Tramps Together

A 27 year old mum from a town in Staffordshire that, until this week, I had never heard of and still don't know how to pronounce, has made it onto my list of inspirational women.

Emily Slough was photographed whilst she fed her baby on a sunny step.

If you've been away on holiday with no internet connection and are unaware of what has happened since this photo was taken, you'll be thinking "yeah, and?". I mean, that sentence seems fairly innocuous, right? Well, if I'd said that she was breastfeeding her baby, and the photo was taken on the sly and posted anonymously to a facebook page labelling her a tramp, then you may start to understand the importance of that moment. When Emily saw the photo, instead of ignoring it, she realised she was presented with an opportunity to make a difference. She has since organised a mass feed to take place in Rugeley this Saturday, the 15th March, and the support has been flooding in. Not just from Rugeley. Not just from Staffordshire. Not just from England. Women (and men) from all over the world have been offering words of support, encouragement and understanding. Facebook has been filled with beautiful photos of mums feeding their babies. The response has been incredible.

Breastfeeding in public for the first time is a nerve-racking experience. You don't want to flash any nip, but if you've managed to leave the house in those early weeks, you probably still haven't quite mastered the art of getting bubs latched on. You need to be able to see what you're doing, so using a cover isn't always a practical choice... it's just one more thing to try and negotiate. After that first time, however, it does get easier. You realise that most people don't notice and those that do try very hard to make it look like they haven't. I have never had any negative comments and only ever noticed one funny look, which I dutifully ignored. So why is this Mass Feed important? Why has Emily Slough made it onto my list of inspirational women?

Emily has been very clear that this is not a 'breastfeeding versus formula feeding' debate. For her, it is about normalising breastfeeding, and I couldn't agree more with this sentiment. I have proudly fed my daughter in public many times, but when I think back over my own breastfeeding experiences I realise that I have always chosen pretty middle class places. Even in Meadowhall, I found the House of Fraser shopper's cafe rather than sitting on one of the benches on the walkways. So maybe I'm part of the problem too.

There are many factors that influence a woman's choice about how they feed their baby, but being afraid to feed in public should never be the reason to not breastfeed. If Emily's response to that photo gives more women the confidence to feed in public, then she has done a truly amazing thing.

Emily Slough, you are my hero.