For many mothers, breastfeeding has become an odyssey. Breastfeeding in parks, malls, and any other public spaces have caused controversies whether a mom should breastfeed in public, or lock herself up in a car just so the baby can eat.
Some places in London have a special room for this moment, but some of them, unfortunately, are not so private as moms expect. Amy Dewolfe, is a mom of three kids and she believes that people should have the right to breastfeed where they choose.
“If you want the privacy, then you should be able to have it. And if you are comfortable feeding your baby in public, you should be able to do that as well.”
Amy Dewolfe
Another point brought up by Amy is that places like malls, shouldn’t have a breastfeeding room so close to washrooms, as we already see in London.
“I think the idea of a nursing station is great, but the location could be better. I was in Masonville recently and my only experience with the station was waiting in the line in the bathroom and watching the sensory door open and close repeatedly. So, if the women were using for the sense of privacy, it was kind of against the purpose.”
She also says that being so close to the washroom also is a sanitary issue, and maybe should be avoided.
“The place is so close that you can hear the toilet splashing.”
The importance of breastfeeding
Doctors strongly believe that breast milk is essential and the key to healthy growth and development in the early years.
“It does prevent and protects children from quite a number of illnesses. It also supports strong attachments between mother and baby,” says Laura Dueck, public health nurse at the Middlesex London Health Unit.
She also says, “It protects the mom from breast cancer, ovarian cancer and other chronic diseases like osteoporosis and cardiovascular illnesses as well protects the family and its finances to family community and health.”
Health Canada recommends breast milk for the first six months and continue to breastfeed up to two years and beyond if they want to.
Breastfeeding Challenge
The National Breastfeeding Week will be celebrated during the whole first week of October.
The Breastfeeding Challenge aims to have as many breastfed children as possible together at the same time, the event is organized by Middlesex London Health Unit that will take place at South London Community Centre on September 29th.
Access the Middlesex-London Health Unit website and learn more about the event.
