The International Breastfeeding Symbol

In 2006 the image of a baby bottle on an airport sign announcing the location of a "parents lounge" infuriated us and got us thinking: Isn't there an international symbol for breastfeeding? We called around. Spoke to lactivists and breastfeeding organizations all over the world. No one had seen or heard of an international symbol for breastfeeding. So, Mothering launched a national call for submissions---and out of it came the International Breastfeeding Symbol (at right), designed by Matt Daigle.

The purpose of an international symbol for breastfeeding is to increase public awareness of breastfeeding, to provide an alternative to the use of a baby bottle image, to designate baby friendly areas in public, and to mark breastfeeding friendly facilities.

Of course, breastfeeding does not require a special place and is appropriate—as the Canadian government's slogan says—"anytime, anywhere." The purpose of the symbol is not to segregate breastfeeding, but to help integrate it into society by better accommodating it in public.

The International Breastfeeding Symbol is now used all over the world to demonstrate supportive, safe places for women to breastfeed their children. Businesses, public, and governmental spaces use this symbol to say "Breastfeeding welcome here."

The breastfeeding symbol is available copyright free as it is in the Public Domain. You can download a PDF of the International Breastfeeding Symbol here.

When you see this symbol in use, please let us know, and if possible, send us a photo. See our collection here.

Matt Daigle is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Matt is a stay-at-home dad, freelance graphic designer, and cartoonist. Matt and his wife Kay are the parents of one son, Hayden.

Mothering's Interview with Matt Daigle

Mothering magazine (MM): Did your wife breastfeed?

Matt Daigle (MD): Yes she did.

MM: Any breastfeeding-in-public experiences you'd like to share?

MD: The most awkward experience we had breastfeeding in public was on a four-hour flight to visit my family. The airline had my wife and I in separate seats (with my wife in a middle seat), even though we had booked our tickets months in advance. My wife and I pleaded with the airline explaining to them that it would be very difficult for my wife to be discreet and breastfeed our son if she was seated between two passengers. The airline would not budge. So when we boarded the plane a wonderful man from Minnesota gave up his seat (that he paid extra for just to sit by a co-worker) so that I could be with my wife and she could breastfeed Hayden more discreetly. The plane was very hot so my wife could not cover Hayden with a blanket and feed him—so I basically had to hold up the blanket so they could have air. My wife told me Hayden was making these loud sucking sounds and was saying "Mmmmmmm" as in "Yum, Mom" the whole feed—it was hilarious.