A new survey has found 38 per cent of Irish dads feel uncomfortable about their partners breast-feeding in public.

The study carried out by a DIT researcher saw 583 new dads - whose babies were born at the Coombe hospital - interviewed on their attitudes to breast feeding.

The main reasons they gave for feeling uncomfortable varied from fear of causing offence to wanting to protect their partner's modesty.

While one respondent said he was concerned that photographs would appear on social media.