Dia Mirza: Breastfeeding in public triggers judgement

After announcing her pregnancy in April, Mirza gave a glimpse of her son (right) in July

Three weeks ago, Dia Mirza and husband Vaibhav Rekhi shared their happiness with the world as they announced that they became proud parents to son Avyaan Azaad Rekhi. She revealed that the bundle of joy had arrived early on May 14, and was since cared for by "tireless nurses and doctors in the neonatal ICU." As she revels in the new chapter of her life with Avyaan, the new mother is also taking the opportunity to create awareness about breastfeeding.

Admitting that breastfeeding-related issues have become more meaningful to her now, Mirza is keen to highlight the challenges mothers face in nourishing their babies. "I have become more acutely aware of the lack of safe spaces for new mothers, especially if they are socially and economically marginalised. Why have we never [highlighted] how hard it is for underserved mothers to feed their babies on construction sites, farms and roadside stalls without any privacy?"

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With World Breastfeeding Week celebrated between August 1 and 7, the actor hopes that the Indian society becomes sensitive to the needs of new moms. The irony of the circumstances is not lost on her - on the one hand, motherhood is glorified, and on the other hand, our society is judgmental of a woman feeding her infant in public. "In Belgium, breastfeeding in public is protected by law, but in India, we need to bring about a systematic shift in societal attitude. Feeding a child should be considered a natural act, but it triggers so much shame and judgment when done in public."

The situation in rural India is more worrisome, where women don't have the necessary access to information about reproductive and maternal health. "World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months as infants who are not breastfed are six to 10 times more likely to die in the [early months]. Rural mothers may not have this critical piece of information. It should worry us that India continues to have one of the highest rates of malnutrition and infant mortality."

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