The debate over whether women should breastfeed their children in public is not new; it’s been ongoing for quite some time. Recently, a new advocate has emerged to share her perspective.
This young mother, determined to make her point, has sparked controversy. Read on to learn more about her story.
Every nursing parent knows that a hungry baby is indifferent to time or place. While some mothers feel uneasy breastfeeding in public, this young mother was undeterred. She wanted to champion the right to breastfeed openly.
Trinati, who breastfeeds her 17-month-old daughter, does so wherever they happen to be, which often means breastfeeding in public. Although she is confident about her choice, she frequently encounters uncomfortable stares and has even been directed to broom closets by store employees who mistakenly believe she’d prefer more privacy.
Broom closets, of course, are not suitable for feeding a baby. This prompted Trinati to take a stand. She had her son photograph her breastfeeding his baby sister at Costco, later explaining, “I never shy away from providing my children with what they need, regardless of our surroundings.”
In addition to strangers’ judgment, she faces questions from friends and family about how long she plans to breastfeed. Her response is always, “As long as she needs me to!” often met with awkward jokes about nursing until kindergarten.
Frustrated with the sexualization and judgment of her breastfeeding, Trinati remarked, “Really? Have you seen breastfeeding breasts? My nipples are far from being something anyone would fantasize about! Ha!”
“These are basically udders right now. Get over yourself! I’m not trying to steal your man or lady with these bad girls! To me, they’ve stopped feeling like a sexual part of my body. Right now, they belong to my child for nourishment, both physical and emotional.”
Trinati aims to raise awareness that breastfeeding is about nourishing a child, not something sexual.
“I don’t expect all men or those who have never breastfed to understand the endurance it takes to deal with nipple-pinching or acrobatics while breastfeeding,” she said. “I’ve received strange glances and awkward giggles when people see my 1.5-year-old standing on my lap while suckling … sometimes on one leg!”
To help normalize public breastfeeding, she had a photo taken of her breastfeeding her toddler, which she posted online to make a statement.
“I had my son take that photo of us in Costco because I never want to forget (and to show my daughter in the future) the lengths we, as mothers, will go to ensure our kids are well looked after, no matter the situation,” she explained.
“My baby’s needs come far before anyone else’s attempts to make me feel inappropriate for this sometimes-public act of nourishing and/or comforting my children,” she wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.
Trinati wants her children to always know they are her top priority, beyond the judgment and comfort of others.
“Trust is fundamental for developing healthy relationships, and it begins with the care we receive in childhood,” she said. “For me, 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.”