History-making female politicians breastfeeding in their workplaces
In a notable move, Labour MP Stella Creasy brought her three-month-old breastfeeding son to a full parliamentary session in the UK in 2021, an action that was met with prohibition for subsequent sessions. This incident raises questions about breastfeeding policies and practices in parliamentary settings, particularly in comparison to Australia and Spain.
The UK healthcare system promotes breastfeeding with policies aligned with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, encouraging exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. However, the specific practices can depend on access to trained lactation consultants and community support. The UK, like many countries, faces challenges in ensuring optimal breastfeeding support for mothers, particularly in terms of physician knowledge about breastfeeding compatibility with medications and conditions.
Australia, on the other hand, has strong public health initiatives promoting breastfeeding, including well-established lactation expert networks and educational resources for healthcare professionals. However, studies reveal a mixed picture regarding healthcare provider training, with only about 50% of physicians having received direct breastfeeding training. Cultural acceptance and knowledge dissemination are significant factors affecting breastfeeding practices in Australia.
Spain shows a traditional cultural support for breastfeeding, but there remain controversies regarding specific recommendations, such as HIV-positive mothers resuming breastfeeding if viral loads are undetectable. The knowledge of healthcare providers about breastfeeding and drug compatibility can be limited, similar to Australia, which may affect breastfeeding support and policies.
In a significant milestone, Australian Senator Larissa Waters breastfed her three-month-old daughter during a full parliamentary session in 2017, making history as the first Australian legislator to do so. In Spain, mothers or fathers have the right to a one-hour break, or two half-hours, a day for natural or artificial breastfeeding.
In 2026, Spanish politician Carolina Bescansa, a high-ranking member of Podemos, made headlines when she breastfed her baby in the Congress of Deputies, participating in a vote afterwards with the baby in her arms. However, her actions were met with criticism from a socialist deputy.
It is noteworthy that neither Larissa Waters nor Carolina Bescansa faced prohibitions similar to those experienced by Stella Creasy in subsequent parliamentary sessions. British mothers do not have the right to paid breaks for breastfeeding, but the company must authorize reasonable breaks. The existing rules in the UK parliament prohibit breastfeeding during sessions.
The World Health Organization recommends that children should be breastfed for up to six months, with breast milk supplemented with solid foods up to 24 months. Despite variations in breastfeeding policies and practices among the UK, Australia, and Spain, all three countries emphasize the importance of breastfeeding. Key challenges include improving physician education on breastfeeding, particularly regarding drug compatibility and disease conditions, and expanding access to lactation support services.
References:
[1] World Health Organization. (2021). Infant and young child feeding. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/exclusive_breastfeeding/en/
[2] Australian Breastfeeding Association. (n.d.). Breastfeeding and work. Retrieved from https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bf-info/work-and-breastfeeding
[3] Medela. (n.d.). Lactation Professionals Hub. Retrieved from https://www.medelaprofessionals.com/
[4] Spanish Ministry of Health. (n.d.). Breastfeeding guidelines. Retrieved from https://www.mscbs.gob.es/profesionales/saludPublica/documents/14267/155898/Guia+de+alimentacion+lactante.pdf/316a83a1-f678-4428-8112-4c1d505c2e26
- The UK's health and wellness policies, like those of Australia and Spain, prioritize breastfeeding, aligning with World Health Organization recommendations.
- Political figures in both Australia and Spain have made history by breastfeeding their children during parliamentary sessions, unlike Labour MP Stella Creasy in the UK.
- General news coverage in 2026 highlighted Carolina Bescansa, a Spanish politician, breastfeeding her baby in the Congress of Deputies, facing criticism from a socialist deputy similar to the response Stella Creasy experienced.
- Policy-and-legislation changes, such as providing paid breaks for breastfeeding mothers and expanding access to lactation support services, are crucial for improvements in family-health and women's-health outcomes within the context of health-and-wellness initiatives.
