Neha Dhupia: Had to go behind a tree to nurse Mehr

Neha Dhupia with daughter Mehr Dhupia Bedi. Pic Courtey: Instagram

The stigma around the subject comes from the lack of facilities," says new mother Neha Dhupia, who has kickstarted #FreedomToFeed, an online campaign about breastfeeding awareness. Her personal experiences over the past eight months as she nursed daughter Mehr made her realise how several public spaces are not conducive for breastfeeding.

"Once when we were on an outdoor shoot, I had to go behind a tree to feed Mehr. The facility of nursing rooms should be made mandatory in public spaces. Often, mums quit breastfeeding soon after giving birth because they have to go to work. I would feed Mehr on set and fortunately, everyone around was so understanding," says Dhupia. It has been only two days into the campaign and the actor says she is flooded with messages from mothers who are glad that she has brought their ordeal to the forefront. "The next step is to reach out to fathers and hear their perspective. Eventually, there needs to be a change in mindset that makes women feel free to feed when they want and how they want."

Also Read: Neha Dhupia breastfeeds her baby; emphasises on its importance

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