Pope Francis encourages mothers at baptism in Sistine Chapel to breastfeed
‘If they cry because they are hungry, breastfeed them, don’t worry,’ he says
Pope Francis told the mothers of 33 babies he was baptizing in the Sistine Chapel in Rome on Sunday not to hesitate to breastfeed them if they cried because they were hungry.
“You mothers give your children milk, and even now, if they cry because they are hungry, breastfeed them, don't worry,” Pope Francis said, according to NBC News' translation of his remarks.
Francis poured water on the foreheads of the infants — 13 boys and 20 girls, all children of Vatican employees — as he lamented the plight of those around the world who are too poor to feed their own.
The pope appeared to diverge from his prepared script, which called for him to tell the mothers to “give them milk,” saying instead “allattateli,” meaning “breastfeed them” in Italian. At least one woman appeared to take Francis up on his offer, according to NBC.
According to the Associated Press, Pope Francis explicitly encouraged mothers at the same occasion last year to nurse their children “if they are crying with hunger.”
The annual ceremony, marking the end of the Christmas season, is held the first Sunday after Epiphany, Jan. 6, as infants of Vatican employees are initiated into the Christian faith.
The invitation to breastfeed typifies the down-to-earth style Pope Francis has adopted since being elected pope in 2013.
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