Is there a time and a place for breastfeeding?

Miranda Kerr reopens the breastfeeding debate by releasing a picture of herself nursing her newborn son

The wife of film star Orlando Bloom has reignited debates over breastfeeding by posting a picture of herself feeding new baby, Flynn, on her beauty blog.

The first published picture of Miranda Kerr and her baby caused her beauty website, Kora Organics, to crash as fans raced to post messages of congratulations and express their opinions.

Miranda, 27, detailed the process of her son’s birth. ‘I gave birth to him naturally; without medication and it was a long, arduous and difficult labour but Orlando was with me the whole time supporting and guiding me through it,’ she wrote.

Her fans, however, were far more interested in discussing whether or not a picture of this nature should have been posted in the first place.

One mother, from York, wrote: ‘It’s not that I am against breastfeeding, but I don’t need to see it.’ Meanwhile, another fan defended the picture saying: ‘She is feeding her child. There is nothing more natural and no need to be private about it at all.’

The comments follow a recent debate surrounding the health implications of breastfeeding and whether it could be hazardous to a baby’s well-being.

The Washington Post recently reported possible drawbacks to exclusively feeding babies breast milk for the first four to six months of their lives. Concerns included a lack of iron and an increased risk of food allergies. It may also shape their food preferences.

The Australian lingerie model recently raised eyebrows when she posed naked on the cover ofW magazine while pregnant.

Do you think breastfeeding should be kept behind closed doors? Should women feel shy about embracing motherhood in public, or is there a time and a place for certain things? Let us know by posting your thoughts below.

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