Mothers win the right to breastfeed in all public places

By Daniel Martin
Last updated at 8:40 PM on 15th June 2008

Mothers are to get the legal right to breastfeed in any public place.

The Equality Bill will make it an offence to stop any woman from breastfeeding a baby up to the age of six months.

Under current laws, women who breastfeed in places such as restaurants or bars can be charged under public order or indecency legislation.


New laws will make it an offence to stop any woman from breastfeeding a baby up to the age of six months in a public place

Ministers are changing the law in response to concerns that Britain has the lowest breastfeeding rate in Europe.

Three-quarters of women give their newborn baby breast milk but this falls to 25 per cent after six months.

This is despite the wealth of scientific evidence showing that it is far more beneficial for babies than feeding them with formula milk.

Dr Geoff Lawson, a paediatrician at Sunderland Royal Hospital, said: 'Among the benefits are immunity, optimal brain development and optimal growth. Not to mention the social benefits of bonding between mother and baby.

'No one ever says breastfeeding is easy but it is so very, very worthwhile because of a huge number of proven benefits.'


The Department of Health has been running a series of 'Breast is Best' campaigns over the past few years.


Surveys have recorded a slight increase in the number of breastfeeding mothers in that period.

But the effectiveness of the message has been blunted by the fact that many women feel uncomfortable nursing their baby in public.


A Cabinet Office spokesman said: 'Final decisions have yet to be made but the Government is keen to give new mothers complete confidence to breastfeed while going about their normal business, for example while on the bus or in a cafe.'


But the bill will not go as far as a law passed in Scotland four years ago, which allows public breastfeeding with no age limit on the child.

Find this story at www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1026604/Mothers-win-right-breastfeed-public-places.html