BENGALURU: A whopping 93 per cent of the mothers surveyed in India feel uncomfortable while breastfeeding their babies in public places due to lack of breastfeeding facilities, a survey conducted by Momspresso, a user-generated content programme to observe World Breastfeeding Week, revealed.
The survey was conducted online among 900 mothers, of which 77 per cent are millennials. Among the respondents, only 6 per cent said they found public designated breastfeeding areas to comfortably nurse their babies. When asked about barriers to breastfeeding comfortably in India, 53 per cent of mothers cited lack of hygienic, appropriate or safe spaces while 47 per cent said lack of privacy and constant staring by people hinders comfortable breastfeeding.
Parul Ohri, founding partner and chief editor, Momspresso, said, “While there has been extensive conversation around the benefits of breastfeeding, much less has been spoken about the actual challenges at work and in public places. New mothers are intent on breastfeeding, but they also need that intent to be supported by facilities such as a designated breastfeeding space in public areas such as restaurants, banks, offices, and malls.”
survey findings