I was lucky and got a lot of breastfeeding support when Poppy (my eldest daughter) was born but one of the hardest things for me personally, was feeling comfortable feeding her in public. I remember going to a cafe and looking round to see if anyone else was feeding their baby too. It wasn't so much that I was worried what people would think, more that I just felt super self-conscious about it. It was something I had never had to do before and it felt strange. Anyway, World Breastfeeding Week runs from 1st-7th August this year, so I thought I would write a poem about breastfeeding in public, in the hope that it might make new breastfeeding mum's feel a little better, in case they feel self conscious too. I hope it brings a smile and if you’d like to share the poem with a friend, why not use the button below to obtain your free printable version?
It's inspired by the poem 'Cats Sleep Anywhere' by Eleanor Farjeon...
You can breastfeed anywhere,
Any table, any chair,
Top of piano, window ledge,
Middle of the night
On the edge.
Cafe, garden, park or zoo,
Whilst choosing paint at B&Q
Supermarket, library, or soft play,
Don’t feel that you should hide away.
Arcade, pier or fish and chippy
On the beach with a Mr Whippy.
Gallery, museum, National Trust
Breastfeeding’s great,
Once you’ve got it sussed.
Soiree, party or funeral wake,
Breastfeed anywhere for your baby’s sake.
Bus stop, station, back of car
Chilling in a cocktail bar.
Informal gathering to a big event,
Luxury Hotel or two-man tent
Train, plane or ferry boat,
Up a mountain with a goat.
Don’t feel you have to stay at home
Feed wherever you may roam,
Sit there, proud, in full sight.
To feed your baby is your right.
So don’t worry if people stare,
Because you can breastfeed anywhere.
Anywhere! Please don’t care!
Yes, you can breastfeed anywhere.
Free printable