Kate Langbroek
The very individual radio host Kate Langbroek tells of the media and public response to her feeding her baby on national TV talk show, The Panel.
Kate Langbroek has become one of Australia's most influential media personalities. Her career has spanned popular prime-time TV shows, breakfast radio, acting, as well as a host of writing credits.
Kate's individuality, candour and ferocious wit have made her one of Australia's top broadcasters and a household name.
Along with co-host Dave Hughes, Kate can be heard each weekday on radio station Nova 100 in Melbourne, and each weekend on the Nova national network.
Kate has appeared on top rating TV shows The Panel, Dancing with the Stars and Thank God You're Here. Her early TV appearances included classics like Neighbours and Chances, as well as a string of plays and the feature film Father.
With a degree in journalism, Kate also took to script writing, contributing to TV shows including The Col'n Carpenter Show, All Together Now, The Bob Morrison Show, Us and Them, Shark Bay, Crocadoo, Medivac and Neighbours, as well as editing the book Dear Jack (with Flip Shelton). She has also been a columnist for the Melbourne City Weekly and The Sunday Age.
Kate famously breastfed her five-week-old baby live on the national TV talk show, The Panel in 2003. Being that World Breastfeeding Week is held during August (1-7) Kate kindly agreed to revisit this time and tell us about the public and media reaction to the simple act of feeding your baby in public.
How many children do you have? What age / sex are they?
I have three babes: my son Lewis Jan, 4 (nearly 5); my daughter Sunday Lil (3); my sweet baby boy Art Honore (1).
What has surprised you the most about becoming a mother?
I'm a good mum. That surprised me because I never felt particularly 'maternal', or even had much interest in children before I had my own. They have been such a revelation to me; that they are just like us, only littler and sweeter-smelling. And so trusting. And such pots of honey.
Do you miss anything about your life prior to having children?
I try not to be one of those new parents who moans about no longer: SLEEPING IN?leaving the house carrying nothing but my keys?nicking out to an impromptu film?meeting friends without three weeks of planning?not even knowing ONE babysitter!
What is the hardest part about being a mum?
It is very easy to lose yourself - your sense of self - once you have children. A woman gives up everything she has known when she has a baby?starting with her body. It's not the same for men, no matter how involved. And sometimes you have to fight to reclaim bits for yourself. Time. Space. Privacy. I would love a second bathroom. With a bath no one has ever done a poo in.
How has your relationship with your partner changed since becoming parents?
At the moment, my husband Peter and I are in a pretty sweet place (touch wood). He has left his engineering job and is working much less, which has proven to be brilliant for all of us. Two parents working with three little ones is too hard, for everyone; the kids, the parents. It's not fair that economically so many people are forced to try and make it work.
What advice do you have for new mothers or mothers to be?
Relax! A girlfriend of mine freaked out cause she had a cesarean and was so obsessed with her 'failure', it dimmed the joy of her new baby girl. It doesn't matter how your baby is delivered unto you, or which brand of pram you drive, or if everyone at mothers' group looks fresher than you. Your baby chose you to be its mother. You are the one. Oh, and make friends with your mother-in-law. Mine is pure gold.
What are you great at?
I'm pretty patient. And I don't overly mind poo. And I cook. Because of years of breakfast radio, I can handle interrupted sleep.
What are you terrible at?
I'm disorganized. I don't like to get on the floor and play. I find it hard to constantly manage three other growing people's drawers.
How do you manage the juggle of family and work?
It's a delicate and precarious dance, that! Peter and I constantly review where we're at. Sometimes, we fight before we get it right.
What do you think about "me" time? Do you practice it, preach it or have you resigned yourself to the fact that you will have to play catch up later on - and how do you (or would you) spend your leisure time?
I don't need 'me time', as much as 'we time'. Peter and I try to plug in a babysitter and spend Sundays together. It's brilliant. Expensive, but worth it for us. It has changed our lives. The other week we were so tired, we went out for breakfast, but instead, headed back home, went to bed, watched tv and napped like uni students.
Kate, you breastfed your baby on national TV on the talk show, The Panel. What was the public reaction to that like in the weeks afterwards?
Public reaction was overwhelmingly positive (from what I recall - I was in that 5-week-old-baby funk!). The media response was somewhat different. I'm still stunned that a mother feeding her baby could be construed as something wrong or dirty, or an activity that should be confined to a broom closet. The male-menopausal, self-righteous talk-back radio hosts that gave me such a belting (and a couple of high-profile women, too!) are socially retarded. Our poor kids.
What would you like to say to the members of Essential Baby in regards to breastfeeding their babies in public?
One of the problems a new mother can face is that she feels isolated, so for me, feeling comfortable feeding in public meant that I could see friends and family, and take my baby with me everywhere. It meant we were all happier. And quite frankly, if it gives a man a thrill to see a woman's chaboomba in public, I don't mind. I'm doing my job as a mama. Women need to own their breastfeeding, and be proud of it. My girlfriend Georgie once squirted her breast milk across the lunch table and hit my (horrified) sweet Dutch dad on his bald head. It was hilarious.
What kind of 'Australia' do you hope for your children's future?
I would like a country that is more inclusive of children. Even little things, like showing courtesy and compassion for parents juggling little ones in queues. Or making sure there are toilets with change facilities. Travelling in Thailand with Lewis when he was a baby was a revelation. There, even businessmen will stop in the street to talk to a baby. At the airport, the head of immigration waved families through to his desk so they didn't have to stand in line with their exhausted babies. That would never happen here, and I don't understand why not. Be kind to the future, I reckon.
Finally, a question all mums must face (no matter who they are!) - What are you feeding your child(ren) for dinner tonight?
Ah. At the moment, they are all loving pesto, which I don't understand, because if I tried to feed them parmesan cheese, garlic, or basil individually, they wouldn't have a bar of it. Anyway, I'm now making a batch a week. I keep it in the fridge, and with that tiny pasta that looks like rice, it's a great quick meal.
