🍼 “My Baby Comes First”: Mother Speaks Out After Facing Backlash for Breastfeeding Toddler in Public
The controversy over whether women should be permitted to breastfeed in public is not new; it has been ongoing for decades. But every now and again, a powerful voice enters the discourse with a narrative that reminds us why it is still important.
Trinati, a young mother of two, has revived the debate – not with fury, but with serene assurance and a single photo shot at a Costco.
One thing is ubiquitous among all parents who have breastfed a child: newborns do not wait for privacy or perfect timing when they are hungry. They cry, wriggle, and require comfort, whether at home or in the middle of a supermarket aisle.
While some mothers desire greater privacy, others, such as Trinati, refuse to hide. She breastfeeds her 17-month-old kid wherever and wherever she has to, and she makes no apologies about it. However, this may not necessarily make others feel at ease.
Trinati has received sideways glances, uncomfortable stares, and even been sent to broom closets by store personnel who felt she’d “feel more comfortable” nursing in private. Spoiler: she did not.
So she resolved to do something about it.
Trinati requested her son to photograph her while she breastfed her daughter at Costco — not for attention, but for activism. “I never shy away from providing my children with what they may need from me based on our surroundings,” she told us.
As expected, there has been a mixed response.
Aside from strangers in public, her friends and relatives have questioned her decisions, frequently questioning how long she intends to continue “doing that.” Her answer is usually the same: “As long as she needs me to.” And yes, she has heard the awkward jokes about breastfeeding “until kindergarten.”
Trinati’s patience is wearing thin.
“Really? “Have you ever seen breastfeeding breasts?” she remarked during an interview. “My nipples do not resemble anything that anyone would fantasise about! These are basically udders right now. “Get over yourself!”
Her dissatisfaction stems not from humiliation, but from society’s proclivity to sexualise something that is primarily about food and comfort.
“They have ceased to feel like a sexual part of my body. They currently belong to my child, for both physical and emotional nutrition.
According to Trinati, nursing is about much more than just sustenance; it is about developing trust, emotional security, and connection. Even if it means “nipple pinching or straight-up acrobatics” from her curious toddler, she accepts it as part of the maternal process.
“I’ve received strange glances and awkward giggles when people see my 1.5-year-old standing on my lap while nursing — sometimes on one leg!” she says with laughter. “But that’s just real life.”
That Costco snapshot was taken to capture a moment of devotion, not to generate a conversation.
“I wanted to show my daughter one day just how far I was willing to go to make sure she was looked after — no matter the setting,” Trinati told Reuters.
She captioned the Instagram shot, “My baby’s needs come waaaaaay before anyone else’s attempts to make me feel inappropriate for this sometimes-public act of nourishing and/or comforting my children.”
Her purpose is clear: to normalise breastfeeding in public and change the emphasis away from discomfort and shame and towards support and understanding.
“Trust is a fundamental tool for developing healthy relationships, and it begins with the care we receive in childhood,” she told us. “For me, breastfeeding demonstrates this to my children, and for this reason, I will never feel shame.”
Whether you agree or disagree, Trinati’s story serves as a reminder that parenting decisions are extremely personal—and that every mother is merely trying her best in a world full of judgement.
