Now then, you'd think that would be the way it is, but the truth is very different.
Recently we have seen stories in the papers/online of mothers who have been called a 'slut' for breastfeeding in public, and kicked out of shops for doing it. This article on the Daily Mail tells of a woman being told to leave Sports Direct for feeding her son: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2612017/Young-mother-ordered-leave-Sports-Direct-shop-breastfeeding-three-month-old-son-member-staff-said-against-company-policy.html
What's interesting is this is the top comment on this story: "Another woman making a big issue out of nothing. I breast fed my daughter until she was one year old and did so when I was out and about. The difference being that I appreciated that not everyone wanted to share the experience with me and so I always looked for mother and baby rooms or a shielded spot., and yes, a baby is capable of waiting the 10 minutes it takes to find a suitable, clean, relaxing place.To be honest shops like Sports Direct are mainly full of young teenagers and I wouldn't want to breast feed with such an audience." In comparison to this story I found one about a mum who was called a 'slut' in Costa Coffee for breastfeeding. The top comment on this story, (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2650556/Mother-tears-called-slut-two-customers-breastfeeding-son-Costa-coffee.html ) however, was this: "Babies won't wait to be fed, if baby needed feeding then baby needed feeding. End of story."
It is widely known of the benefits of breastfeeding, for example; it's healthier for the baby and you, its free, it gives you a great bond with the baby and it protects your baby from infections and disease.
To help with new mothers and to understand that you will want to leave the house with your newborn, and still breastfeed them, the Equality Act 2010 has made it illegal for anyone to ask a breastfeeding woman to leave a public place such as a cafe, shop or public transport.
It is one of those topics that, despite breastfeeding being completely natural, has garnered much debate about whether we want to see it in public.
"It's one of the most natural things in the world so I can't understand why people have such an issue against it. I will definitely be breastfeeding when our baby is born, even if it is when I'm out. If he's hungry, then he'll need feeding, and I will feed him wherever I am." says Elizabeth Clarke, 21.
"Breasts have been changed by the media, originally they were meant just for breastfeeding but now we have to deal with the fact that people see them in other ways. I don't want to see them in broad daylight, it's fine doing it [breastfeeding], just don't parade it in our faces." says Steph Butler, 21.
Tanya Marie Allen, 23, says that she plans to breast feed and brings up the point of animals feeding their young; "we wouldn't make a dog/cat/monkey etc go into an enclosed room away from the public". She also mentions that "there are far worse sights walking round the streets but we don't see people complaining about that in the papers."
'Worse sights' could be referring to the ever increasing number of young girls walking around with shorts so short they could be underwear, or tops so revealing that you may as well be in your bra. And it's not just everyday girls wearing clothes such as this, it's celebrities too.
Jessica Moger, 21 points out that; "Models and celebrities have their butts and boobs out and yet it is okay to do so. Breastfeeding is natural, breasts were for your babies, now people look at them like sexual objects."
Nathan Pearson, 23 follows on from this by saying; "I just don't see the problem - I would rather see a mother breastfeeding her child than a load of teenage girls wandering around wearing next to nothing."
Amber Douglas, 27 makes an important point; "I think a lot still needs to be done to normalise breastfeeding and unfortunately until then, a lot of people won't accept it in public."
Personally I think she's right, with the sexual nature of breasts taking over the media nowadays and the celebrities and models who promote nudity in a sexual way (FHM, nuts) - some people seem to see a breast (even if it's being used to feed a child) and think of what the media has shown us, and not for it's natural use.
Please comment with your views on breastfeeding in public. Is it ever going to be something no-one cares about? Is it okay to breastfeed in public places, such as coffee shops?
