Maghera mum calls for new breastfeeding legislation

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Wednesday, 9 November 2016 09:12

A local woman will deliver a petition to Stormont on Friday calling for a change in breastfeeding legislation.

Maghera mum Cathy O'Neill was one of many outraged mothers when MLA Sammy Wilson accused public breastfeeding mothers of exhibitionism.
She started a petition to bring Northern Ireland's legislation in line with Scotland's.
This would make it an offence to stop a child from being breastfed in a public place, something she claims current legislation doesn't do.
In other parts of the UK and Ireland breastfeeding mothers and their babies are protected by specific legislation.
But here, current legislation (Sex Discrimination Act 1976) doesn't go far enough to protect breastfeeding mothers, says Ms O'Neill.

Newry wellbeing coach Joanne Callan is throwing her support behind the campaign. She told Q Radio: "It's the normal option, it's not about whether something's better or not, it is normal.

"The thing about the legislation is that it creates conversation... maybe we will normalise something... and break down some of those stigmas attached [to breastfeeding]."