World Breastfeeding Week

World Breastfeeding Week

Sick and tired of those who scowl at breastfeeding women, ask them to leave public places or insult them when they breastfeed their babies in public, some of New Zealand’s most famous mothers will challenge attitudes to public breastfeeding by posing for a photo while breastfeeding their babies in a well-known Auckland café.

The women, who include actresses Theresa Healey and Robyn Malcolm, are taking a stand for World Breastfeeding Week, by showing that breastfeeding is by far the best and healthiest way of feeding babies – and that it is fine to do it in public places, including cafés and restaurants.

The photo of the celebrity women breastfeeding is likely to cause discussion and controversy, but they are happy to stand up and be counted for something which is so important to babies’ health and wellbeing. 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 likely to do the same.

World Breastfeeding Week takes place from 1-7 August 2004. New Zealand has relatively low rates of breast feeding – only 10% of babies are being exclusively breastfed at 6 months of age, despite breast milk being all they need at this age, and the healthiest and best option for both the baby and the mother.

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