Breastfeeding Bliss Meets Public Discomfort, International Survey Finds

While the survey found breastfeeding rewarding for bonding and baby’s health, it revealed societal pressures, with many mothers feeling uncomfortable breastfeeding in public and turning to breast pumps for freedom and partner involvement. The findings highlight the need for a more supportive environment for breastfeeding mothers, prompting MAM to launch an innovative hands-free breast pump across Europe to provide convenience and flexibility.

A new survey by leading baby brand MAM has revealed that while 82% of mothers find breastfeeding an enjoyable experience, one in two breastfeeding mothers (56%) still faced problems when starting their breastfeeding journey.

The survey released during WHO’s Worldwide Breastfeeding Week (August 1st-7th, 2024) included answers from of over 5,000 mums from 13 European states and revealed the tightrope that mothers have to walk when it comes to feeding their babies.

Breastfeeding was lauded by mums for promoting the bond between mother and child (82%) as well as the benefits for their baby’s health (93%). 81% feel strongly supported by their loved ones, however women still feel pressured and limited by society: one in two mothers said they felt pressured to breastfeed their baby in the first place but satisfying this basic need of their baby in public remains a taboo.

A staggering 39% of European mothers still report feeling uncomfortable while breastfeeding in public places. As a result, nearly 37% of mothers actively seek out private spaces to breastfeed in public, 47% reported disapproval from bystanders and 25% say they actively decided against breastfeeding their baby in public in general. The survey shows how social expectations and reality drift apart, putting mothers all over Europe under pressure.

With these findings, it is not surprising that women turn to new innovations to help their situation. Many stated that expressing milk with a breast pump was equally as rewarding as breastfeeding (89%). Notably, breast pumping empowers partners to get involved with feeding and helps to form a special bond, with 77% agreeing that bottle feeding can still help to build an intimate relationship between parent and child, a crucial factor for a third of pumping mothers.

Expressing milk has become a more viable option for mothers. Nearly half (42%) said that it gave them the bonus of freedom of movement, a third (34%) saw it as a way to involve partners in the feeding experience, while a quarter (26%) valued the increased independence offered by breast pumping. Additionally, 19% transitioned to pumping upon returning to work.

“Our study highlights both positive trends and significant disparities in societal acceptance of breastfeeding and pumping,” said Damian Butler, Managing Director of MAM UK. “There’s still work to be done to create a fully supportive environment for mothers. As a brand, we at MAM know how challenging feeding your baby can be and how individual every family’s journey is. That’s why it is our goal to support parents around the world to find their way into parenthood.”

MAM has made it its mission to support parents and launched its innovative hands-free pump in countries including the UK, Italy and Germany this year. This product is designed to simplify the pumping experience while on the move and allow mothers to multi-task – be it in the home, out and about or returning to work.

“MAM MOVE Wearable Breast Pump range will be expanding across Europe in the coming months,” added Damian, “Our goal is to provide ultimate convenience and flexibility for mothers everywhere.”

Available in Single Pump (RRP £199) and Double Pump (RRP £350) variants, MAM MOVE offers a sleek, modern and discreet design. It fits easily inside every bra with no tubes or wires and allows for hands-free movement, while an included bra adjuster compatible with every standard nursing bra ensures maximum comfort.