Should the Duchess of Cornwall be seen to be BF?

[csmm]

So yesterday morning I woke up thinking...

In the UK we have one of the lowest BF rates in Europe, with over half of mothers having given up by 6 weeks in 2011: www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14578500. Most people know the benefits of EBF to the mother and child, but I totally understand that it's not necessarily an option for some women (I'm passing no judgement BTW - just to be clear).

I guess I have two questions - 1) Do you reckon the reason our BF rates in the UK are mainly a societal thing? and 2) Do you think that having a major public figure, for example, Duchess Kate, being seen to be BF would be a good thing? Or is it a step to far, her being royal and all?

Just curious as to opinion

[mrsvandertramp]

I think you meant the Duchess of Cambridge!!

[ZacharyQuack]

I think Camilla might be game to give it a try, but it might not be successful

[Chocotrekkie]

Can't see her having the baby out in public very often and really can't see William allowing pictures of her boobs in the press.. Aren't they suing French mag/ photographer over this when she was sunbathing..

[awkwardsis]

It's none of our business. And tbh we're not going to get a glimpse at the royal boobs after all the furore over those pictures. But you can't deny she's a trendsetter so I'd like to think she could make a positive difference in the image of a breast feeding mum. I've moved to a place with a very low uptake and feel like I'm perceived as a complete weirdo :(

[GettingObsessive]

I think she's got enough people watching her parenting without worrying about this, TBH.

It's not a moral choice, you know, despite what some people think.

[Figgygal]

None of our business and if people make a choice that BF is not the best for them and their family they aren't going to be inspired by Kate doing it I wouldn't think

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

It's up to her and her DH how they care for their child and they deserve same privacy and respect for their choices as anyone else.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

I think that it should be Kates choice. Tbh, just because she is in the public eye, I dont think its fair to say what she "should" be doing in this regard.

Her baby, her health, and the relationship with her child are all more important than the countries BF figures. Its not up to her to boost BFeeding.

I do think that it is a society thing in the UK. But thats not Kates problem to fix.

[Trill]

I think it's up to her.

But I think that it will be more difficult for her than for most people.

You know how we say to women "people are not really watching you, they are not waiting for a tiny slip of a nipple to be visible"?

That's not true for her.

[PetiteRaleuse]

Agree, it's not a moral choice. She should do what she likes, what suits her. I really hope that no-one makes a deal out of it either way. The rest of us should mind our own business.

[PetiteRaleuse]

The press will twist whatever she does against her anyway. She can't win. Best keep the whole thing a secret so no-one gets to send out twisted messages. Poor woman. I would hate to walk a few yards let alone a mile in her shoes and that's not just because I can't wear heels

[LadyBeagleEyes]

God know, she already lives in a goldfish bowl.
She needs to bond with her baby using the feeding method she is most comfortable with.
It's none of our business.

[TheUnicornsGoHawaiian]

You woke up thinking this??? You need more excitement in your life

I personally don't think her choosing to bf or not would influence my decision to bf or not. I also think that the decision may not be hers to make, nature doesn't always agree with what we decide.

I hope she keeps it a secret tbh, there's already too much pressure on new parents.

[QueenMatilda]

It would be brilliant but she won't.

[csmm]

yes! Duchess of Cambridge. It might be worrying if Camilla tried it...

[freddiemisagreatshag]

Absolutely nobody else's business but hers what she chooses to do.

[Nettee]

Assuming that she does breast feed for a while (and lots of luck to her getting that established if that is what she wants to do) then I think I would be fabulous for her to take the baby out and about and sit and feed him or her when she needs too. It would be good for breastfeeding in this country generally. However, I think I am being totally unrealistic because Trill is right - she couldn't really risk the baby throwing its head around and exposing her.

I wonder if she will be under pressure to get back to attending functions. If she does ebf that would be difficult but hopefully she would get the year the rest of us are entitled to.

[Thumbwitch]

That did make me smile! Might want to ask MNHQ to change your title, although that would then spoil the sense of a few posts!

It is her choice of course but it would probably benefit the whole breastfeeding "cause" (for want of a better term) if she were seen to endorse it and it might make a few more new mums think "oh if the Duchess of Cambridge is doing it, I might give it a go then" (might not either!)

[MrsLettuce]

I'd be very impressed if Camilla decided to re-lactate to help out

But yeah, should Kate choose to BF and then decide to be photographed doing so then, that would certainly be A Good Thing, IMHO.

[csmm]

Unicorns - Yes I have no life at the moment. Like I said in the original post, just wondering whether it would be a good thing that someone that high profile should be seen to be BF? Setting an example and all. Yes, she lives her life in a goldfish bowl, but when I BF my son I'm pretty sure I was quite discreet and didn't do it as a 'flash my tits everywhere' kind of thing.

[PetiteRaleuse]

If she does bf, then I don't trust the press to be mature enough about making tit comments. If she ff, I don't trust them to be mature enough about making tit comments or harming baby comments. She can't win. That sucks but welcome to 2013.

[marriedinwhiteagain]

No. When she's seen in public, she's at work. I wouldn't have taken either of mine to work and fed them in front of colleagues and clients - it would have been grossly unprofessional and inappropriate. Didn't stop me doing it in cafe's, church, etc. though.

And like everyone else, I'd love to see Camilla try and I bet Camillla would like to be young enough to try.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

No one was interested in snapping me when bf DD. The press would have a field day with Kate.

[csmm]

If the press did make comments 'ooh-arr' style about her BF, then surely it would blow up in their faces? Perhaps that's the kind of public shift that would be a good thing?

I remember watching the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and at one point the cameraman decided to focus in on a woman BF in the crowd. I'm sure they intended it as almost voyeuristic, but it totally backfired as you couldn't see anything risque, and she was beautiful and relaxed