A mother is facing backlash for breastfeeding her child unconcealed at a restaurant.
In a viral video posted to X by the account Liberacrat, an unidentified woman is seen breastfeeding a young child while seated at a restaurant, originally reported on by Newsweek.
In the video, the mom is seen sitting at a long table, dining with other people. When her child was hungry, she did what many other women in her situation would do — she fed them.
The multitasking mommy is seemingly unfazed by her son guzzling down his mother’s milk because she ordered food from the waitress without skipping a beat.
The caption of the shared video read: “This woman’s receiving backlash for breastfeeding her (kind of old) child inside a restaurant on Mother’s Day, where other patrons were also trying to enjoy their Mother’s Day and meals with loved ones.”
The person then prompted a debate asking: “What do you think, did she deserve the backlash?”
The right to breastfeed in public is protected by federal laws, including the Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act and the Friendly Airports for Mothers Act.
However, that didn’t stop people from having mixed reactions to this video.
“This is absolutely natural. She should have a blanket over her baby but honestly, I’ve seen worse today,” the top comment read.
“Sheesh, cover up. Nothing wrong with breastfeeding your baby, but it’s not right to show all that,” someone commented.
“I’m sorry, maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I don’t think women should be allowed to breastfeed in public,” another replied.
Many others came to the mother’s defense.
“If you’re upset about a mother breastfeeding her child, then you might have some issues you’re going through, talk to someone. This is natural & as long as she’s not flaunting herself this is perfectly fine,” someone said.
“Chances are, you won’t be at home or in a private, comfortable place every time your baby gets hungry. Instead, you may be in the middle of eating a meal, running an errand, or sitting in the park,” another noted.
Many people suggested that the woman cover herself with a blanket while she fed her child, but others correctly noted that covers can become a choking hazard and block the mother from better monitoring her child.
Others also questioned if her son was too old to be breastfed.
“That’s an adult man nursing,” someone joked.
“Kid is big” another replied.
The child’s age was not determined, but according to the World Health Organization, up to one-third of children are breastfed through age two. There is no harm in breastfeeding for longer as long as the child receives adequate nutrition, typically provided by complementary foods after the child’s first six months.
Regardless of the facts, people are sure to continue milking the breastfeeding debate — but some mothers don’t care if you’re crying over their nursed milk.
