It’s not easy, and it’s not always embraced by those around us. But these powerful, beautiful, sometimes raw images of women breastfeeding their babies are proof of the strength, determination and love that moms from across the country have for their newborns. Here, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite breastfeeding pictures from across the Internet and around the world.
The Breastfeeding Bride
This beautiful bride took the to-have-and-to-hold part of her wedding vows to a whole new level as she nursed her new baby boy mid-ceremony. The photographer was initially hesitant to share the breastfeeding pic, but ultimately decided to go for it, writing, “I was pretty sure people would find it as beautiful as I did.”
Breastfeeding to Shatter Stereotypes
As many moms know all too well, nursing doesn’t come easy to every baby. That can be especially true for babies with Down syndrome, whose poor muscle tone may interfere with a good latch. But that doesn’t mean those infants can’t breastfeed—which this group of women breastfeeding babies with Down syndrome set out to show.
Shutting Down the Shamers
Christian Serratos, who plays the butt-kicking, zombie-destroying Rosita in The Walking Dead, took to Instagram to put breastfeeding-shamers in their place. “This is my body and my page. So I will post what I want, when I want. Those who disapprove can suck my left tit,” she writes. With well over 200,000 likes, it looks a lot of people are cheering her on.
Multitasking Mama
When Maya Vorderstrasse shared this photo on Instagram, she was floored by the response of over 11,000 likes. Here, she’s feeding her older daughter Zoey with a bottle and baby daughter Hazel with her breast. She writes about her struggle to nurse both at the same time. “Feeding them is beautiful,” she says. “I don’t know about your journey, but I can tell you that whatever your choice or circumstance, don’t ever feel guilty or like you are inadequate. Ever. Just love them and do the best you can. You’re a rockstar. No. Matter. What. Whatever your feeding routine consists of, it is hard being a mother, so let’s show support for each other! To me, fed is best.”
Standing Up for Women’s Rights
Is there any setting more appropriate to proudly nurse baby in public than the Women’s March? We think not. Here, Tess Holliday does it with zero apologies.
Breastfeeding in the Great Outdoors
Jinti Fell travels Australia by way of a camper van with her husband and baby daughter, Ayana. On the topic of breastfeeding, she offers up this heartening message: “Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up.” And with over 11,000 Instagram likes, it’s clearly a sentiment that’s resonating with others.
What No Breastfeeding Mom Wants to Hear
Women breastfeeding in public are constantly subjected to stares, dirty looks and other people’s opinions—and photographer and mom Nicki Kaylor was sick of it. So she gathered together some East Tennessee moms and asked them to write down what people have said to them while they’ve nursed. Here’s one of the many ensuing breastfeeding pictures, featuring Erin Peabody, her baby boy and the unwanted “you should use a blanket” advice that she’s tired of hearing.
Three Generations
Mother of two and photographer Ivette Ivens loves taking breastfeeding pictures. In fact, she has a book called Breastfeeding Goddesses. While the breastfeeding pictures in it are decidedly ethereal, this one—recently shared on Instagram—is simple and real, and just as lovely.
