from 1st august to 7th august. Also it’s recommended that a baby should be breastfed at least for first 6 months, continuing up-to an year. Breastfed milk is the ideal food for the newborns.
Breastfeeding not only benefits the child but it lowers the breast cancer risk, if a mother feeds for more than a year. Breastfeeding or nursing protects breast health by making milk 24/7 which limits the breast cells to misbehave. Also most women will experience fewer menstrual cycles which results in low level of estrogen.
Leading health organizations, such as the World Health Organization, recommend breastfeeding for two years and beyond.
Few examples where nursing is legal and treated commonly in public places:
- Breastfeeding in Public in Australia, Under the federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984, breastfeeding in Australia is a right, not a privilege. It’s against the law to prohibit a mother from breastfeeding in any place she is legally able to be.
It is also against the law to discriminate against a mother on the grounds she is breastfeeding.
Aussie senator breastfeeds while moving motion in parliament – YouTube, if you don’t believe us you can check yourself: https://youtu.be/V7wtl10dxoE - In the Philippines, breastfeeding is protected by various laws, including the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 and the Milk Code of the Philippines, Breastfeeding is legally protected in the Philippines – YouTube: https://youtu.be/aFZjxcp9vpc
- In Nepal, breastfeeding is considered a must for mothers. The country doesn’t have any particular laws about breastfeeding in public, but it is common and widely accepted.
There are certain myths about nursing:
- Breastfeeding will make your baby clingy and dependent, truly is an myth, one breastfeeds the child only to make sure that baby gets enough nutrients in-order to grow healthy.
- Few women think nursing hurts, not exactly but nipples may turn sensitive when you start nursing because of an increased hormone level.
- Here are some reference links where you can find more about such myths related to nursing:
https://www.chla.org/blog/rn-remedies/ten-myths-and-facts-about-breastfeeding
https://www.parents.com/baby/breastfeeding/basics/breastfeeding-myths-experts-set-the-record-straight
As a result breastfeeding is very important for both mother and child, let us give enough room for all mommies to feed their newborns at public places, let us make it safe place for both mother and child, it’s time to bring and adopt to change, let us join hands together and allow necessary changes.
Please check below links which may be helpful for you:
- Basic Info About Breastfeeding in Hindi: https://youtu.be/vOZMYnjyX2I
- How to Breastfeed in Hindi & Different Breastfeeding Positions: https://youtu.be/zmMAXW0khlA
- How to Breastfeed: 3 Key Breastfeeding Tips: https://youtu.be/6xT5qkcpmvw
- How to breastfeed: breastfeeding positions: https://youtu.be/qd9Ck_V8hno
- How to Breastfeed your baby: https://youtu.be/e2K97gMGVqk
