Breast, they say, is best. It’s not just a neat little slogan; it’s the truth. Lee Marlow hears from a group of breastfeeding mothers – including one mum who breastfed her youngsters until they were six.
They meet every Wednesday morning, at a little church behind Highcross shopping centre, in Leicester, to talk, to compare notes and to feed their tots the way nature intended – without people pointing or staring or whispering.
Although society is much more family friendly than it was 20 years ago, breastfeeding mums can quickly attract a sea of disapproving frowns and a hushed chorus of tutting, says Helen Ashley.
She set up Cafe Mama a year ago as a welcome refuge for breastfeeding mums.
“It is better today than it perhaps used to be,” says Helen, 36, of Leicester. “But it is far from perfect.
“As a society, we haven’t changed enough. I know mums do still get disapproving looks.
“Plus, there is still so much contrasting advice about breastfeeding.”
Helen has two children, aged 10 and six, and is set to give birth to her third next month.
It would be something of an understatement to say that Helen is a big fan of breastfeeding.
She breastfed both her children, not just as babies and tots but as they grew up and started primary school.
“My first child was seven when I stopped breastfeeding and I’m still breastfeeding my youngest,” she says.
“I know that might seem strange to some people and I know that breastfeeding them for so long is not what some people would consider normal.
“But I was convinced it was the best thing to do.”
She’s convinced she was right, too.
“My children are normal, well-balanced, healthy children,” she says.
Neither of Helen’s children has asthma, eczema or any other 21st-century allergy.
When they were small, they rarely had colds or any other minor ailments, she says.
It wasn’t that they were transformed into some kind of superhuman, she points out – they still picked up the occasional bug – but they seemed to suffer less than some of their friends. They were rarely prescribed antibiotics.
“I’m sure that’s because of the breastfeeding,” says Helen.
“I didn’t plan to breastfeed my children for as long as I did, and the older they are, the harder it is to stop because they’re better at communicating and they are more demanding. They want to know why it’s being stopped.”
Every Wednesday, Helen and a group of mums meet at the Unitarian Church, in East Bond Street to chat and feed their babies. They’re giving their babies the best start in life, says Helen.