Mother sparks outrage with breastfeeding selfie – from the toilet: ‘What’s the big deal?’

A mother has left the internet divided over her breastfeeding-in-the-toilet selfie - but what do you think of it?

Mother sparks outrage with breastfeeding selfie - from the toilet: ‘What’s the big deal?’

by Kayleigh Dray |
Published on

Proud mum-of-two Elisha Wilson Beach took to Instagram to share a photo of herself multi-tasking to the absolute max.

Smiling bemusedly at the camera, the snapshot shows her sitting on the toilet as she breastfeeds her toddler.

Elisha - who just so happens to be the wife of TV actor Michael Beach - captioned the candid shot: “This is motherhood and it ain't always pretty. What's your #momtruth?”

Via Instagram

The controversial photo was later shared on the Life Of Dad Facebook page, where it has since been shared over 26,000 times.

However, while plenty have said the shot sums up motherhood to an absolute tee, others have been less complimentary about the shot - and some have even suggested that breastfeeding on the toilet is unhygienic.

One wrote scathingly: “I would never breastfeed my child in the bathroom. It’s unsanitary.”

Another added: “That’s gross; I’m sure the little girl, who is obviously standing and old enough to wait, can wait until the mum is done taking a dump or pee.

“I’m a 4-time breastfeeder and I never did this type of feeding. There is a time and place for everything!”

Experts, however, have spoken out in support of the mother - and revealed that breastfeeding in the bathroom is NOT unhygienic for baby.

“The act of going to the bathroom while feeding your baby isn’t unhealthy for him [or her] because the germs from your bodily fluids aren’t jumping out of the toilet,” explained Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor of ob-gyn at Yale School of Medicine.

Stock image

She added confusedly: “I don’t understand why the person taking the picture couldn’t have held the baby, but sometimes these situations happen.”

Posting her own response to the critics on Facebook, Elisha said: “This is my picture and yes I am breastfeeding.

“I shared it on Instagram knowing that some people would think it's TMI but it's reality.

“Everybody complains that social media is full of people pretending to live picture perfect lives and I see so many mothers doubting themselves based on those photos.”

She finished firmly: “Well, this is reality and so many mothers are doing this exact thing right now. Motherhood ain't pretty but then that's what makes it so beautiful.”

What do you think of Elisha’s breastfeeding selfie? Let us know via the comments box below now.

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