London-based singer and rapper Fleur East has backed a campaign to help empower mothers to feel confident enough to breastfeed on public transport.
“It’s outrageous that women are still made to feel uncomfortable breastfeeding in public – it’s 2024 for goodness sake,” said East.
The #FreeTheFeed campaign was launched by female technology company Elvie.
Transport for London (TfL) said it wanted everyone to “feel comfortable” feeding their children on public transport.
East, who gave birth to her daughter Nova on 22 March, joined a group of mothers to champion breastfeeding on the London Underground.
She said she was initially “terrified” to breastfeed in public, but she was committed to tackling the stigma around it.
“I was scared of getting stared at, people judging me, and if Nova made a bit of a fuss I’d be panicking about other people’s opinions,” the 36-year-old said.
“There have been a few occasions where people have looked over, tutted, and made it known they were uncomfortable.
“I just chose to ignore them and reminded myself I was doing something that is very natural, and just got on with it.
“If your baby is hungry, they need to eat, whether that’s on a train, in a restaurant, in a park, wherever it may be.
“No-one should feel shamed for caring for their child, and doing what their body is built to do.”
Rachel Finni, ones of the mums in the group on the Tube, said it was “such a joy” to meet the other mothers.
“It made it feel as it should be – something that’s natural and celebrated,” she said.
“We shared stories of our experiences feeding in public, and it really felt like we were reclaiming the space in a positive way.”
Mark Evers, chief customer officer for TfL, said: “If anyone is made to feel uncomfortable or experience a problem while breastfeeding on our services, they should speak to a member of TfL staff or use a help point.
“We are committed to providing a safe and inclusive network for people travelling with young children.”