Florida mom Gabrielle Ferrara got an unexpected compliment from her 22-month-old baby. And after contemplating whether the potential mean comments were worth it, Ferrara posted about the interaction on Threads.
Gabrielle wrote, “Today my breastfeeding toddler unlatched, looked directly at me, and, clear as day, said: ‘YUM!!!’ And honestly, after 22 months, that is the kind of appreciation this cow deserves.” In just a couple of days, the post managed to get tens of thousands of likes and comments from people sharing her sentiment.
When TODAY reached her for comment, Gabrielle admitted that she hesitated before posting the small anecdote. Opinions on when someone should stop breastfeeding always dominate any conversation about breastfeeding among parents on social media. So for her to not only share the story but also include her child’s exact age could have gone any which way. Gabrielle added, “But it somehow found the right side of the algorithm. The replies were so funny and wholesome.” Perhaps it’s just a case of Threads having better priorities compared to X.
One user wrote that her daughter, at 16 months, slapped her boob and said “empty.” Another said her almost two-year-old even requests which boob they prefer. One user mentioned she’s trying to wean off her two-year-old and told her toddler that her milk is running out, only for the baby to quip back that they’ll buy her more milk if that’s her problem.
The debate on when to end lactating an infant is so nuanced that even doctors tell mothers it’s case by case — even between different children a mother has. But there are a few guidelines. Even though the U.S. is officially leaving the World Health Organization, the WHO recommends the first six months of a child’s life be purely breast milk.
From that point on, it’s all blurred lines. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends mothers continue breastfeeding for one year. Depending on a child’s needs and what the mother believes is best, they can continue breastfeeding beyond that. And in lieu of new medical opinions by the White House, it would perhaps be helpful if lactating mothers checked with their doctors about which medications are safe for consumption.
When Gabrielle was asked if she’s started considering weaning off her toddler, she responded, “That’s a loaded question. Originally, my goal was just to make it to one year, and now here we are, almost two. We’re going to keep going because it’s still working for both of us. Honestly, it’s the easiest way to get him to sleep or calm him down.”
She’s the mother, and she probably knows her child better than any of us. So ultimately, she’ll know when the time is right. But perhaps the more surprising thing here is how positive the response was. Maybe it has something to do with her choosing to post her musings on Threads and not X. Social media was always supposed to be a community and a way to meet new friends — somewhere along the way, that was lost. It’s great seeing us slowly get back to that.
