Want to spark a conversation? Share a photo of a mom comfortably breastfeeding, especially when it’s taken in the bathroom! A post on Life of Dad showcased an image of a mother nursing her child while sitting on the toilet, and it sent shockwaves across social media. While some gasped in horror, those of us familiar with the chaotic life of parenting a young child completely understand.
In the world of motherhood, it’s not uncommon to feel like you have no privacy. If you’re one of those fortunate parents who never had a little one shadowing you into the bathroom, perhaps you should consider writing a guide for the rest of us. My own bathroom door lacks a lock, and I can hardly recall a moment of solitude in there without my toddler narrating the experience.
Here’s the image:
It perfectly encapsulates the reality of parenting, whether or not you’ve breastfed. The backlash against the mother for choosing to nurse in her own bathroom, while many women are expected to breastfeed discreetly in public restrooms, is baffling. Critics often ask, “Would you eat while on the toilet?” Well, probably not—but I’m not a 15-month-old! Sure, this might come off as “oversharing,” but Life of Dad is all about parenting, and this image reflects the truth of the journey.
There’s a curious tendency for some to clutch their pearls at the sight of a woman breastfeeding comfortably, while images of sexualized breasts rarely elicit similar responses. The truth is, we’re just not accustomed to seeing honest depictions of women nursing (and no, stock photos of serene mothers in fields don’t count!). Thankfully, new policies on platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow moms to share their breastfeeding moments without fear of censorship.
While I can’t say I’ve ever nursed on the toilet, I resonate with this image on a personal level. Parenting is filled with messy realities, and yes, women do use the bathroom too! If you don’t like what you see on social media, just scroll past.
For more discussions about the realities of motherhood, you can visit this helpful resource on pregnancy and home insemination, or check out this article on at-home insemination kits for comprehensive insights. And if you’re interested in learning about a different topic, here’s one of our other blog posts that you might find engaging: Intracervical Insemination.
In summary, the image of a mother breastfeeding on the toilet serves as a humorous yet relatable reminder of the challenges of motherhood. It highlights the lack of privacy many parents experience and challenges societal norms around breastfeeding.