Photos of Angelina Jolie apparently breastfeeding on the cover of a US magazine have been leaked to the internet.

The photo, taken by her partner Brad Pitt, will appear on the cover of next issue of W magazine.

Jolie appears in a sleeveless top, which has been opened to reveal part of her left breast and a tiny hand ostensibly belonging to one of her twins, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, who were born in July.

The black-and-white photo shows Jolie smiling, her long brown hair cascading over her shoulder.

The cover headline promises further exclusive private photos of the 33-year-old actress by Pitt.

Jolie last caused a stir when she wore a white nursing bra underneath her tank top on the cover of People magazine after she and Pitt welcomed daughter Shiloh, now two-years-old.

La Leche League International, the world's oldest breastfeeding support organisation, has applauded Jolie's apparent decision to be photographed nursing.

La Leche spokeswoman Jane Crouse said: "Breastfeeding in public reveals a whole lot less than what has been revealed on the red carpet. I think we do need more role models like Angelina Jolie willing to be photographed and say, Hey look, it can be done, it oughta be done."

Besides Shiloh and the twins, Pitt and Jolie also are parents to three adopted children: Maddox, 7, from Cambodia; Pax, 4, from Vietnam; Zahara, 3, from Ethiopia.

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