Mothers in politics: a look at breastfeeding politicians in public life

June 24, 2017 07:15 pm | Updated 07:16 pm IST

Mom’s the word: Australian Greens party Senator Larissa Waters breastfeeds her baby in the Senate Chamber. AP

Mom’s the word: Australian Greens party Senator Larissa Waters breastfeeds her baby in the Senate Chamber. AP

Australian senator Larissa Waters became the first MP in history to breastfeed in the Australian parliament while moving a motion on Thursday. The video of her moving a motion on black lung disease while simultaneously feeding her 14-week-old baby girl went viral, with many coming out to support Ms. Waters. But this was not baby Alia’s first time visiting the floor. Earlier in May, Ms. Waters also became the first MP to breastfeed in the Australian parliament, joining other parliamentarians around the world who have (mostly) successfully mixed parenting and politics on the floor. Here are some of them.

Licia Ronzulli

Italy's Member of the European Parliament Licia Ronzulli takes part with her daughter in a voting session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg February 15, 2012.

Italy's Member of the European Parliament Licia Ronzulli takes part with her daughter in a voting session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg February 15, 2012.

 

This Member of European Parliament (MEP) from Italy brought her one-month-old daughter Vittoria to the Strasbourg parliament back in 2010. Pictures of the little one wrapped snugly in a sling worn by the MEP went viral. "It's bizarre," she said. "We've been doing a lot, a lot of work in the European parliament and there was no interest in the press. Then I come with my baby and everybody wants to interview me,” she said in an interview to The Guardian .

Since then, Ms. Ronzulli has brought Vittoria to many sessions, and as she grew, Vittoria seemed to be taking a keen interest in voting along with her mother too.

Victoria Donda

When Argentinian MP Victoria Donda breastfed her eight-month-old in the Congressional Palace in 2015, there were mixed reactions. Some appreciated her actions, while several others thought it was wholly inappropriate.

Jytte Guteland

Jytte Guteland, a Swedish MEP, not only brought her eight-month-old son Uno to Parliament on several occasions in March 2017, but also gave a couple of impassioned speeches while at it.

 

According to Radio Sweden, Members of the European Parliament can take time off upto six months after childbirth, but cannot send replacements in their stead to vote.

Ms. Guteland, according to The Independent, raised the issues of parental leave and more “child-friendly” workplaces. The publication also quoted Ms. Guteland as saying, "I want parents to be able to have parental leave regardless of their job or assignment. I think we should also be child-friendly so that a baby can come along when it’s possible.”

Chloe Smith

UK MP Chloe Smith arrives at House of Commons with her baby.

UK MP Chloe Smith arrives at House of Commons with her baby.

May be UK MP Chloe Smith wanted her young one to see history in the making, we don’t know. But when Ms. Smith walked into the House of Commons in February to cast the a vote that would give Theresa May the power to invoke Article 50, four-month-old Alastair also came with her.

According to media reports, Ms. Smith had given birth in September earlier and took a break from maternity leave to attend the session. 'I say to the honourable lady, don't be sheepish about it! The little baby is welcome to come in. There's no problem,” The Daily Mail reported the House Speaker John Bercow as saying.

Nope, no babies here

However, not all incidents ended on a positive note. There have been times when young parliamentarians have been asked to remove themselves or their child. Sana Hassainia , a first-time Canadian MP was reportedly asked to leave when she brought her young three-month-old son into the floor to vote. She was breastfeeding him during the break and her partner, who she said usually takes care of the baby, couldn’t be found in time.

Carolina Bescansa with her five-month-old son Diego at Spain's Parliament.

Carolina Bescansa with her five-month-old son Diego at Spain's Parliament.

 

Spanish MP Carolina Bescansa got caught in the middle of a political storm when she took her five-month-old son Diego to Parliament in January 2016. She sparked a whole lot of criticism, with many of them calling the move “unnecessary” and “lamentable” - including former Spanish Defence Minister Carme Chacon who criticised the move saying there was, in fact, a nursery on the Spanish Parliament premises.

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