This story was originally published on November 13, 2019

Plenty of modern motherhood paraphernalia was made to be seen—think breastfeeding pillows that seamlessly blend into living room decor or diaper bags that look like stylish purses . The breast pump though, usually isn’t on that list.

It’s traditionally been used in the privacy of our homes and hotel rooms in the best case scenarios, and in storage closets and restrooms in the worst circumstances. For a product that is very often used by mothers because they need to be in public spaces (like work and school), the breast pump lives a very private life.

Thankfully, some high profile moms are changing that by posting their pump pics on Instagram. These influential mamas aren’t gonna hide while they pump, and may change the way the world (and product designers) see this necessary accessory.

Brooklyn Decker

Brooklyn Decker just posted an Instagram pic that so many mamas can relate to. She’s at work, pumping and multitasking. That is the reality for many mothers in America. Without adequate paid leave and support for new parents , many moms head back to work with a pump in tow and before their bodies are ready, something Decker draws attention to in her Instagram caption.

“The average woman doesn’t have a choice. The average maternity leave is 10 DAYS in the US; how is a woman leaking, bleeding and wearing a diaper supposed to care for her child, herself, or much less, her job? I had a whole arsenal of help: my husband, my mom, my cast, and a whole crew of people who would prop me up every day and make sure I was taken care of. It was still hard. I was fortunate to have a fairly uneventful pregnancy and birth,” she writes.

Decker continues: “The recovery? A shocker. My baby having blood on his mouth-after nursing-from my bleeding nipples? Totally normal. Blood clots up to the size of a golf ball? Totally normal. Spraying my stitched up vagina with a number of concoctions to help it heal instead of wiping? Totally normal. My body was basically a character in the walking dead, but it was totally normal?! WHY wasn’t I warned?”

It changes Deckers life, and also her career as she’s now investing and advising a company dedicated to helping parents during birth recovery.

We’re thankful to these women for showing that breast pumps belong in public and in our Instagram feeds.

[This post was originally published on May 31, 2018, but has been updated to include recent Instagram posts.]

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