Six out of ten new mums have endured 'a negative experience' breastfeeding their baby in public.

Researchers found that a worryingly high percentage had the natural bonding experience ruined by negative reactions, inappropriate comments and blatant stares.

As a result 55 per cent feel too embarrassed to feed in front of people.

Mums reported that public transport and restaurants are the places they are most likely to get stared at if they attempted to breastfeed and instead of facing disapproving glares from strangers one third of mums admitted they hide away in public lavatories to feed their baby.

A quarter had even been asked by strangers to go somewhere more private.

The poll of 2,000 mums was conducted by Philips Avent and revealed that 9 out of ten mums want to breastfeed as they think it's the best thing for their child's health.

Deneice Harwin, spokeswoman for Philips AVENT said:

"Nearly all new mums said they wanted to feel able to breastfeed in public without causing a stir and many reported feeling angry or annoyed that they had to endure so much unwanted attention.

"We've been talking with new mums for years and know that breastfeeding can be difficult for many of them at the beginning. The last thing they need is to feel embarrassed when doing it in public, when it can seem daunting already.

"These figures are especially sad as they come in the same week that the Government has withdrawn its feeding for National Breastfeeding Awareness Week and we urge them to reconsider so we can help change public perception.

"We're committed to helping mums to breastfeed for longer and hope that people will be more supportive and understanding towards new mums"

The study looked in to several aspects of breastfeeding from why they chose to do it and what they had found easy about the process as well as what they had struggled with.

Staggeringly one in six mums admitted they have been so worried about other people's opinions they have opted to leave the baby screaming for milk rather than breastfeed.

The results showed that 64 per cent of new mums have been subjected to unwanted attention as a result of feeding their baby.

It wasn't just strangers who made women feel insecure with a fifth of women saying their partners admitted they felt awkward about watching them breastfeed in the beginning.

A further quarter said that members of their own family had even left the room when they needed to feed and a third said friends had also made their excuses to leave.

Vicki Scott, baby feeding adviser for Philips AVENT, said: "It's well known that breast milk is the best nutrition for baby. It seems on one hand society is encouraging mums to breastfeed but, on the other, is making it difficult for them to do it unless they hide themselves away."

The study of 2,000 mums also revealed that three quarters of mums wanted to breastfeed as they felt it was the best thing for their child's health and immune system while 67 per cent said they felt the experience had created a unique and close bond between them and their baby.

Nearly all new mums said they wanted to feel able to breastfeed in public without causing a stir and many reported feeling angry or annoyed that they had to endure so much unwanted attention.

Nearly half said that their midwife was the biggest help if they struggled to breastfeed whilst a further quarter turned to their own mum for support and advice.

However, nearly a fifth had to stop before they wanted to as they simply couldn't do it and one in ten stopped as they wanted their partner to share the feeding.

Source:
Philips AVENT