World Breastfeeding in Public Day 2025: Your Stories

World Breastfeeding in Public Day is celebrated every year, on 22nd February, to help give mothers the confidence to breastfeed in public places.

After receiving so many last year, we again asked mums to send us pictures of themselves breastfeeding in public and invited them to tell their stories.

We received so many beautiful images of mums and families breastfeeding everywhere – going about their day-to-day lives, on days out, and travelling all over the world! We’ve also read so many personal stories that were sent into us.

By sharing some of these stories, we’re hoping that we’ll give more breastfeeding mothers and parents the confidence to feed their babies whenever and wherever they need to.

Laura – ‘the woman on the bench’

I’d love to share my breastfeeding-in-public photo along with the story of why this moment means so much to me.

Breastfeeding my daughter didn’t start easily. Those early days were incredibly tough, and I leaned heavily on the support of an amazing local peer supporter (shoutout to Liz!), who I was in contact with multiple times a day.

On my first ‘big’ outing with my daughter, I went to a local shopping center and vividly remember seeing a woman sitting on a bench in the middle of the mall, breastfeeding her baby. She looked so relaxed – baby in one arm, coffee in the other, like it was the most normal thing in the world. At the time, my daughter wasn’t latching, so I was exclusively pumping. I texted Liz and told her, I want to be just like the woman on the bench. I want breastfeeding to feel as effortless as drinking a cup of coffee. She reassured me that we’d get there.

And we did.

As the weeks passed, breastfeeding became easier. I found that feeding in public felt natural – partly because I never cared what others thought, but also because of that woman on the bench. Soon enough, I was that woman on the bench. For my six-month boob-anniversary, my mum took a photo of me nursing in public – one I, of course, shared with Liz.

Since then, I’ve breastfed on planes, trains, in that same shopping center, in a pumpkin patch, and even in Santa’s grotto. I love seeing another breastfeeding mum in public and sharing that knowing smile – the one that often leads to a warm conversation. I feel so strongly about normalising breastfeeding that I bought a stack of small cards from an independent business that say, “Thank you for breastfeeding in public”. Whenever I see a mum nursing, I hand her one. Their appreciation is always so heartwarming and it helps them feel seen and supported.

Some of my favorite conversations have come from these moments. By feeding in public, we help other mums feel part of something bigger. We chip away at the stigma surrounding breastfeeding. And sometimes, without even realizing it, we become the reason another mum finds the strength to keep going just like the woman on the bench did for me.

Natalie – ‘pumping or nursing, you’re feeding your baby’

My baby girl and I had a very difficult start to breastfeeding. She couldn’t latch well and it broke my heart that I couldn’t feed her properly.

Long story short, it took 6 months (of triple-feeding and exclusively pumping) before she could exclusively nurse due to various issues. Exclusively pumping is hard, but I refused to let it stop us from going out. It took time, but I got used to pumping in public.

I had wearable pumps and I remember ordering a drink in a cafe and getting odd looks as my pumps buzzed loudly. The first place I pumped in public was the sealife centre! I would be so envious of nursing mommy’s while I lugged all of my pumping paraphernalia about!

Eventually, when baby girl started nursing again, feeding in public felt like a breeze. It was a little nerve wracking at first but I’ve mostly had positive experiences. I’ve even had comments such as “What a lovely thing to do for your baby”.

My advice to new moms would be, whatever your journey – pumping or nursing – you are feeding your baby. It’s natural and you should do it wherever you need to without feeling awkward. The majority of people out there are lovely! 

Lisa – ‘Tilly loves going out for lunch’

I’m Lisa and this is my daughter, Matilda. Tilly was born at 34+6 weeks via emergency C-Section as she decided to come in with a bang on Bonfire Night! 

Tilly was tube fed breastmilk in NICU/SCBU until she was big and strong enough to latch herself. It’s been a long journey but she has been EBF from the beginning and is thriving. Many people are surprised to see such a small baby breastfeeding, but I’ve been determined to give her the very best from the start. 

She’s grown from 3lbs 13 to over 7lbs 9 in 12 weeks. Breastfeeding a premature baby isn’t easy, it’s been challenging but Matilda has never lost weight and continued to thrive. We’re so grateful to the breastfeeding support workers at Wishaw General and our at home support worker who have given such encouragement. 

Tilly loves going out for lunch, and likes to feed as soon as she hears my plates going out as you can see from the pictures.

Tara’s Travels

My husband and I are avid travellers and we had no plans to slow down once we had a baby, so we set a goal of 12 countries in first 12 months of our baby’s life.

Travelling with a baby is hard work and luggage allowances are very small. Breastfeeding not only allowed us to provide our baby with a fresh, warm, nutritious meal on the go any time he needed wherever we happened to be, but it also freed up so much room in our luggage not carrying bottles, warmers, sterilisers, drying racks, formula, etc. Not to mention all of the money we saved not having to actually buy the formula which definitely went straight to the travel fund. 

Being a staunch feminist, I was fully prepared to stare down anyone who might give me a dirty look or say anything to me about breastfeeding in public (and for the record, I don’t wear any special breastfeeding clothing or make any attempt to cover up, I just get my boob out whenever baby needs a feed 😂) but after breastfeeding in parks, shopping centres, airports, trains, on top of mountains, and at cafes all across Europe for the last 12 months, I am pleased to report that not one person ever even gave me a second glance. It felt like the most normal and natural thing in the world and I’m so happy to live somewhere where breastfeeding is so accepted and encouraged. 

Thanks for all that you do, The Breastfeeding Network.

Jenna – ‘feeding wherever, whenever they’ve needed to’

I have always been rather confident about my breasts but have always said that if I ever had children, I would breastfeed! Thankfully, I have been lucky enough to have two now and I feed/fed them wherever, whenever they have needed to.

I have fed both in many public settings, cafes, swimming pools, restaurants, public transport, supermarkets and in open, public spaces such as the beach, even a few funerals.

Yes, I have had the stares, the whispered comments, and awkward conversations, but I have never felt I needed to stop, cover up or hide away from such a natural and enriching experience. I am strong in my standpoint and will never waver because there is nothing sordid about it, nothing is “on show” or made to “entice” people. The only satisfaction I crave, is that of my child and my own needs, if somebody else has an issue, I am happy to discuss it, but I will also inform them, that I am only doing what a mother of a bottle-fed baby would do, feeding my child!

I love my journey so far and hope to carry on longer, my youngest is almost 18 months old at this point and we are both very much enjoying it. I am a BfN Helper and currently studying to become a National Helpline Supporter, as well as helping to run a local Breastfeeding Group in my hometown of Bridgend (South Wales).

I do get asked frequently, when I will stop and I tell them “when she is ready”, and a little bit of when I am ready in all honesty, I am not ready to let this part of our time go just yet.

Thank you to everyone who sent images and stories for us to share.

For more information on Breastfeeding in Public, including your rights, check out our Breastfeeding in Public page.