World Breastfeeding Week runs until August 7 and this year’s theme is Breastfeeding and Work – Let’s make it work.

In Nowra there are 48 businesses and organisations listed as breastfeeding-friendly venues.

The issue occasionally attracts controversy but there is no shortage of business owners in the Shoalhaven who welcomed breastfeeding.

Kelly Surek from Wollongong, who visits the Shoalhaven regularly, said it was reassuring to know business owners, particularly cafes, were supportive of breastfeeding mothers.

“I think generally people are open to it. Most of the time the issues come from women’s own insecurity,” she said.

The owner of Nowra’s Tea Club Brinley Sheppard, who supports breastfeeding, said if anyone complained in his cafe he would ask them to leave.

“I think it’s appalling that we are still even having this conversation,” he said.

Shoalhaven City Council’s Community Development co-ordinator Alan Blackshaw said staff would this week start updating the extensive list of breastfeeding-friendly venues.

“We have a card that lists 180 Shoalhaven businesses and areas where breastfeeding and baby-change tables are.

“We are hoping to increase that number every time we do the review, but it takes some time. 

“The list on the original card took about three months.

“People don’t realise a lot of our public toilets have a baby change table inside the accessible bathrooms.”

Mr Blackshaw said, “those old attitudes toward breastfeeding were really changing, most people are pretty good about it now”.

“To be listed on the card you just need to be welcoming to breastfeeding and have pram accessibility,” he said.