The freedom of Feeding!

July 22, 2015 by Keri Jarvis

A fortnight ago, if I said Primark, you'd probably have thought "I wonder if I've left it too late to grab some £4 sandals for my hols?". Today, I say Primark, you think breastfeeding row. There can't be many of us who haven't heard of the furore surrounding accusations last week that a security guard had forcibly removed a nursing baby from her mother, (denied by all involved) and the counter claims and outpouring of views that followed.

By the time you read this, the police investigation may have brought the facts to light, but regardless of the truth in this instance, our reactions to this story speak volumes about our society.

(Lets be v clear- this is not a formula-feeding-mothers bashing post, I predominantly formula fed my own child, I know we all have it tough in different ways)

We've all heard "breast is best" but most of us probably don't know the details. In truth, it's optimal and normal, formula being an adequate substitute. Aside from improving the health of mothers and babies by decreasing the risk of various illnesses, if more of us who wanted to breastfeed were supported to do so, it could save the NHS a fortune, something that benefits our society as a whole. And yet, in general, we do not make it easy for these mothers to go about their business diligently saving us pennies.

Feeding in public is a barrier for some, a huge source of anxiety for many mums. NEWSFLASH *they do not want to flash their breasts*, they just want to feed & comfort their babies.

The fact that in the wake of the scandal, a question posed on Loose Women was "Does seeing someone breastfeed in public make you feel uncomfortable?" shows us we have a long way to go.

Of course, it should be a non-issue. But are we free to feed in Leigh on Sea? A quick poll of local mums reveals no negativity towards Breastfeeding locally, with big thumbs up for the Community Centre (comfy sofas), Costa (same reason), Birdwood Bakery (Leigh Road- toys to keep a toddler entertained whilst you feed the day away). Others have felt welcomed at the Squeeze Bar, or have recommended plonking yourself down in the library with a book.

Yay for Leigh on Sea, it seems truly bf friendly!

If you are in need of any bf support, do get in touch with The Baby Project, Leigh on Sea, and we can point you towards local resources.

(ps- Don't forget to sort your holiday sandals....)