Michelle Branch is calling out mom shamers for telling her how to parent!
The singer took to Twitter on Tuesday to reflect on a negative interaction she experienced with another mother while at a park with her two young children. As her 3-year-old son Rhys James Carney was playing on the playground, she went to a discreet location to breastfeed her 6-week-old daughter Willie Jacquet Carney — but was then rudely called out! She told followers:
“I just got shamed by another mother (who was holding her own young infant!) for nursing my 6 week old baby on a bench at a playground while my toddler was playing. She said I wasn’t ‘being modest’ I am in shock that this kind of judgement was coming from a fellow mom!”
Right?? So surprising!
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She continued in a follow-up tweet, adding:
“…and to clarify, I had a nursing tank top on and was seated away from others. It’s not like I walked into the crowd and whipped my t*ts out. Being a mom is hard enough. Can we not judge one another for how we feed our babies?”
Ugh! So frustrating!!
I just got shamed by another mother (who was holding her own young infant!) for nursing my 6 week old baby on a bench at a playground while my toddler was playing ???? She said I wasn’t “being modest” I am in shock that this kind of judgement was coming from a fellow mom!
— Michelle Branch (@michellebranch) March 15, 2022
…and to clarify, I had a nursing tank top on and was seated away from others. It’s not like I walked into the crowd and whipped my tits out. Being a mom is hard enough. Can we not judge one another for how we feed our babies? ????????
— Michelle Branch (@michellebranch) March 15, 2022
Lots of fans came to the Everywhere singer’s defense in the comment section, responding:
“Amen!! So sorry you had to deal with this. Women need to support one another not push each other down. Don’t let it get to you, you’re an amazing mama!! Love you.”
Another person acknowledged how ridiculous it is to get mad at a mother just trying to feed her child, writing:
“Ugh, that’s so frustrating, especially when it’s coming from another mom! Why is providing nourishment to our babies seen as a shameful thing?”
Responding to a user whose friend had experienced a similar incident, the 38-year-old songwriter noted:
“I was in shock, so I didn’t say anything back. I’m fuming!”
Unfortunately, the Goodbye To You vocalist, who also shares 16-year-old daughter Owen Isabelle Landau with ex Teddy Landau, is not alone in this struggle.
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Shamers have impacted thousands of parents and witnesses alike. First, a few women who struggled to breastfeed shared why this story made their hearts hurt, writing:
“She knows that’s what boobs are for right? As a mom who struggled to BF, I would have given anything to be able to whip out a boob and feed my kid at the park. Can’t win either way, but I’d rather be immodest than have a hungry baby!”
“This makes me so upset. I struggled so hard with breast feeding. I dried up because I felt I couldn’t feed when I needed to. The pressure on new moms is hard enough.”
Others had some words of encouragement, insisting that Branch was not in the wrong:
“You are beautiful and strong
That woman should be the one feeling ashamed. Breastfeeding is a powerful/painful/wonderful journey. It’s sad others cannot be respectful. I’m sorry you had to go through that. My heart is with you.”
“I’m not a mother, but please always feel free to feed your child when and where you choose. I’d gladly put my ‘cool aunt’ energy to good use to defend any mom who is merely tending to the needs of her child.”
“I’m honestly speechless!! It’s 2022, people need to accept that boobs are meant primarily to feed babies and breastfeeding is not immodest”
That woman should be the one feeling ashamed. Breastfeeding is a powerful/painful/wonderful journey. It’s sad others cannot be respectful. I’m sorry you had to go through that. My heart is with you.”This person had some top-notch advice for all the haters, too, adding:
“I think if people don’t want to see it then they shouldn’t look. That’s my attitude when I’m feeding my son in public! You were doing nothing wrong!!”
Love that!
Michelle welcomed Willie on February 2 after suffering a miscarriage in December 2020. So she and husband Patrick Carney are in the thick of it as they adjust to life with two little ones — the last thing she needs is a stranger telling her how to parent!
Thoughts on all this?!
[Image via Michelle Branch/Instagram]
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