Breast Feeding Still a Stigmatized Phenomenon

As long as mammals have existed, breastfeeding been part of us. However, in the Western World, there’s a huge debate on whether breastfeeding publicly should be banned from as some people deem this old age practice to be public indecency.

Families have rallied behind women feeding their babies for years, and as a society, it's our duty to support breastfeeding mothers as theirs is to ensure the child gets nourished.

 

The Benefits Associated With Breastfeeding 

 

Breastfeeding is a decision that every family with a newborn or expecting a bundle of joy should make. Science gives us the pros of breastfeeding.

Unfortunately, some mothers find it difficult to breastfeed, and others cannot breastfeed due to certain medical conditions. Some women are unable to perform this natural act due to logistical reasons.

If you’re unable to breastfeed it doesn’t mean there will be a huge detriment to your baby. Doctors today have found several ways of feeding that will see your child grow healthy.

In 1865, Justus von Liebig developed the first infant feeding liquid. In later years he created a powdered version for longer shelf-life.

Since this creation, mothers across the world have opted out of breastfeeding and choose alternative feeding methods.

A baby milk formula is advantageous to women unable to breastfeed is, in recent years the idea amongst able bodied mothers using it has become controversial as breastfeeding has been proven to have more benefits towards the baby’s health.

In our society, today, bottle formula and feeding have seen many people brush aside the benefits of breastfeeding. In public places, bottles are more acceptable, and calorie packed baby formulas are selling more because people believe that bigger babies are healthier.

Medical Studies

Doctors insist that babies should be breastfed for six months exclusively after conducting extensive studies. The studies carried out on different mothers from across the world proved that breastfeeding benefits surpass all those of any formula.

2011, there was a spirited campaign to have the public support mothers who choose to breastfeed their children. Social norms have made breastfeeding in public seem shameful and many mothers opt to feed their babies on a bottled formula instead of their milk.

Breastfeeding helps children feel protected, warm and safe when they are in close contact with their mother.

With 85% of women saying they will breastfeed, it should be accepted in society as it's a natural process, which has been with us since humankind came into being.

It’s wrong to tell a mother not to feed her hungry baby and wait until she has a bottle available which could mean a long trip home on a bus or train.

Imagine a mother travelling on a plane, and her baby is crying because she’s hungry and she doesn’t have formula milk left, and the only way to keep her baby quiet is to breastfeed her, why shouldn't such a mother be allowed to feed her child?

It’s unfortunate that most of the people that complain about public breastfeeding were breastfed by their mother publicly and the milk they received help them develop into healthy children.

It’s time we stopped shaming women and encouraged them to breastfeed more. Social media sites should be used as a platform for championing breastfeeding both privately and publicly.