Pope Francis backs public breastfeeding; says women should not be shy to feed crying babies

POPE Francis has continued to surprise after revealing he supports mums nursing their babies in public.

Pope Francis

POPE Francis has continued to surprise after revealing he supports mums nursing their babies in public.

In an interview with Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Pope compared world hunger to a baby crying for food, and said mums should not feel shy to feed their infants. The comments came as US gay magazine The Advocate named Francis it's 'Person of the Year' - an honour he was also given by Time magazine.

“There are so many children that cry because they are hungry,” the Pope said.

“At the Wednesday General Audience the other day there was a young mother behind one of the barriers with a baby that was just a few months old. The child was crying its eyes out as I came past. The mother was caressing it.”

“I said to her: madam, I think the child is hungry.”

The woman then confessed that it was around the child’s usual nursing time, and the Pope urged her to feed her baby.

“Please give it something to eat,” I said’, the Pope recounted.

“She was shy and didn’t want to breastfeed in public, while the pope was passing. I wish to say the same to humanity. Give people something to eat! That woman had milk to give to her child, we have enough food in the world to feed everyone.”

The popular Francis has been credited with bringing a more modern and open approach to the Catholic Church, and calling for it to do more to help the world's poor and marginalised.

Meanwhile, Francis, already Time Magazine's "person of the year,'' has been given the same honour by another publication - this one dedicated to the gay and lesbian community.

The Advocate magazine chose the head of the Catholic Church as the "single most influential person of 2013 on the lives of LGBT people.''

It is perhaps a surprising choice, given that the church has often been in conflict with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community over its opposition to same-sex marriage and to homosexuality more generally.

"While 2013 will be remembered for the work of hundreds in advancing marriage equality, it will also be remembered for the example of one man,'' wrote the online magazine in announcing its choice.

In July, the pontiff famously said he would not "judge'' homosexuals. Those remarks, The Advocate said, "became a signal to Catholics and the world that the new pope is not like the old pope.''

Meanwhile, Wednesday public appearance, the Argentine pope was also thrilled to be presented with a winning trophy and his own jersey for his beloved soccer club back home.

With AFP