21 Celebrity Moms Who Refuse to Be Shamed for Using Baby Formula

Ah, the age-old breastfeeding vs. formula feeding debate. The way a mother decides to feed her child is a very hot topic – even though it’s a very personal choice that’s different not only for each woman, but for each child as well.

While society largely touts breastfeeding as a priceless intimate experience and the healthiest way to feed a child – you know, the condescending and stigmatizing adage that “breast is best” – many women face emotional burdens and painful challenges with breastfeeding. -but many women face mentally burdensome and painful challenges in breastfeeding. This is certainly an easy attribute to overlook, as the struggle of mothers to keep their babies from having to consume formula is a noble sacrifice. (Society effectively ignores the entire existence and autonomy of women outside of their function as caretaking machines once they become mothers, but that’s another matter entirely.)

The most common side effects of breastfeeding include clogged milk ducts, mastitis, inadequate or no nipple supply, dry, cracked and calloused nipples, and engorgement, to name just a few. According to a study conducted by UC Davis Medical Center under the NPR, 92 percent of new mothers reported difficulty breastfeeding, and only 13 percent successfully breastfed exclusively for six months.

Although the vast majority of women have some degree of difficulty breastfeeding, the CDC reports that “the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, continued breastfeeding and the introduction of appropriate complementary foods for 2 years or longer.”

But, wait, wait – let’s not forget that while society shames women who don’t breastfeed, they also shame those who do, especially in public – because, you know, feeding your hungry child in a way that tells you there’s to obviously be vulgar and inappropriate. Making. It. Making. Feeling.

Contrary to incredibly common belief, women shouldn’t and don’t have to go through the physical and emotional struggles that often occur when breastfeeding when bottle-feeding infant formula is a completely safe and healthy option. In fact, Mount Sinai, one of the highest-ranked healthcare organizations in the United States, reports that “infant formula is still a healthy choice and your baby will get all the essential nutrients (which they can get through breast milk).”

If breastfeeding is a breeze for you, that’s wonderful and awesome! But if you are a mom who can’t breastfeed easily, then formula feeding is wonderful, amazing and great because it means your baby is fed, happy and healthy. Formula feeding your child doesn’t make you a bad mom. If you’re facing mommy shaming and guilt ridden rage, we want you to make it your new mantra! Say it with us: Formula feeding doesn’t make me a bad mom.

If you need a little extra reassurance, get it from some of the world’s most famous moms who have chosen to formula feed. From Ashley Graham to Chrissy Teigen, the following celebrity moms are vulnerable enough to share their personal experiences to help dispel the ridiculous stigma surrounding formula feeding and reassure other moms that they’re not alone in their often harrowing breastfeeding experiences-because real feeding is the best.

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Ashley Graham

Ashley Graham breastfed exclusively for 13 months after her first child, Isaac, was born in 2020. However, when she became pregnant with twins, she worried about whether she would have enough milk to breastfeed them.

In a video filmed in collaboration with formula company Bobbie, Graham reveals that she decided to mix-feed her twin boys, saying, “We didn’t have to breastfeed. We don’t have to pump a lot. We don’t have to give our babies only breast milk. And sure enough, my babies drink breast milk and they drink formula and everything is fine.”

Photo by Fraser Harrison/Getty Images.

Molly Sims

Molly Sims breastfed her son Brooks for three months, but eventually switched to formula because it was a painful experience for her. In a 2013 interview with People, she said, “I had nipple shields, nipple protectors, assisted nursing systems, and it was horrible. For three months on me, he was really like a vampire – it was unbelievable. I didn’t breastfeed, and I’m proud of that.”

Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez has nonchalantly formula-fed her twins, Max and Amy, since the day they were born. She told the Wall Street Journal in 2008 that she refused to feel guilty or ashamed of her decision because it was made in the best interest of herself and her children.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *