Nathalie, who became a mother about fifty years ago, tells us that breastfeeding is above all an act of love and closeness unique to each mother:"Breastfeeding is both personal and emotional, but it’s not always easy for every mother."

A sentiment shared by Josette, who reminds us that"women have always breastfed—it’s a natural act,"while emphasizing the importance of listening to and understanding those who may not want to. In short, let’s breastfeed anywhere, anytime, always—if we choose to.

At the same time, whether due to misinformation or real physiological challenges, Colette, for example, shares her regret at not being able to breastfeed despite wanting to:"I didn’t have any milk; these things can happen."

Martine, on the other hand, who did breastfeed her children, remembers the experience as something truly unique: "In those moments, I felt like I was outside of time. My pediatrician used to say I was on my 'milk planet'—I really love that expression."

Today, breastfeeding is increasingly accepted and recognized for its benefits, but that hasn’t always been the case. Nathalie explains:"In my time, breastfeeding wasn’t encouraged—bottle-feeding was preferred. Women were becoming more active in society, so the focus was on what was most convenient for them."And while breastfeeding-friendly spaces in workplaces are becoming more common now, that wasn’t always the case! At one time, bottle-feeding was simply the norm for working mothers.

On the other hand, Josette, who is from Réunion Island, tells us that there, seeing a mother breastfeed was never shocking—there was much more tolerance.

Martine, however, worries that attitudes may actually be regressing:"Before, it was easy to breastfeed anywhere, but I feel like the topic has taken a step backward these days… Maybe because women’s bodies seem more sexualized than before?"

And when our special envoyée from Tajinebanane brought up the recent case of a mother being expelled for breastfeeding her baby in an SNCF store at Nantes station, all four of our interviewees had the same reaction—outrage.

I don’t see the problem, because breastfeeding is beautiful,” says Nathalie, who highlights custom solutions like Tajinebanane breastfeeding t-shirts, which allow moms to feed their children with even more practicality.

Josette, on the other hand, is much more decisive on the matter:"It's outrageous. Every woman has her own sense of modesty, but the act of breastfeeding is completely natural,"she states."Unfortunately, we live in a patriarchal society where it’s men who decide what’s good for us."

For Martine, such a situation highlights a lack of kindness and tolerance in today’s society."This woman was simply breastfeeding her child, and her body shouldn’t be sexualized. It’s a real lack of compassion."

If there’s one takeaway from these testimonies, it’s the importance of following your own path.

This is especially what Josette shares when we ask her what advice she would give to young women wishing to breastfeed: “Even if we don’t always get things right the first time, we all have a maternal instinct. So my advice is to always do what seems best for you and your child."

On the other hand, Colette is more cautious, aware of the many socio-cultural changes in society: “I don’t think I’m the right person to give advice on this matter anymore, there are many factors to consider today…".
We, at Tajinebanane, mainly advise you to listen to yourself above all.

In short, these meetings with these four women have mostly reminded us how much breastfeeding has always been a part of our lives, despite the different eras we’ve experienced.

Today, breastfeeding your baby is and should remain an informed choice, but it is also an act of love and sharing that deserves respect and kindness, just like any other maternal choice, no matter the era we live in. 💛