Proud to Breast Feed Campaign 2010

The benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby are well documented and researched. For some mums initiating breast feeding is very difficult and they have to persevere through much pain to finally become a successful breast feeder. Why then after such a struggle do many mums stop breast feeding by 6-8 weeks?

By this stage mums want to start going out more, having shopping trips, going for lunch with friends etc, and even though it is legal to breast feed in public, many mums still feel very uncomfortable doing so.As breast fed babies feed frequently and often for up to about 45 minutes, it is not worth going out if they have to sit in a breast feeding room.

As part of our Health Visiting service, mums have informed us of a negative attitude towards them whilst feeding in public with some members of the public approaching them and being rude and offensive, this leads to them wishing to give bottles whilst they are out and once formula feeding has started they are often on a slippery slope to being completely formula fed.

Why do mums feel uncomfortable feeding in public? Could it be that this is because we very rarely see mums breast feeding in public. If it was a common occurrence, it would be the norm and mums would not be embarrassed. Children and younger women would also see breast feeders and it would encourage them to do so when they become mums themselves.

Our campaign "Proud to Breast Feed" is to encourage mums to breast feed in public and for it to become socially acceptable.

We feel by promoting this campaign we can give mums the confidence to feed in public and hopefully increase breast feeding initiation rates and duration.

To support our campaign please fill in the form, retweet or let your facebook friends know.