An Australian Senator has set the bar for multi-tasking women by moving a motion in Parliament while breastfeeding her baby today.
Greens senator Larissa Waters made history last month when she became the first woman to breastfeed inside the Federal Parliament. She did it again today, feeding her 14- week old baby Alia Joy while moving a motion in the Senate in Canberra.
"First time I've had to move a Senate motion while breastfeeding! And my partner in crime moved her own motion just before mine, bless her," she tweeted after her address.
Back in May, Senator Waters had said, "I am so proud that my daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the Federal Parliament."
"We need more women and parents in Parliament. And we need more family-friendly and flexible workplaces, and affordable childcare, for everyone," she had said.
Last year, parliamentary rules were changed to allow mothers to breastfeed in the chamber. Previously, children were banned in the chamber and breastfeeding mothers had to be given a proxy vote while they ducked outside to feed their babies.
The policy was changed after a controversy involving Liberal MP Kelly O'Dwyer, who was asked to express more breastmilk, rather than feed her daughter outside the chamber and miss parliamentary duties.
The Victorian MP was furious when the request initially was made.
It is understood that the request came after two incidents in which O'Dwyer missed a division and a speaking engagement in Parliament because she was breastfeeding.
In 2009, Sarah Hanson-Young, a Greens MP, was forced to remove her two-year-old child from the chamber -- an incident she described as "humiliating".
Greens senator Larissa Waters made history last month when she became the first woman to breastfeed inside the Federal Parliament. She did it again today, feeding her 14- week old baby Alia Joy while moving a motion in the Senate in Canberra.
How far we've come. @larissawaters gives a speech while breast feeding! Yes! First woman in Australian parliament to ever do so. #auspol pic.twitter.com/bBwshTvEHa
— David Sharaz (@DavidSharaz) June 22, 2017
"First time I've had to move a Senate motion while breastfeeding! And my partner in crime moved her own motion just before mine, bless her," she tweeted after her address.
Back in May, Senator Waters had said, "I am so proud that my daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the Federal Parliament."
"We need more women and parents in Parliament. And we need more family-friendly and flexible workplaces, and affordable childcare, for everyone," she had said.
Last year, parliamentary rules were changed to allow mothers to breastfeed in the chamber. Previously, children were banned in the chamber and breastfeeding mothers had to be given a proxy vote while they ducked outside to feed their babies.
The policy was changed after a controversy involving Liberal MP Kelly O'Dwyer, who was asked to express more breastmilk, rather than feed her daughter outside the chamber and miss parliamentary duties.
The Victorian MP was furious when the request initially was made.
It is understood that the request came after two incidents in which O'Dwyer missed a division and a speaking engagement in Parliament because she was breastfeeding.
In 2009, Sarah Hanson-Young, a Greens MP, was forced to remove her two-year-old child from the chamber -- an incident she described as "humiliating".
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