The More You Know

Survey: Nearly Half Of Mothers Most Afraid Of Breastfeeding In Public

It takes a lot to intimidate moms, who have the toughest job there is, but a new survey from breastfeeding supplier Lansinoh Laboratories reveals that forty percent of women are most concerned with nursing in public.

Though breastfeed-shaming can be absurd, there’s a good reason some are so afraid to feed their babies in front of others. Women who breastfeed in public are criticized at times and even accused of merely wanting attention, and 28 percent of moms worry the process is going to be extremely painful. The same percentage of women is worried that they won’t be able to nurse long enough, and 25 percent fear the infant won’t latch on. That’s a lot of anxieties about a natural part of raising children.

Interestingly enough, moms in the 18-25 age range are less concerned about nursing in public but more worried than their older counterparts about potential pain and the baby not latching on. West coast moms are more likely than mothers in other areas of the country to be self-conscious about breastfeeding in public, a stark contrast to the views of the majority of east coast mothers, who are more likely to say breastfeeding in public isn’t natural.

When it comes to children, can’t we just all agree they’re the CEOs before reaching age one and call all the shots? If they have to eat in public, so be it. No one else should make a big deal out of it.

TAGS: breastfeeding

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