I'm a Gen X-er, had my first baby at the age of 31 and I was initially horribly embarrassed about breastfeeding. In fact I would time all my outings around breastfeeds or cut outings short and rush home so I could breastfeed DS at home.

DH kept telling me I was being ridiculous and that sooner or later I would have to do it in public and I would agree with him but secretly planned to never do that. I was really worried people would stare at me or tell me it was disgusting and it should be done in private. I did not personally feel like that at all...I was worried about encountering negative attitudes from people I didn't know.

The first time I breastfed in "public" or what I considered public was at mother's group at the health centre LOL, when DS was about 2 months old, that was a real milestone for me. Looking back, I can't believe I was nervous about breastfeeding alongside 10 other brand new mums!!!

About a month later, we were out and about and DS needed a feed...DH grinned at me...I took a deep breath, arranged my muslin around myself and DS had a nice feed, it was all very discreet, nobody looked twice at me (and believe me I was checking!) That was huge.

And really, over time, I had less and less of a problem with it. I was only going to breastfeed for 3 months, maybe even less, because that was all I thought babies "needed". In fact I thought formula was actually an essential part of the weaning process, that babies HAD to have formula before they started solids. The MCHN set me straight on that one and I was truly amazed.

In the end DS was breastfed for 20 months. I would breastfeed him happily in front of all my friends who didn't have kids, in front of my Mum who was also gobsmacked at the idea of a child over the age of 1 having a breastfeed (she was more amazed that I "still had milk"), even my Dad, who I know thought it was a bit unseemly, but by that stage I totally didn't give a crap what anyone thought.

So I wouldn't necessarily be too worried about the attitudes in that study. If you'd asked me before I had babies I might have said something very similar. My attitude evolved after I had my baby. There was NO WAY I would have breastfed a 20 month old in public!!!!