Breastfeeding: private or public?

Something I found on the news this morning:

"A new finding by Queensland University of Technology found most people in Generation Y (born after 1980) find breastfeeding uncomfortable or embarrassing.

"They are interesting findings but what most surprising was the comment that 75% wouldn't be exclusively breastfeeding during the first six months," says Carey Wood,

National spokesperson for the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA).

"Obviously that's what the ABA recommend, as do the World Health Organisation."

Generation Y, Wood believes, are bombarded with aggressive marketing of infant formula "and that undermines a women's confidence in her ability to nurture her child."

Wood believes studies like this are missing the point. "Academics should stop focussing on breastfeeding rates and start talking about why formula is an issue, why there are health risks."

It's part of the reason many Australian women begin breastfeeding, but soon stop, says Wood.

In Australia, eight-five percent of women start breastfeeding and that drops to sixty-percent at 3 months and thirty-percent by six months.

"For Generation Y, if the info is not given to them, if they don't see women in public breastfeeding, the only message they are getting through their brains is that it's sexual."

"Of course, the only other place they see breasts is advertising products or in music videos."

As a result of complaints and calls from distressed mothers, the ABA will be starting a Breastfeed in Public Day encouraging mothers to come out of their homes."

What do you think? Some people do make me sick....