OFF THE RECORD

Breastfeeding in public has been a topic of debate for a long time. And now, there’s a young mother who is determined to make her case. To drive her point home, she did something that stirred up a lot of anger. Let’s find out more about her story.

Mothers know that their hungry babies don’t care about their surroundings or the time of day. While some moms feel uncomfortable breastfeeding in public, this young mother isn’t one of them. She wants to strongly advocate for nursing in public.

She breastfeeds her 17-month-old daughter wherever she is, regardless of the judgment from others. Unfortunately, people often give her strange looks. Some shop owners even suggest she breastfeed in broom closets, thinking it’s more “comfortable” for her.

But of course, broom closets are far from the ideal place to feed a baby. This situation pushed her to take action. While nursing her baby sister in Costco, she had her son take a picture.

In a conversation about her act, she confidently said, “I never shy away from providing my children with what they may need from me based on our surroundings.”

Besides facing judgment from strangers, her friends and family also question her choices. They ask, “How long are you going to do ‘that’ for?” And every time, she responds with, “As long as she needs me to!” Often, they follow up with uncomfortable jokes about her breastfeeding her daughter until she’s in kindergarten.

She’s tired of people making fun of her parenting and criticizing her for it. In one conversation, she boldly stated, “Have you seen breastfeeding breasts? My nipples are far from something someone may fantasize about! These are basically udders right now. Get over yourself! To me, they have become so far from feeling like a sexual part of my body. Right now, they belong to my child for nourishment, both physically and emotionally.”

She wants more people to understand that breastfeeding is solely for nourishing a baby and has nothing to do with being sexual. She explained, “I don’t expect all men or those who have never breastfed to understand the ways in which mothers have the endurance to deal with nipple-pinching or acrobatics while breastfeeding. I have received the strangest glances and awkward giggles when people watch my 1.5-year-old standing on my lap while suckling… sometimes on one leg!”

To make her point, she took a picture of herself breastfeeding her baby in Costco, intending to post it. She wanted to remember the lengths mothers go to ensure their children are well-taken care of, regardless of the situation. In the caption for the Instagram post, she wrote, “My baby’s needs come waaaaaaay before anyone else’s attempts to make me feel inappropriate for this sometimes-public act of nourishing and/or comforting my children.”

Above all, she wants her kids to know that she will always prioritize their well-being and opinions over what others think. “Trust is a fundamental tool for developing healthy relationships, and it begins with the care we receive in childhood. Breastfeeding demonstrates this to my children, and for this reason, I will never feel shame for allowing a baby of mine to do this with me in any environment.”

As with any controversial topic, there are arguments on both sides. What do you think about babies being fed in public? Let’s start a conversation by sharing this with others!