Breastfeeding is of huge benefit to the health of mothers and babies alike. The World Health Organisation recommends that babies do best if they are given only breast milk for the first six months and then continue to be breastfed, as solid foods are introduced, for up to two years. However the latest Infant Feeding survey shows that only one in five UK babies receive any breast milk at six months - one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the EU.

Breastfeeding reduces the risk of obesity, childhood diabetes, some allergic conditions, eczema or wheezing, as well as the incidence of ear and urine infections in children. This means less hospital admissions with all the worry that causes for families. Research also indicates that children who are bottle-fed as babies have higher than average blood pressure, lower scores on intelligence tests and a greater risk of developing diabetes. For women, breastfeeding reduces the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer, ovarian cancer, hip-fractures and osteoporosis.

One of the main obstacles to increasing the numbers of women breastfeeding is the attitude of people in our society. Breastfeeding is thought of by some as something that should be hidden away and is sometimes even viewed as offensive. I suspect many of those who get heated about this have been in rooms with women breastfeeding and not even noticed it happening. It can be done discretely and without noise.

If people could relax about this they would soon realise that allowing mums to do what is best for them and their babies just isn't an issue or a problem. It's just a normal activity like breathing or drinking a glass of water.

People in Britain and the outside world - where one and a half million babies die as a result of low breastfeeding rates every year - look on our Parliament to set an example. We have a choice. We can continue to impose the rules that prevent MPs breastfeeding their babies in committees, or even the Chamber, and that stop women visiting Parliament from feeding their babies in public parts of the House, or we in Parliament can do what we ask people throughout the country to do - follow professional advice from all the relevant organisations and allow, or preferably encourage, breastfeeding.

MPs supported, by a majority of three to one, an Early Day Motion in favour of allowing breastfeeding in committees and the relevant ministers backed it. It is disappointing for democracy and for health that this support didn't lead to a change in policy. We have made progress. Having baby breastfeeding rooms for the public and MPs is certainly a step in the right direction. But we need to get over the idea that women and babies should be hidden away.

It is only a matter of time before Parliament updates its rules on breastfeeding. It is an uphill struggle but I'm confident that in the end we'll do what is right for mothers and babies.