Breastfeeding in public is a challenge for Indian mothers due to lack of resources and stigma, says report
Observing World Breastfeeding Week, Momspresso conducted a survey among Indian mothers about the challenges they face while breastfeeding in public.
Although breastfeeding is a natural and vital part of being a mother, there is a severe lack of facilities that enable her to breastfeed comfortably in public. Mothers who breastfeed in public are also met with stares from strangers, leading to embarrassment.
There is a crucial need to create safe and hygienic spaces for mothers to breastfeed in public and tackle the stigma surrounding it.
To observe World Breastfeeding Week (Aug 1-7), Momspresso, a user-generated content platform for women across India, recently conducted a survey to find out the main challenges faced by breastfeeding Indian mothers, and released a report based on the findings.
The survey was conducted through a web-link based questionnaire, and focused on 900 mothers, aged between 25 and 45, across metros and non-metros on the Momspresso portal.
The report says that 93 percent of mothers find breastfeeding in public very difficult and unpleasant owing to the lack of breastfeeding rooms. Only 6 percent said they found dedicated breastfeeding/nursing rooms. It also found that 83 percent of working mothers have breastfed in public.
The most common places the mothers said they have breastfed their children in were their own cars, public transport, restaurants, car parking lots, and trial rooms.
Some of the most 'awkward' places they reported breastfeeding in were broom closets at airports, crowded beaches, under trees, waiting areas of passport offices, bank queues, and bus stops. Other places the mothers mentioned were in the toilet, temple queues, during family functions, and parent-teacher meetings at schools.
According to the report, the two major barriers to breastfeeding in public are lack of appropriate/hygienic/safe places to breastfeed, and discomfort due to people staring/lack of privacy.
Speaking about the survey results, Parul Ohri, Founder of Momspresso said,
"While there has been extensive conversation around the benefits of breastfeeding, much less has been spoken about the actual challenges of breastfeeding at work and in public places. New mothers are intent on breastfeeding to ensure their babies get the best nutritional start possible, but they also need that intent to be supported by simple facilities such as a designated breastfeeding space in public areas such as restaurants, banks, offices, and malls."
