Scotland Working on Breastfeeding Legislation

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Tuesday, April 18, 2006

In a country where just 36% of mothers are still nursing by the time their babies are six weeks old, the government is working to come up with a plan to encourage more mothers to nurse and to nurse longer.

From Scotsman.com


Women will be allowed to take breastfeeding breaks at work, under proposals being considered by ministers to encourage women to feed children for longer.

The Infant Feeding Strategy for Scotland, launched by Andy Kerr, the health minister, says health and safety rules could be changed to allow women to feed babies or express milk while at work.


The goal is to increase breastfeeding rates by making sure that mothers are given every opportunity to either feed or express milk for their children. The legislation is similar to that being passed in many states in the U.S. in order to protect a mother's right to ensure that her child is receiving breastmilk.

To that end, there's a simply fantastic quote in the article that makes a point that I think many of us have failed to jump on in our fights...


Cynthia Clarkson, a National Childbirth Trust counsellor, said: "It is ironic that, until recently, every workplace provided a place to smoke but not a place to breastfeed."

Labels: Lactivism, Nursing in Public

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