A recent incident has highlighted the power of social media to stir controversy, as a mother found herself unexpectedly thrust into a debate about breastfeeding in public. Izabelle Lomax, a proud breastfeeding mom from Maryland, was shocked when she stumbled upon a video of herself nursing her nine-month-old son, Baker, while scrolling through her Facebook feed.
The Breastfeeding Video Surprise
The video captured a moment of tender connection between Izabelle and Baker, as they enjoyed a beach outing during a sweltering heatwave. Surrounded by family, they embraced the simple joy of a beach day together.
Lomax told Today that she had been in her own little area and that it hadn’t occurred to her that someone would be upset with her for “feeding [her] child”.
Igniting the Public Debate
Upon seeing a video of herself breastfeeding her child that was filmed without her knowledge, Lomax, 24, took to TikTok to vent: “Just pulled up my Facebook and was greeted with this and I just cannot understand how another female can say this and take VIDEO of this momma feeding her baby and post it to the internet."
In the Facebook post, the poster wrote: "I blocked out the momma and baby for privacy but it got under my skin so badly.” The poster continued to write that they were not shaming women who breastfeed, but the women “who breastfeed in public with no respect to cover themselves up and just let their boobs hangout (nipple included) for everyone to see!”
“COVER TF UP!!!” The poster added below the video. “I shouldn’t have to cover my son’s eyes and explain why your boobs are out and quite frankly I don’t want to see it either. Have some respect!”
@izlomax ill leave this here 😊 #breastfeeding ♬ original sound - izlomax
A Voice of Breastfeeding Advocacy
To say Lomax was not happy about the poster’s remarks is putting it lightly. In the video, she continued: “Imagine waking up, getting on Facebook, and seeing this video of yourself yesterday at the beach."
“Not only did this woman walk past me multiple times with her son, you had every opportunity in the world to say something to me.” The mother proceeded to lambast the Facebook poster: “Not that I would have cared or stopped what I was doing, but you instead choose to post a video of me and my child on Facebook, publicly for the world to see.”
“What if you were told that the only way you could eat at the beach is if you were covered up by a towel?” Lomax continued, while calling out the Facebook poster for mom-shaming her. She then told her that the next time they see another mom breastfeeding in public, they should “tell her how good of a job she’s doing”.
A Supportive Online Community
In an interview with Today, Lomax said that the poster deleted the video without any apology. In the comment section of her TikTok, many users were outraged on her behalf, writing: “You did amazing mama! Feed that baby wherever whenever.”
Another wrote: “With these record heat spikes too. Covering up would be torture to me and my little one.”
Conclusion
Izabelle's story serves as a reminder that every mother's breastfeeding journey is unique, and the way she chooses to nourish and nurture her child should be celebrated rather than criticized. In a world that often struggles to strike a balance between personal choices and societal norms, Izabelle's resilience and self-assurance shine as a beacon of empowerment for mothers everywhere.