As social media continues to buzz with images of breastfeeding mothers from around the world, new mothers are turning to the hashtag #normalisebreastfeeding to see realistic images of breastfeeding.
The hashtag and its accompanying photography has spread across Facebook and Twitter with increasing frequency over the past few weeks, earning more than 32,000 photos so far on Instagram alone.
The hashtag is part of a movement to increase the acceptance of breastfeeding in public, a step some new mothers struggle with.
Apart from showing the world that breastfeeding is a natural, healthy part of raising a baby, the images are a source of comfort for new mothers, says Jessica Leonard, a breastfeeding counsellor and spokesperson for the Australian Breastfeeding Association.
“For a lot of Australian mothers, the first time they see a baby being breastfed is the first time their baby is placed on their chest,” Leonard says.
“We found a lot of mothers are turning to social media to see a baby being breastfed, and that’s also helpful for a lot of mothers who go out in public to reduce that stigma.”
Leonard says an added benefit of the images is that they promote a realistic view of breastfeeding, which can actually differ a lot from baby to baby.
“In popular media we only tend to see photos of mothers where everything is in one particular way,” she says. “But some babies stick their toes up, some get distracted – the reality is very diverse.”
When it comes to the controversial issue of posting images of your baby on social media, Leonard says it’s up to each mother to make their own individual decision.
“I think it’s up to every mum to decide what they’ll share of their baby online.”
“There’s a lot of diversity in mothers about whether they feel comfortable posting photos of babies or breastfeeding, and we encourage them either way.”
