When we’re hungry, we’ve got to eat. If that means grabbing a sandwich at the corner store or fishing a broken protein bar out of the bottom of your backpack, go right ahead. No one should go hungry!
But having a quick snack isn’t quite as simple for babies, who are at the mercy of their parents to feed them. And according to one woman, our babies better not become hungry while we’re out in public… Below, you’ll find a video that Izabele Lomax recently shared on TikTok after opening social media to find a video of herself breastfeeding at the beach. Keep reading to also find a conversation with Izabele, as well as some of the replies invested readers left her.
After enjoying a day at the beach with her family, this mother was shocked to find a video of herself on social media the following day
Image credits: Joshua Rodriguez (not the actual photo)
Now, she’s calling out the woman who shared it
Image credits: izlomax
Image credits: izlomax
"Imagine waking up, getting on Facebook and seeing this video of yourself yesterday at the beach"
"Not only did this woman walk past me multiple times with her son, you had every opportunity in the world to say something to me."
"Not that I would've cared or stopped what I was doing"
"You instead choose to post a video of me and my child on Facebook publicly for the world to see."
"What if you were told that the only way that you could eat at the beach is if you were covered up by a towel?"
Image credits: izlomax
"This post has since been deleted, but thank you to the people that came to my defense in the comments. My child was also hungry in multiple restaurants and while we were walking down the street, and guess what he ate?"
"Next time you see a mom breastfeeding her child in public covered up or not, tell her how good of a job she's doing"
"Also, let it be known that her son is literally four years old. If you are sexualizing a breast to a four-year-old, you've got your own set of issues."
You can hear Izabele's full response right here
Newborns need to nurse every 1.5-3 hours, so parents can't always plan to be inside or covered up at those times
Eating is one of the most basic human needs that we all have to do multiple times a day, so there's no reason for it to be taboo. Especially considering the fact that newborn babies need milk every 1.5 to 3 hours, feeding babies in public should be something no one even blinks an eye at. Breastfeeding in public is legal in all 50 states in the US, including in restaurants and stores, and over 80% of babies are started out on breastmilk. Yet for some reason, nearly a quarter of Americans say they would be uncomfortable with a mother breastfeeding in public next to them.
To learn more about this specific situation, we reached out to Izabele Lomax, the mother who shared this TikTok, who was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda. Thankfully, Izabele shared that this was the first and only time someone has been offended by her nursing in public. “It never even occurred to me that it could happen!”
We were also curious how this video ended up on her Facebook feed, but Izabele noted that she does not know the other mother personally. “I am part of a breastfeeding/pumping group on Facebook, and someone had shared the post out of disgust for her words,” Izabele explained. “I then realized it was me in the video! I asked the woman who posted it if she could share the original post with me, and she happily DMed me.”
Image credits: Sergey Makashin (not the actual photo)
"I think breasts are so sexualized in today's world that people can forget what they were quite literally created for"
“It is hard for me to think of a reason why people could be bothered by this, but especially another woman and/or mother,” Izabele told Bored Panda. “Like I said, it never occurred to me that someone would be bothered enough to record and slander me. I think breasts are so sexualized in today's world that people can forget what they were quite literally created for.”
We also asked Izabele if she had anything she’d like to say to the mother who shared the video of her. “I hope this experience allows you to have a change of heart. Know that it’s okay to change your beliefs! Being a mother yourself, I do not understand how you could be so cruel to another,” she shared. “Luckily, I have allowed your words to not affect me, but others might not have been so understanding of your small mindedness. You’ve inspired me to feed openly and publicly more often!”
Izabele added that she hopes this entire experience will inspire more mothers to feed publicly. “It breaks my heart to read the comments of those that feel the need to feed in a public restroom in fear of what just happened to me,” she added.
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)
If seeing someone nursing bothers you, feel free to simply avert your eyes
Seeing breasts as sexual objects is a “purely cultural belief,” lactation consultant Norma Escobar told USA Today. She invites anyone who feels uncomfortable around nursing in public to simply avert their eyes and mind their own business. It’s easy to forget that breastfeeding is nothing new, it is what has allowed our species to survive for generations, so it’s one of the most natural things there is. In fact, when it comes to flying on a plane, for example, babies might feel even more comfortable nursing than trying to sleep.
"Not all suckling at the breast is nutritive. There's a lot of suckling at the breast that is just for nurturing or for comforting. That is normal and very positive," Dr. Lori Feldman-Winter told USA Today. So if you hate sitting next to a crying baby while traveling, it might be better for everyone for that little guy or gal to be attached to their mother.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Has someone ever been bothered by you or your partner nursing in public? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article discussing a similar issue, we recommend reading this piece next!
Image credits: William Fortunato (not the actual photo)
Viewers and fellow moms were quick to share their support for Izabele in the comments
