94% of breastfeeding women 'fear' public transport - we ask mums how to break the taboo

A recent statistic shows 94% of women are scared to breastfeed on public transport in case of any backlash - mums share what should be done to break down the taboo.

New mothers might find themselves preoccupied with how to breastfeed when they bring their new baby home, as it can be surprisingly difficult to get right. Worrying about how to increase breast milk supply and finding the right breastfeeding positions are also both common concerns in those early days of finding your feet with this amazing thing your body is doing for your baby.

Once mums feel ready to get out and about with their little one, they face a hurdle that shouldn't even be there - the fear of breastfeeding in public. As August 1 - 7 is World Breastfeeding Week, FemTech brand, Elvie, carried out research on public breastfeeding. They found 70% of women still fear being judged when breastfeeding or pumping in public. 

The study found:  

• Public transport has been revealed as one of the least comfortable spaces to feed or pump, with 94% of breastfeeding women avoiding it altogether. 
• One in five women reveal they've had negative comments aimed at them while feeding on public transport, and have been told to cover up. 
• Although a quarter have been offered a seat whilst breastfeeding, 15 per cent were made to stand when feeding. 
• Because of this, 77 per cent of mothers have experienced anxiety when they need to feed their baby whilst on the move.
• 22 per cent reveal they've experienced soreness and leaking because they were too scared to feed or pump. 
• Over three quarters of mothers want better signage on public transport to encourage the public to prioritise seating for breastfeeding or pumping mothers, and two thirds feel this would help normalise breastfeeding or pumping whilst travelling.  
• Nearly a third of breastfeeding women said they find it easier not to leave the house at all rather than endure public transport with a baby that might need feeding. 
• Others have changed their journeys, with 28 per cent cutting them short in case their babies needed to feed and a quarter only going to places within walking distance to avoid public transport.

We spoke to some mums to get their perspective on how to break down the taboos of feeding in public, and they've got some strong suggestions. 

Real consequences

Mum-of-three, Jade, says "There needs to be real consequences for those who comment on, or shame women breastfeeding in public. Public breastfeeding is protected by the Equality Act, but you rarely hear of action being taken against anyone trying to prevent it. If every woman spoke up and called for action when she was discriminated against, and fines were handed out, it would hopefully stop so many of these horrible incidents where women are told to stop feeding or cover up."

Strong signage

Mum-of-two Jo, adds "I'm all for signage on public transport to support breastfeeding women, but it needs to be clear. Signs need to state that women will be breastfeeding in this area or carriage, and anyone who has a problem with it isn't welcome to board. Start implementing public transport bans for anyone who feels the need to intimidate a woman purely for feeding a hungry baby."

Antenatal class teaching

Mum-of-two, Amber, concludes "This sadly should be part of antenatal classes - how to challenge people who try and prevent you feeding in public. It happens far too often and women should be equipped with the phrases to shut it down and challenge those challenging them. I understand a lot of women will find this difficult, but the more it's done, the more people will start to check themselves before saying something silly to women simply using their breasts for their intended purpose. Nobody should feel forced into staying in for fear of someone else's unwanted opinion."

To help break down taboos and normalise breastfeeding on public transport, Elvie has teamed with singer Fleur East to #FreeTheFeed. Together with a group of breastfeeding and pumping mothers, they took over a Tube carriage ahead of World Breastfeeding Week to raise awareness of fears of public breastfeeding and call for greater support and empathy.

Fleur says, "Breastfeeding is such a fantastic thing but it doesn’t come without its challenges. When I first breastfed my daughter in public, I was absolutely terrified. I was scared of getting stared at, people judging me, and if Nova made a bit of a fuss I’d be panicking about other people’s opinions."

She adds "But the more you do it, the more used to it you get, and I hate the idea of women avoiding feeding because of judgement - it’s outrageous that women are still made to feel uncomfortable breastfeeding in public - it’s 2024 for goodness sake! I hope by taking part in this shoot, and making breastfeeding and pumping more visible, it is a small step towards a big change for women."

For more on breastfeeding, we share things that happen to your breasts before, during and after feeding. For those experiencing breastfeeding pain, there are remedies to overcome it, and there's also certain foods that should be eliminated from a breastfeeding diet.