Chrissy Teigen refuses to be mom-shamed over breastfeeding

Obviously, John took the picture and posted it on his account, but an Instagram user replied to the photo with a question that was meant for his wife and touched a nerve. The commenter (a Romanian journalist, according to her IG bio) asked, “You no longer breastfeed?” At that point Chrissy slid into John’s comment section to respond, writing “[J]ohn never breastfed Miles.” ?

It may seem a bit snarky, but we can totally see why Chrissy felt the need to sarcastically comment on the comment. While she has been very open about breastfeeding, whether or not she’s still doing it really isn’t anyone’s business. It could be formula in that bottle, or it could be pumped breastmilk. But the contents of the bottle are no one’s business but hers.

We need to stop asking mothers about infant feeding choices

Celebrities are used to getting intrusive questions about a lot of personal issues, but Chrissy’s hilarious comment illustrates a problem all moms deal with. Expecting and new moms are often asked if they are breastfeeding or plan to. The question may be well-meaning, but a lot of moms find it invasive or anxiety-inducing for those whose infant feeding experience isn’t going as they expected. Even if the question is asked without ill-intent, it puts parents in a position where, if the answer is anything but yes, they have to defend themselves. A 2016 study published in the journal Maternal & Child Nutrition Maternal & Child Nutrition found that the majority of mothers who don’t breastfeed feel mom-guilt over it, and more than 75% feel the need to defend their reasoning. By sending the message that this question isn’t welcome, Chrissy Teigen is sending the message that asking mothers to defend their infant feeding choices is not okay. Questions that invite guilt or shame are not okay. Instead of asking a mother if she’s breastfeeding, maybe we should just ask her how she’s doing. That way, if she wants to talk about breastfeeding, she can, but just like infant feeding itself, that decision should be hers.