ABOUT US

#Ittasteslikelove aims to normalise breastfeeding and encourage parents, employers, communities, and authorities that women should empowered and emboldened to nurse however, wherever and whenver they need to. At its core this is a women's rights mission - to ensure equality from the outset.

We all know breastfeeding is a good thing – the World Health Organisation (WHO) says so, UNICEF says so, international policymakers say so, governments say so. Women are expected to do it, and to do it for longer - but at every level they are effectively being set up to fail.

Normalising breastfeeding means ensuring mothers are comfortable nursing in public but it also means ensuring authorities put in place legislation that enables mothers to meet breastfeeding targets and hold companies to account that flout them.

It means ensuring employers provide better maternity provisions, safe pumping environments and foster tolerant workplaces. It means ensuring communities respect women and their right to choose what to do with their bodies. It means prioritising maternal well-being over imagined offence and it means raising the next generation to see the female form as more than something useful to sell or seduce. It means addressing inequality in healthcare and investing in proper help for all new mothers regardless of race or wealth.

Normalising breastfeeding saves lives

Normalising breastfeeding so that all infants are nursed to WHO's six month recommendation will save the lives of 800,000 children and some $300 billion in healthcare costs worldwide EVERY SINGLE YEAR. It will mean 20,000 more women a year will survive breast cancer. It will mean lower SIDS rates. It will mean many children, particularly in area where easy access to medicine is more difficult, will have improved immunological support. *

Or as UNICEF says: "Breastfeeding is among the most effective ways to protect maternal and child health and promote healthy growth and optimal development in early childhood. Empowering and enabling women to breastfeed should be at the heart of countries’ efforts to keep every child alive and to build healthy, smart and productive societies."

It's time to change the conversation

We are led by science and make a point of highlighting and sharing all the scientific research and evidence in evolutionary biology that underlines our position, and make a commitment to take a stand against fake news and properly source all our information.

We’ve opened our blog up to women across Hong Kong, who are now sharing experiences from nursing premature babies to breastfeeding and the coronavirus - all with the aim that the more visible, and accessible this topic is, the more things will change.

The campaign makes a point of working with global news media to address the difficult issues in relation to breastfeeding - race, mysogyny, sexism, institutional barriers, environmental impacts of animal-derived mils, and the dirty tactics of the formula industry.

This website is dedicated to bringing breastfeeding out of the shadows and into the light

Thanks for supporting us!

Ittasteslikelove

Sources:

https://www.unicef.org/publications/files/UNICEF_Breastfeeding_A_Mothers_Gift_for_Every_Child.pdf

https://www.who.int/maternal_child_adolescent/news_events/news/2016/exclusive-breastfeeding/en/

The Boob Squad

Credit: RSP Photography

LIZ THOMAS

Founder

Specialism: Breastfeeding & Social Justice

What she says: The aim of #Ittasteslikelove is to normalize breastfeeding, but at its core, it is a women’s rights campaign. People think of breastfeeding as a niche concept, an issue only for new mothers. But actually, all of us are responsible for creating a fairer, more equal, and kinder society.This is part of a wider social justice conversation of how, appallingly, in the 21st century people still feel they can tell women what they can and can’t do with their bodies, and how we need to ensure equal access to reproductive healthcare, education, and advice.

About Liz: A journalist with 20 years experience, Liz has worked for British newspapers, glossy magazines, and online travel and lifestyle publlications. She now runs the Asia Pacific features division for a global news organisation. A Brit married to a Frenchman she is currently based in Hong Kong and has two children.

Credit: Gonzalo Moreno

ROSALIA SEMPERE PICO

Campaign Photographer

Specialism: Photography & Art

What she says: Having my own children and working with mostly pregnant women and newborn babies means I am consistently surrounded by the wonderful joys of navigating motherhood myself, and watching others do the same. There is nothing more beautiful to me than the rawness and realness of breastfeeding, not only for the amazing nutritional and psychological benefits it brings to both mother and child, but the bond it creates. I am so honoured to be able to capture these moments in women’s lives and to bring awareness and normality to breastfeeding so that mothers and babies feel comfortable feeding, whenever and wherever they are.

About Rosie: Specialising in family, newborn and maternity shoots, Rosie is a master of natural light photography and is happy to shoot in her Discovery Bay studio, or out and about around the city. Born and bred in Hong Kong she hails her toddler as her inspiration and is committed to capturing the joy of family life. https://www.rsp-photography.com/meet-rsp

Credit:

LUCY MULLENS

Breastfeeding Advocate

Specialism: Breastfeeding & Premature Birth

What she says: I'm the lucky mum of two beautiful miracles. Tabby, my eldest was born at 29 weeks and weighed just 1kg. She spent time in the NICU and the SCBU but I was able to exclusively breastfeed her until around aged 22 months. My youngest daughter Mattie was born at 31 weeks and a little heavier at 1.7kg, but also spent a few weeks in special care. Once she was home from hospital she was exclusively breastfed and we weaned when she was 2 and a half (though she still snacks even now). I really believe in the beauty, bond and benefits of breastfeeding and I am thrilled to be part of this wonderful project.

About Lucy: A financial crime investigator at HSBC by day, Lucy is also passionate about supporting women who want to breastfeed their babies and is experienced with premature babies and the challenges of breastfeeding born months early.

Credit: The Wish Photography

HEATHER LIN

Lactivist & La Leche League Leader

Specialism: Mother-to-mother support & Advocacy

What she says: Supporting breastfeeding isn’t just about helping individual mothers to nourish and comfort their babies. Breastfeeding helps reduce a country’s spending in healthcare, helps reduce carbon emissions, helps dismantle misogyny, and helps combat financial inequality, on top of providing the most ideal form of nourishment and comfort for babies. Breastfeeding is part of the solution to many current large-scale, systemic problems. Supporting individual mothers to breastfeed turns into supporting communities to breastfeed, which brings us closer to positively affect global issues.

About Heather: Heather is a Canadian primary school teacher, and mother to two children. Heather is an active advocate for breastfeeding, and is particularly keen to support working mothers who pump milk, as well as vulnerable migrant workers in their education of breastfeeding.

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Credit: RSP Photography

KRISTEN HANDFORD

Personal Trainer

Specialism: Women’s Strength & Fitness // Pre & Postnatal Coach

What she says: I am passionate about empowering women to feel confident and strong, through all stages of their lives. Exercise should be a positive experience, done in celebration of our bodies, rather than a punishment for something you ate. It is especially important to honor our bodies during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Having a baby is a big deal! Your body is doing incredible things, take some time for yourself and let’s give it the tools to become stronger - so that you can get on with the things that you enjoy most in life!

About Kristen: After retiring from the Canadian Army and moving to Hong Kong 7 years ago, Kristen studied to become a Personal Trainer, specializing in Women’s Health from the very beginning. A mother of one (with one on the way) she is based in Discovery Bay with her husband.

Credit: Jill Carter Photography

KATE MESTRE

Web Designer

Specialism: Web Development & Social Media

What she says: When I connected with Liz, I knew immediately that I wanted to be part of this project. It's been a while since I was last breastfeeding - I weaned my daughter 6 years ago when she was three years old. Talking to Liz and reading the stories and articles that she has written brought it all back. I wish there had been a project like this around when my oldest was born because I often felt very alone, especially extended nursing.

About Kate: Kate is a New Zealander who moved to Hong Kong 13 years ago with her newborn son. She previously worked in the media industry in Sydney and Auckland. She now lives on beautiful South Lantau with her Portuguese husband and two kids. She runs a small studio specialising in zero-waste hair care products.

It Tastes Like Love (Niccone)