Australian senator scripts history, becomes first woman to breastfeed in Parliament

One must recall that in 2015, late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had opened 352 nursing rooms at bus terminals to provide to give mothers a clean and private space to nurse babies.

Women have long felt uneasy to breast feed their infants in places that are no so confined. The fear of onlookers and uneasiness that what people might think has long bothered nursing mothers.

But not for Australia Senator Larissa Waters, who went ahead to breastfeed her two-month-old daughter in Parliament.

The co-deputy leader of Australia's Green party breast-fed her daughter, Alia, in the senate chamber during a vote.

This in a way is a historic moment as in 2003 Member of Parliament in the Victorian Legislative Assembly Kirstie Marshall was ejected from the Lower House chamber for breastfeeding her 11-day-old baby.

Waters later stated in an interview called for "more family-friendly and flexible workplaces, and affordable childcare, for everyone."

One must recall that in 2015, late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had opened 352 nursing rooms at bus terminals to provide to give mothers a clean and private space to nurse babies. These room have corfortable cubicles, guards and some even have nurses.

Amma's move was aimed at promoting breastfeeding and address the woes of travelling mothers.

So proud that my daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the federal Parliament! We need more #women & parents in Parli #auspol pic.twitter.com/w34nxWxG0y

— Larissa Waters (@larissawaters) May 9, 2017

Proud mother

Senator Waters returned to parliament for the first time since giving birth to her second daughter earlier this year, bringing the baby in for a feed during a vote on a Greens motion.

Here is Kirstie Marshall before she was ejected from the Vic Parliament for breastfeeding her 11-day old bub. Look how far we have come! pic.twitter.com/LrzZcIFBXq

— Larissa Waters (@larissawaters) May 10, 2017

Kirstie Marshall was ejected from Parl for the same in 2015

In 2003 Member of Parliament in the Victorian Legislative Assembly Kirstie Marshall was ejected from the Lower House chamber for breastfeeding her 11-day-old baby.

Speaking with @SkyNews about breast feeding in Parliament. We need family-friendly & flexible workplaces for all so this isn't news anymore! pic.twitter.com/Hk2tvSOgNb

— Larissa Waters (@larissawaters) May 10, 2017

Waters calls for flexible workplaces

The milestone comes after Senator Waters instigated changes to Senate rules last year, extending rules that already allowed breastfeeding in the chamber to allow new mums and dads to briefly care for their infants on the floor of parliament.

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