Breastfeeding in Public: An International Exploration of Women’s Experiences ^†

Abstract

Qualitative evidence has revealed that women face challenges breastfeeding in public. It is important to gain a greater understanding of these challenges, and, also, how women manage breastfeeding in the presence of someone they are uncomfortable with. Insight into what women perceive as helpful when considering whether to breastfeed in public warrants attention. A cross sectional study was conducted with women living in Australia, Ireland, and Sweden who were currently breastfeeding or had breastfed in the previous two years. Data were collected from online platforms. Content analysis of responses confirmed similarities between countries allowing for collaborative negotiation of final themes. Women ranked responses in relation to their importance and frequencies quantified how often each theme was cited. Responses were collected from 10,910 Australian women, 1835 Irish women, and 1520 Swedish women. Ten themes emerged around how women managed having to breastfeed in the presence of someone they were uncomfortable with. The two highest ranked themes were: ‘make the effort to be discreet’ and ‘move to a private location’. Nine themes each emerged around what was challenging and helpful. ‘Unwanted attention’ ranked highest in Australia and Sweden, whereas ‘environment not suitable’ ranked number one in Ireland as the most challenging. Having a ‘supportive network’ ranked most helpful in Australia and Ireland, whereas ‘understanding and acceptance of others’ was number one in Sweden. Women’s experience of breastfeeding in public presented more international similarities than differences. Themes highlight how public education and infrastructure should be prioritized to better support breastfeeding women.