Last week Newport launched a trailblazing scheme encouraging businesses to support for breastfeeding women. Although it is illegal to stop a woman from breastfeeding in public, some have said they feel uncomfortable. IAN CRAIG looks at the issue.

THE decision whether or not a breastfeed a new baby can be one of the most crucial of a mother’s life – and the life of their child.

Studies have shown breastfeeding can reduce a child’s risk of infections and other illnesses, as well as developing obesity, diabetes and other conditions later in life. It also has health benefits for mothers.

Doctors recommended babies should be fed on nothing but breast milk for the first six months of their lives.

But, for some mothers, the idea of openly breastfeeding a child is an uncomfortable one,

Despite this, breastfeeding rates have increased in Gwent and across Wales over the past decade.

In 2016 – the most recent date figures were available - 55 per cent of babies born in Wales were breastfed, up nine per cent on ten years earlier.

But increases in Gwent were far higher, with Torfaen seeing a 29 per cent increase from 27 per cent to 56 per cent. Monmouthshire also saw a big increase, as well as the highest rate of breastfeeding across the region, at 72 per cent, up 26 per cent from 2006.

In Newport, 59 per cent of babies were breastfed in 2016, up 22 per cent from ten years earlier, while rates in Caerphilly were 49 per cent, up 19 per cent on ten years earlier. Blaenau Gwent had both the lowest breastfeeding rate at 42 per cent, as well as the smallest increase, at 16 per cent. But this is still almost twice the national increase over the ten-year period.

And last week Newport City Council launched a new scheme encouraging businesses in the city to provide welcoming and supportive environments for women breastfeeding their children.

Under the Equality Act 2010, it is illegal in England and Wales to discriminate against breastfeeding mothers - including asking a mother to stop breastfeeding or refusing to serve her.

Natalie Williams, 29, of Pontypool, said she had bottle-fed her first daughter Summer, now 10, and had originally planned to do the same with her second child Lexi, now 17 weeks old.

“I was dead set into bottle feeding when I was pregnant due to the thought of not knowing where I can go or people staring,” she said.

“Three days after I had my little girl I had to do something with my milk so I gave it a try.

“I then decided I was going to breastfeed during the nights, but took bottles out for feeds as I was worried about the public.

“A few weeks into that I thought, my girl has the right to eat like anyone else.

“I’m still feeding 17 weeks on.

“Since I started breastfeeding I’m becoming more aware of a lot of places supporting breastfeeding and more and more people are doing it.”

The new Breastfeeding Welcome scheme encourages businesses to show they provide a welcoming and supportive environment to breastfeeding mothers.

So far four businesses are signed up to the scheme – the Riverfront Theatre, Horton’s Coffee House in Millennium Walk, Tiny Rebel in Rogerstone and Mrs T’s cafe in Beechwood Park – all of which have attended a breastfeeding awareness session and are displaying purple stickers to show they are taking part.

A Tiny Rebel spokesman said their city centre bar would also be taking part in the scheme.

“We want to ensure that everyone feels comfortable coming to our bars”, he said.

“Our bars exist to offer people really great food and drink, and that should be available to mothers and their children too.”

And Horton’s Coffee House owner Gavin Horton said: “Mums have a right to feed their babies wherever they are. If a customer was to complain about it happening they would be the ones asked to leave.”

Speaking to the Argus at the launch of the scheme last week, new mum Moira Wooles, 36, of Liswerry, said she has always felt comfortable breastfeeding her 11-week-old son, Lucas, in public.

“I’ve never had any really bad experiences, but I have noticed furtive glance thrown in my direction,” she said.

“When you’re a first-time mum it’s nice to know there are places that are encouraging you to be comfortable while breastfeeding.”

She added: “In 2018 shouldn’t be a question mark over it. I know friends who say their mums had to go home when they needed to breastfeed, which is just ridiculous.”

Professional policy advisor with the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Clare Livingstone applauded the scheme, saying: “We do know that women experience stigma around breastfeeding.

“Some women can feel very discouraged and it’s a significant factor in whether they breastfeed or not. Breastfeeding is the most natural, normal thing in the world, but people do feel very self-concious about it.

“We do hear stories about women being asked to stop breastfeeding, but they are rare.

“So we really applaud Newport for taking this step.”

She added key to encouraging more mums to start breastfeeding is to increase funding for midwives and other neo and post-natal services.

An RCM spokeswoman said: “As a society we must continue to develop a culture of positive support for women who wish to breastfeed and educating the public is key to this.

“Women should not feel guilty or embarrassed about breastfeeding in public.”

She added: “Breastfeeding can also make an enormous contribution to public health and midwives alongside maternity support workers are the key health professionals to deliver this.

“However, we must ensure there are enough midwives in post so women get the right level of advice and support before they leave hospital in order to initiate and sustain breastfeeding successfully if they choose to do so.”

And a Public Health Wales spokesperson said: “Negative feedback when breastfeeding in public can deter many mums. The introduction of the Breastfeeding Welcome scheme in Newport is a very helpful contribution to overcoming this.

“Mums should aim to give babies nothing but breast milk for the first six months, before introducing other foods and continue breastfeeding for as long as they wish.

“Public Health Wales encourages breastfeeding as part of the Every Child Wales programme’s 10 steps to a healthy weight, which are designed to help children grow up healthy and happy.”

The new scheme is managed by the One Newport partnership, which is made up of representatives of the council, the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, emergency services, the Welsh Government and others.

Although the Welsh Government previously ran a Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme, which aimed to educate businesses about their obligations around allowing women to breastfeed and promote the benefits generally, this ended in 2015, with the onus placed on councils.

Find out more about the Every Child Wales programme at everychildwales.co.uk