Like many modern mums the Duchess of Cambridge has unwittingly found herself at the centre of one of the most contentious issues that burden new parents — to breastfeed or not to breastfeed?
Royal mothers past have shuddered at the thought of breastfeeding a little Prince or Princess, but like the Queen and her mother-in-law Diana, Kate is expected to continue to buck royal trends and choose breast over bottle.
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BBC TV presenter Beverley Turner recently ignited the debate calling on the Duchess to become an ambassador for breastfeeding advocates.
“We need women with power and influence to get their milky bosoms out and feed smiling in paparazzi pictures,” the controversial presenter wrote in The Telegraph.
“As if there wasn’t enough pressure on her already, what we really need is the Duchess of Cambridge to get her royal orbs out to feed our future monarch. And to be applauded — not seethed at — for doing so.”
The debate around breastfeeding has become vicious with outspoken advocacy groups from both sides standing firm that their baby feeding method is superior for a range of reasons from cancer-curing to weight loss.
The Weekly spoke with breastfeeding group La Leche League Great Britain spokesperson Anna Burbidge in London, who would be pleased to see the Duchess breastfeeding not only for her own benefit, but for the sake of the royal baby.
“When the royal baby is born, like any other baby it will have the instinct to breastfeed,” Ms Burbidge says.
“If she does manage to have a natural birth it will be lovely because she’ll be a lot calmer, the baby will be born calm and alert and he or she instinctively will get breastfeeding established.”
Ms Burbidge also suggested that the Duchess, being one of the most recognised and sought after women in the celebrity world, might like to breastfeed because it “helps women to lose weight after pregnancy”.
“She’s under so much scrutiny with so many people constantly looking at her, commenting, with photographers everywhere, to it might help to know that the way she’s feeding is helping her body get back to normal.
“She’s got the eyes of the world on her so having that calming effect of breastfeeding could be a really good thing. It’s also very calming for the baby.”
While royal mothers have in the past handed their children over to wet nurses — Queen Victoria is believed to have found the idea of breastfeeding utterly repellent, likening mothers who chose the method to cows — the young royals are not afraid to break from tradition.
Kate is reported to have requested a natural birth and will stay with her mother at her family home in Berkshire for the baby’s first few weeks, rather than returning to the Palace.
Ms Burbidge says support for the mother in the first difficult few weeks of pregnancy is integral if she does choose to breastfeed, and staying with her mother could make all the difference.
Mrs Middleton’s parenting style in this particular area is unknown but the father’s side of the royal family, in recent generations, is teaming with breastfeeding supporters.
The Queen was breastfed from birth in 1926, and chose to feed her own children the same way. Princess Diana was a famously hands on mother, even insisting she take newborn Prince William on a tour to Australia so that she could feed him as required.
The past year has seen a significant drop off in women who start breastfeeding their babies, and of the 79 per cent of women who do, many drop off after the first six weeks — some for feeling uncomfortable, some succumbing to the pressure of breastfeeding haters.
If the Duchess did choose to breastfeed, it would work in favour of supporters, Ms Burbidge says.
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“The more women that breastfeed, the more other women see it is possible and it’s ok and it has a knock on effect.
“It would be lovely to see her happily breastfeeding the baby, to see her out and about with her baby, but the important thing is that she has the support she needs and she does what feels right for her.”
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