Breastfeeding is one of the most natural things in the world – but Stirling mums say stigma still makes doing it in public daunting at first.
Then there’s the well-meaning ‘advice’ on how they should be feeding their babies.
And the physical and emotional demands of a hungry baby, particularly in the early days and weeks.
But a Stirling breastfeeding support group brings mums together for support.
So much so that when one mum was asked to stop breastfeeding poolside in The Peak leisure centre fellow mums staged a sit-in protest.
We joined Forth Valley Breastfeeding Network’s support group in Mayfield Community Centre to meet some of the mums who go.
We asked about some of the challenges they face and how they help each other navigate them.
Georgia and Sophia
Georgia Parkes admits that feeding her first child Sophia, now six months old, while out and about was “daunting” at first.
She says: “I felt like I was always trying to hide myself and not be out there.
“In a café I would find somewhere at the side not in the middle.
“But I was always with other people so when I actually started doing it that made me feel a bit better.”
Georgia, 31, from Stirling, started attending the group when Sophia was only three weeks old.
She was fortunate not to experience issues with pain and latching on in the early days, as many mums do.
“I found the frequency the more challenging part,” she says. “She was feeding constantly and I was exhausted that first week after having a baby.
“So we introduced a bottle of formula and expressed milk in the evenings which made things better for me.”
Advice from group leader Marge Adams and fellow mums keeps her going.
“Any issues I can always get support from Marge or on our group chat.
“One of mums might post something like ‘I’ve got a blocked duct’, and everyone is like ‘I did this’ or ‘I did this’. It’s just the right advice which is amazing.
“It’s not always about breastfeeding, there’s lots of other mums-related things. And it’s just about connecting with other people.
“I didn’t know until recently about the law of breastfeeding in Scotland, that you’re not allowed to be asked to stop.
“That gives me more confidence.
“I can pretty much do it anywhere now.”
Amanda and Maisie
Amanda Allen, 27, discovered the group when Maisie, now five months, was nine weeks old and she was starting to struggle with breastfeeding.
She says: “Breastfeeding is a full-time job in itself and it’s your sole responsibility.
“It can be physically challenging especially in the first few weeks.
“But it’s also amazing.
“We’ve got to that point where it’s the most convenient thing ever. It’s so easy, you can do it anywhere and everywhere. And it’s cost effective; you don’t have to pay for it.
Amanda did find breastfeeding in public nerve-racking at first.
“I remember the first time I was out in a café with my sister and I was nervous.
“I feel like I’ve got it down to an art now. I’m more confident doing it. Nobody’s really that bothered at the end of the day.”
She reckons social discomfort around breastfeeding in public is diminishing.
“The fact that it is even a thing I think is so weird.
“I think it stems from women being sexualised when really breasts are there for the purpose of feeding a baby.
“There’s maybe a bit of a generational difference. I think formula feeding was pushed on a lot of mothers.
“When I became pregnant everybody warned me of the pressure to breastfeed, whereas I actually found the opposite.
“If I had any concerns before I found support here, it would be met with ‘just give her a bottle’.”
The support group, she says, gives her confidence in her skills as a mum.
“It’s good to be able to talk to other mums, and it’s completely judgment free.”
Marina and Ariana
With her third child, Marina Chaudhry is well experienced in breastfeeding.
Ariana, 10 months old, weighed only five pounds when she was born. Marina was encouraged by healthcare professionals to supplement her breast milk with formula milk.
But Marina was determined to exclusively breastfeed and says the group gave her confidence to follow her instincts.
She says: “They said your milk is enough and suggested how I could increase my supply.
“These ladies do amazing work making this all normal and they support us to not give up to any advice that comes from less authorised individuals.”
Marina feels there should be more breastfeeding facilities out and about.
“Because I’m a Muslim feeding outside is very challenging. I need to cover myself really well.
“It’s not something I do very often. I will go and sit in the car, or sometimes a toilet because there’s nowhere else.
“I feel that people would judge me if I was openly feeding somewhere, like in a shopping centre.
“There should be a room with a chair where we can feed. You would think The Peak would have a facility like that but they don’t.”
Breastfeeding in Stirling and elsewhere
Stirling has a higher than average breastfeeding rate, but still only 4 in 10 babies are exclusively breastfed at six to eight weeks old.
The mother told not to breastfed by the pool in The Peak turned to Forth Valley Breastfeeding Network for advice.
Under the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005, it is an offence to stop someone from feeding a child under the age of two in a public place.
Leisure centre operator Active Stirling apologised and said staff would be trained.
Group leader Marge
Marge Adams has run Forth Valley Breastfeeding Network support group for three years.
She says: “Breastfeeding can be quite hard in the beginning.
“Sometimes mums might come along in the beginning because they have an issue but then it becomes very a much a social thing.
“They can come along have a rant about anything. It’s a safe, non-judgemental space and we’ve heard it all. We’re not shy!”
Many mums do still avoid breastfeeding in public, she says.
“There is a stigma. Some of the mums have said they have not breastfed out and they only do it here because they feel comfortable.”
While she found the incident at The Peak “frustrating”, Marge also reckons it helped raise awareness.
“No mother feeding in public should be asked to stop. Although it was negative at the time, it raised awareness and it was one of those situations that started a conversation.”
Forth Valley Breastfeeding Network runs weekly support groups in Stirling at Mayfield Community Centres on Fridays and St Mark’s Church, Raploch, on Mondays.
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