In a groundbreaking moment for working mothers, Senator Emily Carter made headlines recently by breastfeeding her infant daughter, Lily, on the floor of the Australian Parliament. After returning from maternity leave, Carter brought her two-month-old daughter to work for a critical voting session. When little Lily expressed her hunger, the senator took the opportunity to breastfeed her right there in the Senate, becoming the first politician in Australia to do so in this esteemed setting.
While breastfeeding in the Senate has been permitted for some time, Carter was part of a movement last year that aimed to enhance parental rights within the Parliament, allowing for both breastfeeding and bottle feeding. Prior to this 2016 update, nursing mothers were restricted to proxy voting and could not bring their babies onto the Senate floor.
Carter expressed her enthusiasm for the new regulations and hopes that this will inspire other workplaces to create family-friendly environments. “It’s essential to foster family-oriented policies in all workplaces, not just in Parliament,” she stated. Her partner, Daniel Brown, is a stay-at-home dad who will also bring their daughter into the chamber for feeding sessions as needed.
Celebrating this milestone on social media, Carter shared, “I am incredibly proud that my daughter Lily is the first infant to be breastfed in the federal Parliament! We need more women and parents in leadership positions, as well as flexible workplaces and affordable childcare for everyone.”
This pivotal moment reflects the progress made by the Australian Parliament in recognizing the challenges faced by working parents. As Carter pointed out, “In 2003, a Victorian MP was actually removed from Parliament for breastfeeding her 11-day-old baby. It can be disheartening to witness the ongoing sexism in the workplace, but it’s important to acknowledge how far we’ve come.”
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In summary, Senator Emily Carter’s historic breastfeeding moment in Parliament is a significant step toward normalizing parenthood in professional settings, promoting the need for more family-friendly policies that support working mothers.