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More breastfeeding on TV would mean we see it less negatively, says expert. Agree?

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More TV shows should feature breastfeeding and that would encourage more mums to breastfeed. So says Alison Edwards, a senior lecturer in midwifery at Birmingham University.

"Society really needs to change its view and the media can play a crucial role here to stop breastfeeding being regarded so negatively," Alison says.

"Just think of all the TV programmes we see that feature babies and how hardly any of these shows portray breastfeeding. If breastfeeding was depicted on TV more, then we wouldn’t see women being confined to smelly public toilets and tiny changing rooms to feed their children. The increased anxiety that women can experience from this can have a negative impact on their flow of milk production."

Do you think Alison has a point? Would seeing more breastfeeding babies on TV make mums more likely to breastfeed - or feel less negative about breastfeeding?

Or do you think she's completely wrong and it's bottle-feeding that has the negative image these days, with too much pressure being put on new mums to breastfeed because it's 'best'?

Please let us know what you think. We'd love to hear your views on this one. 

Replies

  • I don't think breastfeeding is seen negatively. I think we're made to feel much worse if we bottlefeed.

  • I think too much pressure is put on mums to breastfeed.

    I am worried about not getting on with it already, and I am only 11 weeks.

    My sister nearly had a breakdown after struggling for 3 weeks to feed a baby that just wasn't getting enough milk because 'breast is best'!

    I am willing to try it, but if it doesn't happen, bottle all the way, also I really suffer if I don't have a decent amount of sleep, and my OH can cope with a few hours, so sharing night feeds makes a lot of sense for the welfare of all of us image

    Saying that, I have no issue with breastfeeding, and if conducted in a decorous manner it should be the norm in public.  

  • i think that breastfeeding isn't depicted in TV shows, save for in historical dramas etc with wet nurses. The only time that I've seen it remotely was in an episode of Friends where Rachel had Emma and was trying to breastfeed, asking the midwife for some support.

    The issue is not to promote breastfeeding like that, as I think many women try breastfeeding, and if there are issues then they switch to bottles, but the issue is that WHEN people see breastfeeding out and about in public there are often comments made. Just this week there was that guy that took a picture of a woman breastfeeding in a restaurant and 'shamed' her over Facebook for it. Whereas if we saw more of breastfeeding as the 'norm' on tv (compared to the amount of babies we see being fed bottles) then it may well become more normal for people to see.

    The bigger issue is the issue of the media portrayal of birth - whereby nearly every televised birth (be it on OBEM or TV drama/sitcoms) features a woman on their back with their legs open - one of the worst positions to birth in. It would be far more helpful to change the images of birth that we are presented with!

  • i completely agree with the previous post. Births really need to be portrayed in a more positive light.

    & yes, tv really should show more breast feeding as it's never shown & I believe that it would help to normalise it. But at the same time it shouldn't be shoved down anyones throats as it's a choice for people to make.

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