FERMANAGH is “breastfeeding friendly”.

That is the message our new council wants to deliver as it prepares to dish out ‘breastfeeding welcome here’ signs throughout its facilities in the Fermanagh and Omagh district.

The topic of breastfeeding in public has been brought to the fore once again recently after a mother claimed a security guard forcibly removed her baby from her as she fed in a Primark store in Leicester.

A level of ambiguity still surrounds the mother’s story and she is due to appear in court charged with perverting the course of justice.

But her allegations have fuelled a recurring debate over whether people feel comfortable about breastfeeding in public.

The breastfeeding initiation rate at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) was 70 per cent in May -- a clear indication that breastfeeding is the preferred option for mums as they embark on their feeding journey with their baby.

Mum of two, Wendy Maher from Enniskillen is one of those mums.

Having breastfed both her children, she insists Fermanagh is breastfeeding friendly.

Although she admits she had some breastfeeding issues with her first child, Jessica, now aged three, she has a ‘second-time round confidence’ when it comes to feeding four-month-old Ben in public.

“I had two very different breastfeeding experiences,” she explains.

“With Jessica, I definitely found it harder to take to breastfeeding and I just wasn’t as confident at the start.

“This time around though, it doesn’t cost me a second thought to feed Ben when I’m outdoors.

“Jessica would have cried quite bit through feeding and I think that is probably why I didn’t feel as easy about feeding her in public.

“But I have been lucky to have no issues feeding Ben this time round.

“I would say Fermanagh is very breastfeeding friendly.

“Nobody has ever stopped and stared or batted an eyelid when I’m feeding.” According to Wendy, if anything were to change, she would like to see more baby changing facilities available in the county.

“With Jessica, because I was a first-time mum, I was actively looking for changing rooms and places I could go to feed her.

“But now I would just feed Ben wherever I am. Even recently I was up at the doctor’s surgery with him, I just fed him in the waiting room.

“I think first time mums are maybe a little bit more anxious about the idea of feeding in public. So to have a few more facilities in the area would be great.

“But at the same time, I don’t think you should ever have to close yourself behind a door and take yourself away from people just because you are feeding your baby.

“It’s not as if you are exposing yourself in any way. It can be done discreetly and people wouldn’t even know that you are actually feeding you baby, “There are so many slings and baby wear options now too, to make things easier for breastfeeding mums.” Wendy says she has also received immense support from the Breastfriends Feeding Support Group which is held every Thursday in The Barnabas Centre, Darling Street, Enniskillen.

“The support from other mums who go there is vital” she says.

“I would always try and encourage other mums to go along as well -- get yourself out of the house. Some times it is not easy to get out the door, but if you do it once, it starts to get easier and you start to build up your confidence.

“I think a lot of mums feel very positive about breastfeeding in public in Fermanagh.

“I don’t know of anyone who has had a negative experience feeding their baby in public here.

“I suppose now it is all about getting that message out that breastfeeding is welcome here in order to try and get other mums to do the same.”