A mother has sparked widespread debate after a video of her breastfeeding openly at a restaurant went viral on social media.
Captured on Mother’s Day and shared by the X account Liberacrat, the footage shows the unidentified woman nursing her seemingly two-year-old son while seated at a long table with other diners, unfazed as she continues ordering from a waitress mid-feed.
The video, which quickly racked up thousands of views, drew a wave of mostly critical reactions, with most viewers taking issue with the lady’s refusal to cover up, the age of the boy, the setting, and what they considered an “entitled” attitude by the mother.
A mother was slammed as having “no manners” after breastfeeding her seemingly 2YO son in a restaurant
“Of course breastfeeding in public is fine but does everyone have to see? No. To me this is a private moment between you and your child,” one user wrote, echoing the prevailing opinion online that she should have at least used a blanket.
Beyond the debate on modesty and societal expectations, more observant netizens pointed out how the video appeared to have been recorded with the express purpose of generating buzz online.
Some viewers went as far as to theorize that the mother was allegedly trying to elicit outrage to then later paint herself as a victim of oppression.
“This woman was likely looking for the exact attention that she got,” a commenter speculated. “She wanted to make a spectacle of herself and get people talking about her.”
Less savory comments were quick to connect her attitude with her race and supposed socioeconomic background.
“I could’ve guessed what she was going to look like before reading. Typical,” a netizen wrote. “Yeah, I automatically knew the demographic of the person that was doing this,” another replied.
Breastfeeding in public and private establishments is legal in all 50 of the United States
Regardless of motivation, many defended the mother’s right to feed her child regardless of setting, age, or expected manners.
“If you’re upset about a mother breastfeeding her child, then you might have some issues you’re going through,” a user argued. “This is natural, and as long as she’s not flaunting herself, this is perfectly fine.”
Some news outlets wrongly pointed to the 2019’s Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act as a law safeguarding the right of mothers to breastfeed their children in both public and private spaces in any way or form they so desire.
Contrary to popular belief, what the law actually mandates is for “certain public buildings that are open to the public and contain a public restroom provide a lactation room, other than a bathroom, that is hygienic and is available for use by members of the public to express milk.”
The law that actually protects the rights of mothers to breastfeed in public and private is contained within the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), which specifies that all 50 states in the country consider it illegal to ask someone to leave an area because they are breastfeeding.
Most netizens agreed that while breastfeeding in public is acceptable, it should be done discreetly
Some viewers also took issue with the child’s age. However, according to the World Health Organization, breastfeeding is recommended for children up to two years and even beyond if appropriate complementary foods are added to their diet.
More importantly, according to a report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “the longer an infant is breastfed, the greater the protection from certain illnesses and long-term diseases.”
The same report outlines the several benefits breastfeeding has for mothers, which experience reduced risk of ovarian cancer, diabetes, and better blood pressure levels.
The act also promotes bonding with the baby, reduces the risk of postpartum depression and helps mothers return to their pre-pregnancy weight.
Beyond more inflammatory comments, the prevailing sentiment among commenters appeared to be in agreement with the notion that public breastfeeding is completely acceptable—provided it’s done discreetly.
“We always see worse—but agreed, she should’ve used a blanket,” one comment read. “I fear she knew what she was doing and was trying to get a rise out of people and views at the same time.”
“Mind your business.” Netizens continued to debate the appropriateness of breastfeeding a child without a cover
