Gina Heslop
The topic of whether women should be allowed to breastfeed their children in public has been a heated debate for a long time. A young mother named Trinati recently sparked controversy by firmly standing up for her right to breastfeed her child wherever and whenever necessary.
Trinati breastfeeds her 17-month-old daughter in public without hesitation. She believes that when a baby is hungry, they need to be fed, regardless of the location or time. Although some mothers may feel uncomfortable breastfeeding in public, Trinati is not one of them. She wanted to make a strong statement in support of public breastfeeding.
Unfortunately, not everyone around her shares her comfort with public breastfeeding. Trinati often receives strange looks from strangers and has even been directed into broom closets by store employees who mistakenly think she would be more comfortable there. Broom closets, however, are far from ideal for feeding a baby, prompting Trinati to take action.
To make her point, she had her son take a photo of her breastfeeding his baby sister at a Costco store. She explained in an interview, “I never shy away from providing my children with what they may need from me based on our surroundings.”
Trinati not only faces judgment from strangers but also gets questions from friends and family who ask how long she plans to continue breastfeeding. Her response is always, “As long as she needs me to!” These questions are often followed by uncomfortable jokes about breastfeeding her daughter until she starts kindergarten.
Fed up with people sexualizing breastfeeding and judging her for it, Trinati expressed her frustration, saying, “Really? Have you SEEN breastfeeding breasts? My nipples are very far from looking like something someone may fantasize about! Ha!” She added that her breasts have become purely functional, serving to nourish her child both physically and emotionally.
Trinati wants to raise awareness that breastfeeding is about feeding and comforting a child, not something s*xual. She said, “I don’t expect all men or those who have never breastfed to understand the ways in which mothers have the endurance to deal with nipple-pinching or straight-up acrobatics while breastfeeding.” She shared how she often receives strange glances and awkward giggles when her toddler stands on her lap while nursing.
In her effort to normalize public breastfeeding, Trinati posted the photo of herself breastfeeding in Costco on social media. She explained, “I had my son take that photo of us in Costco because I never want to forget (and I want to show my daughter in the future) the lengths we, as mothers, will go to when ensuring our kids are well looked after no matter the situation.”
In the caption of her Instagram post, she wrote, “My baby’s needs come way before anyone else’s attempts to make me feel inappropriate for this sometimes-public act of nourishing and/or comforting my children.” Trinati wants her children to know they are always her first priority, far above the judgment and comfort of others.
She concluded by emphasizing the importance of trust and care in developing healthy relationships, beginning in childhood. “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.”
What do you think about this?
