I feel sorry for Mrs Caruana Galizia who seems to feel so uneasy about having mothers breast-feeding in public so much so that she compares it with having sex in public. In her article, Land of the giant boobies (TMID, 7 September), she says: “The suggestion that it is acceptable because nothing shows is like saying it is perfectly all right for people to have sex in public if their private parts are concealed”.

I can understand that some women may feel insecure about having their man looking at other women’s breasts, but come on… first things first! Having breast-fed my child for a year now, I know from experience that in the first months, breast-fed babies need constant feeding.

So what is Mrs Caruana Galizia suggesting here? Should a breast-feeding mum stay closed behind doors for the first four to six months after having a baby or should we stop breast-feeding just for the sake of those who feel threatened by it, or who are “annoyed” by breast-feeding mothers even if “nothing shows”?

Thanks to the breast-feeding campaigns (and yes to the billboards with giant boobies!) the rate of breast-feeding in Malta is on the rise and hopefully the government will invest in breast-feeding facilities in public places. This will solve the problem and discomfort to both people “annoyed” by breast-feeding mothers and the breast-feeding mothers themselves (who by the way do not enjoy showing off their breasts!)

To describe this natural and beneficial act as primitive behaviour is absurd. Mrs Caruana Galizia makes a reference in her article to the hygiene requirements when feeding a baby, but later on tells a breast-feeding mum to go breast-feed in a lavatory or to stay at home.

I believe that Mrs Caruana Galizia knows that lavatories are no. 1 breeding grounds for harmful bacteria. So is this where she wants us to breast-feed our babies? Certainly as a breast-feeding mum this is what I call irresponsible!

I sympathise with mothers who are restrained by their circumstances which make it impossible for them to breast-feed (sometimes even for physical reasons). However, in our everyday lives we constantly make choices, depending on our priorities in life. Thank God we are free to do so and can ignore narrow-minded comments like those made in Mrs Caruana Galizia’s article.

It’s a pity that a columnist, who can have such a significant role in improving our society, uses her precious time making such futile arguments!

Sharon Micallef

Mosta