Aliya Shagieva, 20, the youngest daughter of the president of Kyrgyzstan firmly criticized for posting a photo on Instagram breastfeeding her one month baby dressed in her underwear has finally spoken out. 'This body I've been given is not vulgar. It is functional, its purpose is to fulfil the physiological needs of my baby, not to be sexualised ' she claimed on BBC Kyrgyz from her flat in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital.
'It doesn't really matter what people say about me'
'When I'm breastfeeding my child, I feel like I'm giving him the best I can give.
Taking care of my baby and attending to his needs is more important to me than what people say about me'.
Ms. Shagieva interview comes three months later she took the photo down after she was attacked on social media and accused of ' immoral behavior'.
Last April Ms. Shagieva posted the image of her son Tagir taken of above her while she appeared naked. The caption added: 'I will feed my child whenever and wherever he needs to be fed'.
Breastfeeding in public is treated as taboo
Breastfeeding in public is still considered as taboo in a lot of societies around the world. Often women are reprimanded or called out for feeding their child in public thus creating an uncomfortable and exposed situation for themselves.
This bias force many of them to have a restricted life until their child if off breast milk.
Kyrgyzstan is a former Soviet republic of values and the community based on a majority conservative Muslim society. Aliya Shagieva is known for her Progressive mentality.
Her parents, President Almazbek Sharshenovich Atambayev and his wife Raisa Atambayeva, hinted disapprobation of her behavior, Ms.
Shagieva said.
'They really didn't like it'. she admitted. 'And it is understandable because the younger generation is less conservative than their parents', she claimed.
Breastfeeding in public is a matter of debate across the world
Last May former Australian senator Larissa Waters was lauded when she breastfed her baby.
'It's frankly ridiculous, really, that feeding one's baby is international news', Ms.
Waters said.'Women have done it for as long as time immemorial.
'I [...] would send a message to young women that they belong in the Parliament'.
In the United Kingdom is legally forbidden to ask a breastfeeding woman to leave a public place, such as a park, a tea room or in public transport. However, breastfeeding rates in the UK are among lowest in the world.
Is necessary to support breastfeeding, don't blame it
Reminding the importance of breastfeeding Sue Ashmore, Director of Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative, underlined recent data widespread by Public Health England (PHE). 'In some areas of England you will find only 22% of women breastfeeding their baby at 6 weeks, but if you travel to another you can find 77% of babies being breastfed,' she wrote on HuffPost UK.
With a view to raising graduation rates, Unicef organized the 'World Breastfeeding Week' (1-7 August) this year in order to 'Sustaining Breastfeeding Together'. 'For breastfeeding to work, you need someone to turn to who believes it’s important and believes you can do it,' Sue Ashmore added.
Breastfeeding reduces babies' obesity, improves mother’s mental health and helps them to form close and loving relationships with their baby. For these, and other reasons it is also important to never blame a breastfeeding woman in any way.
