Australian senator breaks taboo, becomes first woman to breastfeed baby in Parliament

Queensland Senator in Australia Larissa Waters broke taboo of breastfeeding in public places, and made headlines in news outlets when she breastfed her two-month-old daughter in the Australian parliament.

Waters's baby, Alia Joy, on Tuesday became the first child to be breasted in the parliament. Women across the world have to face social stigma when they breastfeed their infant in public.

Co-deputy leader of Australia's Green party Larissa Waters recently returned from her maternity leave, and announced the birth of her daughter in a Facebook post on International Woman's Day. 

Waters, in her post, wrote that she will take her baby to the Senate chamber and will breastfeed her if it was required.

"I'll be having a few more weeks off but will soon be back in parliament with this little one in tow. She is even more inspiration for continuing our work to address gender inequality and stem dangerous climate change. (And yes, if she's hungry, she will be breastfed in the Senate chamber)," Waters wrote on Facebook.

After the news of her breastfeeding in Parliament came out, the mother tweeted saying that she was proud her daughter was the first baby to be breastfed in the federal Parliament.

"So proud that my daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the federal Parliament!," Waters tweeted. "We need more #women & parents in Parli."

Australian Parliament changed its rules last year to allow female lawmakers to nurse their babies in the Senate chamber. Children were earlier barred from the chamber and breastfeeding mothers were given a proxy vote.