Firstly I just want to make it clear that I am not trying to get involved in the breast versus bottle debate. It is not for me to comment on how people choose to feed their babies, it is after all a choice we have these days. I have friends who breastfed and friends who have no intention to do so. I respect whatever choice people make, being a mum is hard enough work without judging each other.
If people are totally happy with their decision to bottle feed then fine.
If people are totally happy with their decision to breastfeed then fine.
But if people want to breastfeed but don’t feel comfortable enough to do so in today’s society then that’s not fine.
I was really lucky that Cherry took to breastfeeding so well but even still it was not easy. It takes major commitment as well as sacrifice – I couldn’t eat chocolate / tomatoes / spices / or anything with any flavour for months. I also had to be prepared to get my boob out whenever she decided she was hungry – which was quite often! Because of this I knew that I was going to have to breastfeed in public. Luckily my first experience was great, it was in a restaurant and my waiter actually asked me if I wanted my food to be re-heated which gave me the confidence to do it more but I was always a bit worried about someone saying something negative to me.
I know that this is a concern of many new breastfeeding mothers so I was pretty enraged to hear what the Loose Women had been saying about the subject yesterday. They were discussing whether or not Facebook should ban breastfeeding photos, this is a subject for another day but I have seen some of the photos that have been removed and you cannot see an inch of flesh in them. Anyway while discussing the issue they let out comments implying that mothers should breastfeed their babies in the toilet and that breastfeeding your baby in public is the same as men getting their willies out.
I mean seriously???
I bet these women go onto their beach in bikinis (something which I would rather they did in the privacy of their toilet) showing more flesh that a mother breastfeeding her baby.
I think we need to see more women breastfeeding their babies in public whether it be in photos or in real life, it should be a sight that everyone in the country sees on a regular basis because until that happens women are always going to feel like they are doing something wrong when they are doing the most natural thing in the world.
I feel so strongly about it and if I can offer help and support to just one woman on her breastfeeding journey then I will feel like I have made a small difference which is why I want to take part in a breastfeeding peer support course. I have wanted to do it for a while and after speaking to Adele from Circus Queen about it last week (she is currently training to become one) and hearing this I have decided to find somewhere that I can do it as soon as possible.
Something needs to change and the Loose Women really should have put more thought into the effect their comments would have on the new mums watching their show.
They can say what they want but you will never find me breastfeeding my baby in a toilet.
Disgraceful.
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