First-time mom Izabele Lomax was scrolling a breastfeeding support group on Facebook when she saw an angry post from a fellow nursing mom. It was a screenshot of yet another post where a nursing mom was being shamed for feeding her child in public. The poster in Lomax’s group was aghast that someone had secretly filmed a mom feeding her baby and then ranted about how she needed to cover up. Lomax heartily agreed that this was a terrible thing to do to a nursing mom…but as she zoomed in closer, she realized the breastfeeding mom was HER. She was the one who had been secretly filmed, and she was the one who had been shamed.
Here are the words Lomax saw written about herself, along with a video of her nursing her child at the beach:
“I’m not shaming woman who breast feed their babies. I’m shaming the woman who breast feed in public with no respect to cover themselves up and just let their boobs hangout (nipple included) for everyone to see! COVER TF UP!!! I shouldn’t have to cover my sons eyes and explain why your boobs are out and quite frankly I don’t want to see it either. Have some respect!”
As a mom who nursed, and as a woman in general, I am shocked that a woman would write this about another woman who is just feeding her baby! Breastfeeding is not sexual, and Lomax wasn’t putting on a show. The poster’s attitude is frankly ridiculous.
Lomax was also shocked at the Facebook post and the author’s harsh words. She had been at the beach with her family, nursing her 9-week-old son Baker, and hadn’t noticed anyone watching.
“We were in our own little area and I didn’t notice anyone staring at us or anything,” she says. “It wouldn’t even occur to me that somebody would be upset about me feeding my child.” She also added that it was quite hot at the beach that day and she did not want to overheat her infant by putting a cover over his body as she nursed him. Not to mention, she shouldn’t and doesn’t have to. Mothers can legally breastfeed in any public or private space in the United States.
