World Breastfeeding Week

It's fine for women to breastfeed their babies in cafés and other public places. That's the message that well known actresses Theresa Healey and Robyn Malcolm want to get across. The women have taken a public stand for World Breastfeeding Week, by posing for a photo while breastfeeding their babies in an Auckland café.

Theresa Healey and Robyn Malcolm breastfeeding their babies in an Auckland café.

They want to show that breastfeeding is by far the best and healthiest way of feeding babies, in support of World Breastfeeding Week, from August 1-7. They also want to challenge attitudes to public breastfeeding.

"Too many people think breastfeeding a baby in public is somehow rude or unnecessary", says Theresa Healey. "You should see some of the looks you get. Well, breasts are not just about sex - they are there to provide food for babies. Breastfeeding your baby is the most natural and positive thing in the world, and it's time people who disapprove of it got over it."

The anticipation of the photo of the celebrity women breastfeeding in public has already caused discussion and controversy, but they are happy to stand up and be counted for something which is so important to babies' health and wellbeing.

The breastfeeding cause is no stranger to controversy. Photos of Lucy Lawless breastfeeding her baby (2002) and Michael Hurst 'breastfeeding' at work (2003) both attracted enormous public attention and discussion, and this year's photo is doing the same.

New Zealand has relatively low rates of continued breastfeeding - only 10% of babies are being exclusively breastfed at 6 months of age, despite breast milk being all they need at this age. That's something World Breastfeeding Week aims to improve, because breastfeeding is the healthiest and best option for both the baby and the mother.

Louise James,

Breastfeeding Advocate,

Women’s Health Action Trust.