74 percent of mothers are breastfeeding or have breastfed — but more than two-thirds have experienced negative reactions in public. This is apparent from a survey published Monday by MAM Baby artikel, in which more than 1,900 women in Austria, Germany and Switzerland took part. Nearly half of women breastfeed their babies until they are six to nine months old, and one in five do so for more than a year (19.9%).
For 94.3 percent, the main reason for breastfeeding is to promote the health of their child. Because it promotes the bond between mother and child, called 76.5 percent. And “because you always have breast milk with you” was a contributing reason for 76.1 percent.
But negative aspects also emerged in the study: sore/inflamed nipples (60.7 percent), engorgement (39.3 percent) or “too little milk” (38.2 percent). The midwife is contact number 1 for three quarters of them.
“Facing ‘Mumsplaining'”
Even today, two-thirds of the children are not always stress-free when feeding outside their own four walls: 39.2 percent find breastfeeding in public uncomfortable. “As part of the investigation, we have received numerous testimonials from mothers who have provided us with unsolicited, sometimes very abusive comments and advice. Whether breast-feeding or bottle-feeding – mothers face a real ‘mother’s complaint’,” says Eline Strobl of MAM Baby Austria.
But the roughly 12 percent of mothers who have never breastfed are also under public pressure, as indicated by several survey participants, such as: “My experience was that most of them could not accept bottle-feeding and the non-view breastfeeding as something bad for the child.”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
