Advertisement

Pope Francis supports public breastfeeding

Pope Francis has encouraged mothers to breastfeed their crying babies during a a baptism ceremony at the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on Sunday.

The popular religious leader departed from the traditional phrase “give them milk” to the Italian term “allattateli”, which means “breastfeed them”, according to an NBC report.

• ‘Do animals go to Heaven?’ Pope Francis says ‘yes’
• Pope Francis to urge Europe to tackle racism

“You mothers give your children milk and even now, if they cry because they are hungry, breastfeed them, don’t worry,” Pope Francis said.

Francis has previously expressed his support for breastfeeding in public, mentioning in an interview with La Stampa in 2013 he encouraged a shy mother to breastfeed her crying baby at a mass.

“I said to her ‘madam, I think the child’s hungry’. ‘Yes, it’s probably time …’ she replied. ‘Please give it something to eat!’ I said.

“She was shy and didn’t want to breastfeed in public, while the Pope was passing. I wish to say the same to humanity: give people something to eat!”

The pope also reminded the families at the baptism to think of poorer mothers around the world who “too many, unfortunately, who can’t give food to their children.”

Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter
Copyright © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.