In the first few months of life, a baby needs little more than their mother’s milk. Breastfeeding has existed as long as humankind itself, an act so ancient and universal, yet paradoxically, one of the most taboo when done in public. From train stations in India to cafes in the West, breastfeeding mothers still encounter discomfort, judgment, and often, outright hostility.

The irony is glaring. In a world that commercialises motherhood and objectifies female bodies, the act of nourishing a child is seen by many as inappropriate, shameful, or even vulgar. Despite science, public health campaigns, and legal frameworks advocating for breastfeeding, public breastfeeding remains one of society’s most persistent stigmas.

So why is this basic, biologically necessary act still so controversial?

The Social Taboo Around Public Breastfeeding

In 2023, a young mother in Mumbai was asked to "cover up or leave" a mall food court while breastfeeding her 2-month-old baby. In 2021, a woman in Texas was publicly shamed by a stranger while feeding her infant at a park. These are not isolated incidents; they are part of a broader, global pattern where public breastfeeding is viewed through a lens of discomfort, sexuality, and cultural control.

While India’s Infant and Young Child Feeding Guidelines (2006) and various legal interpretations uphold a woman’s right to breastfeed anywhere, society doesn’t always follow suit. In the absence of dedicated nursing spaces in most public institutions, women are forced to feed in washrooms, stairwells, or under layers of clothing in the heat, all to protect the gaze and comfort of others.

Shobha, a new mom, says, “Breastfeeding is one of the best things in the journey of motherhood. One must not feel shame in nursing a child in public. I have fed my son in public, in a car, too. No one should make her feel uncomfortable, and one must have that awareness that it is not obscene or shameful. Don’t judge or disrespect that mother, be supportive to her.”

What underlies this discomfort? The answer lies in deep-seated cultural contradictions. Breasts are sexualized in media, commodified in advertising, yet when they fulfil their actual biological role, they are shamed and censored. For many, the issue isn't breastfeeding, it's visibility.

Saloni, a mother to a 1.5-year-old girl, had a very similar opinion, “Breastfeeding is not bad, it is important to feed a child at their comfort, would you like to eat your food in a bathroom, or a closed cell? No right!? A child needs it to grow and to avoid getting sick. It is not taboo, and one must not feel ashamed to feed their child anywhere and anytime.”

Breastfeeding: More Than Just Nutrition

From a medical standpoint, breastfeeding is nothing short of a superpower. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF, breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and exclusively for the first six months is critical to an infant’s survival.

Benefits for Babies:

Provides complete nutrition, perfectly adapted to the infant’s needs.
Strengthens immunity with antibodies that protect against respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and other common illnesses.
Reduces risks of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Promotes emotional bonding and cognitive development.

Benefits for Mothers:

Reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
Aids in postpartum recovery and reduces uterine bleeding.
Strengthens emotional bonds with the baby.
Economically and environmentally sustainable.

Despite these overwhelming benefits, exclusive breastfeeding rates remain below target in many countries. According to India’s National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) (2019-21), only about 64% of Indian babies under six months are exclusively breastfed, below the global recommendation of 70–80%.

One of the main deterrents? Social stigma and lack of support for breastfeeding in public spaces.

The Silent Saviours: Human Milk Banks

But what happens when a mother cannot breastfeed due to illness, complications, death, or adoption? Enter the human milk banks, a modern extension of the age-old practice of wet nursing, now rooted in medical safety and ethical regulation.

What Are Human Milk Banks?

These are institutions that collect, screen, pasteurise, and store donated breastmilk from healthy, lactating mothers. The milk is then distributed to infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), premature babies, and others in need of life-saving nutrition.

India’s first milk bank, SNEHA (Sion Hospital) in Mumbai, was set up in 1989. Today, India has over 90 milk banks, including public-private partnerships like the Amara Milk Bank in Delhi, and NGOs like Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) that work to educate and promote safe milk donation.

Why Are They Important?

Preterm or low birth weight infants are often unable to suckle effectively.
The formula may be inaccessible, unaffordable, or nutritionally inadequate in such cases.
Donor milk has been shown to reduce neonatal infections, sepsis and improve survival rates.

A study published in the Indian Journal of Paediatrics (2020) found that infants fed with donor human milk had a significantly lower risk of necrotising enterocolitis (a deadly intestinal disease common in preterm infants) than those fed formula.

Still, myths and taboos persist. Concerns about "strangers’ milk," misconceptions around safety, and a general lack of awareness prevent many from embracing milk banks both as donors and recipients.

Breastmilk Jewellery: Sentiment Turned Symbol

While public and institutional attitudes slowly evolve, another movement is quietly gaining momentum in breastmilk jewellery.

Mothers are turning a few millilitres of expressed milk into resin-based pendants, rings, and beads. The milk is preserved, solidified, and transformed into keepsakes, each unique in colour, texture, and story.

Why Are Mothers Doing This?

As a symbol of their breastfeeding journey, marked by pain, persistence, and pride.
To memorialise time spent nursing a sick or premature child.
As an empowering act of reclaiming their narrative after societal shaming or personal struggle.

In India, a growing number of artisan-led startups like Milk Charms and Mommymilkjewels are offering breastmilk jewellery, placenta beads, and even umbilical cord preservation. While critics may see it as odd or overly sentimental, for many mothers, it's deeply validating.

In the same society that shames breastfeeding, breastmilk jewellery becomes a quiet rebellion, an artistic declaration that says: “This is my story. This is my strength.”

The Roadblocks and the Road Ahead

Despite policy-level encouragement, ground realities are stark. Few Indian airports, malls, or government offices have dedicated feeding rooms. While countries like Norway and New Zealand openly normalise public breastfeeding, India and others still struggle with cultural acceptance.

Legal Protection Exists: India has no law prohibiting public breastfeeding. Article 21 of the Constitution, which protects the right to life and dignity, includes maternal rights. But without public awareness and institutional support, laws alone aren’t enough.

Steps Toward Change

To dismantle the stigma and promote breastfeeding as a public health priority, multi-level interventions are needed:

1. Normalise Through Visibility

Campaigns like #NormalizeBreastfeeding have helped destigmatise the act globally. Social media can be a powerful tool in making public breastfeeding less “shocking” and more normalised.

2. Better Infrastructure

Every mall, station, hospital, office, and public venue should include safe, hygienic nursing spaces, not hidden in restrooms, but accessible and respectful.

3. Education and Male Inclusion

Fathers, employers, and community leaders need to be educated about the biological, emotional, and public importance of breastfeeding.

4. Support Milk Banks

Governments and private institutions must invest in awareness campaigns promoting milk donation, improve infrastructure, and ensure the ethical and hygienic handling of human milk.

5. Celebrate the Journey

Whether through campaigns or personal keepsakes, such as jewellery, honouring breastfeeding in all its forms, direct, donated, or remembered, empowers mothers to reclaim their narrative.

Breastfeeding is not just food, it’s a right, a ritual, a relationship. It should not be hidden, shamed, or made inconvenient for the comfort of strangers. Whether on a public bench, in a NICU ward via donor milk, or cast into jewellery worn close to the heart, it’s time we see breastmilk for what it truly is: power, not embarrassment.

As we move forward, let us raise a society where no mother hesitates to feed her child in public, no infant is denied the best start due to myths, and no act of nourishment is turned into a source of shame.