British pop singer Adele has a message for people who pressure new mothers to breastfeed their children: “Go f—k yourselves.”
While interacting with her fans last week at London’s 02 Arena during a show, a fan asked the 27-year-old mother of one about “breastfeeding mummies.”
The “Hello” singer responded: “The pressure on us is f—king ridiculous, and all those people who put pressure on us, you can go f—k yourselves, all right?”
The mother of Angelo James Konecki, 3, continued: “Because it’s hard. Some of us can’t do it. I managed about nine weeks with my boobs, I mean I trip over them, I’ve got a very good push-up bra. Some of my mates got post-natal depression from the way those midwives and doctors are talking. Idiots.”
Adele added: “Breastfeed if you can but don’t worry, [formula] Aptamil is just as good … too much pressure … I mean, I loved it, all I wanted to do was breastfeed my kid and then I couldn’t and then I felt like, ‘if I was in the jungle now back in the day, my kid would be dead because my milk’s gone.’”
“Imagine how that made me feel,” she said. “It’s not funny.”
(Language warning) WATCH:
Adele’s comments might have been partially directed at British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who recently told a radio station that women in the U.K. have a “problem” with breastfeeding.
While most debates on breastfeeding are centered on when and where it is appropriate for mothers to nurse, Oliver has advocated for more acceptance of the natural practice in public, and has championed natural nursing for its long-term health benefits.
“We need to support the women of Britain to breastfeed more, anywhere they want to,” Oliver told radio station LBC. “We have got a problem with breastfeeding. And if you think about it, breastfeeding is the beginning of the story—before school dinners, before sugar.”
A number of the show’s female listeners and others took issue with Oliver’s comments.
One listener said: “It is not easy for every mother. I really struggled—I desperately wanted to, but I had to stop after six weeks.”
The celebrity chef and diet guru apologized: “I understand that breastfeeding is often not easy and in some cases not even possible, but just wanted to support women who DO breastfeed and make it easier for them to do so.”
He added: “Childhood nutrition starts with supporting pregnant women properly and I expect Mr. Cameron to also be including this in his childhood obesity strategy. As a father—and father to be—I would never wish to offend women or mums, as I know how incredible they are and I would get a kicking when I got home.”
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.