“I support breastfeeding if they do it in private”

“I’m all for breastfeeding if they do it discreetly with a cover”

“I am pro breastfeeding but it’s weird when they feed a toddler”

If.

But.

They might be just words, but they are words that make a difference. If you are using those words when it comes to breastfeeding, then you probably aren’t supportive, or pro-breastfeeding as you think, because you attach conditions to them.

A woman, in the UK, has the legal right to breastfeed in any place providing services to the public. If you ask a woman breastfeeding to stop, move or cover-up, you are breaking the law. It does not matter if her baby is two days old, two months or two years. She has the right to feed her child. Simple as.

If you say ‘I support breastfeeding BUT not in public’, not only are you breaking the law, but you are not supporting breastfeeding at all. If you have no problem with a baby being fed from a bottle in public, or a grown adult eating a sandwich in public, you should have no issue with seeing a baby being breastfed in public. A woman does not want to shut herself at home all day or disappear into side rooms, or even worse, toilets, so that they can feed their baby. They want to – they need to – go shopping, go for something to eat or drink, socialise with others.

If you say ‘I’m all for breastfeeding if they are discreet or cover up’. you are not all for breastfeeding. You are all for breastfeeding if you don’t have to see that. Think about why that is the case. The chances are is because you see a breast as something sexual, and that makes you feel uncomfortable. Well, guess what? A breast is not sexual, not when feeding a baby. In fact, it is about as far from sexual as you can possibly get. I have seen comments before from women who are horrified at the thought that their husband may inadvertantly catch the sight of another woman’s breast for a few seconds. If that’s something you are worries about, well, you need to reevaluate your relationship.

If you say ‘I’m pro-breastfeeding but not when it’s a toddler’, you are not pro-breastfeeding. If you were pro-breastfeeding, you would understand the incredible that benefits that breastfeeding has on both baby and mum and how that doesn’t change when they suddenly hit a certain age. You would understand that the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until a minimum of two years. You would understand the comfort it brings a toddler who is still trying to make sense of the world, and how it is not just nutrition but so much more. Why do you have an issue with a toddler being fed?

You would understand the comfort it brings a toddler who is still trying to make sense of the world, and how it is not just nutrition but so much more. Why do you have an issue with a toddler being fed? Click To Tweet

Breastfeeding doesn’t come with conditions and ifs and buts. You either support it or you don’t.