A mum who posted pictures of herself breastfeeding her baby slammed creepy men for asking if she can "feed them too."
Michelle Palmer, 40, said her breasts are not sexual toys in response to repeated sexualised comments from men online about her breastfeeding her daughter Alexandria.
The US 'lactivist' from New York knew she wanted to breastfeed when she fell pregnant with her daughter Alexandria who is now two years old.
She initially struggled to get Alexandria to latch on properly after her birth in April 2018 which meant she could not be sure how much milk her baby was consuming.
It took Michelle a month to get comfortable nursing Alexandria in public and in front of friends and family but she soon adjusted.
She now posts pictures on Instagram using the 'lactivist' hashtag and considers herself a lactation activist and an advocate for breastfeeding.
While the content is largely met with a positive response, Michelle has been subjected to creepy comments from men who seek to sexualise the natural act of breastfeeding.
She said: "I was shocked at the response on social media. It was mostly positive, but there were a couple of men who made a few creepy comments like 'my turn next' and that kind of thing.
"That happens almost every time I post any breastfeeding picture and I see it all the time on other breastfeeding mums' picture comments too.
"I think that's a huge reason that our western society is so uncomfortable with breastfeeding.
"We sexualise the female body to such an extent that we can't understand that a woman's nipples are a source of nourishment for the next generation, not just playthings for men."
Michelle does not hesitate to feed her baby whenever she is hungry and hopes that by feeding her in public, she can encourage other mothers to do the same without feeling shame or embarrassment about the act.
She said: "The most important part [of being a breastfeeding advocate] is just doing it. Sharing pictures is fun but I just want other women to see me and maybe feel like, 'if she's doing it then I can too'.
"That means if I feel like I need to breastfeed my kid, I don't hold back out of shame, self-consciousness, or fear of what someone else might think or say. I do it and let other people think what they will."
Michelle plans to continue breastfeeding Alexandria, who is 28 months old, until she is two-and-a-half or three but has no set end date.
Yet some of her friends do not understand why she continues to breastfeed and she is sometimes quizzed when out in public.
She said: "So far the reaction when I'm out has either been neutral or inquisitive. They ask me how long I think I'll breastfeed, they'll ask if it's uncomfortable or they will try to ignore it.
"What's interesting is that if my husband is there, they leave me alone. If I'm on my own with Alexandria, they will ask me questions or look at us."
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommend that children are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life and states that it is safe for children to still be breastfed past the age of two years despite some societal misconceptions.
Michelle added: "There's an idea that once a baby has teeth or is 'old enough to ask for it' that you shouldn't be breastfeeding anymore or it no longer benefits the child.
"This is completely untrue. How long a woman breastfeeds is up to her but there are tons of benefits for the baby and mum who keep breastfeeding until two or even longer.
"It's a beautiful way of giving my child the most perfect food she can get anywhere, with a huge amount of emotional benefits too."
