Woman Left Devastated After Cruel Trolls Said Her Son Was 'Too Old' To Be Breastfed

A mum has been left devastated after cruel bullies criticised her for breastfeeding her nine-month-old son.

Leah-Marie Britton, 21, from Australia had shared a video of herself breastfeeding her baby, Luca-James, in a show of solidarity for the #normalisebreastfeeding movement.

But she was horrified when a stranger said her baby boy was "too old" while others made vile sexual remarks, suggesting the movement was just about men "looking at some t**ty".

Now, Leah-Marie is speaking out against the hurtful trolls to help other mums who have had similar experiences.

Caters)

"During the course of breastfeeding I have experienced many unexpected comments and remarks," said the mum.

"I have gotten foul looks when feeding in public, especially the older he gets, and online, people are even worse as they have a screen to hide behind

"After posting a beautiful video feeding my son, someone said 'tad too old to be breastfeeding don't you think, why not just give him a bottle?'

"And then I received a comment from another person saying, 'I think it would just be some blokes looking at some t*tty, why post a video of something like that in the first place?'

Caters)

"Since posting these remarks online I have received hundreds of messages from other mothers who have experienced similar incidents when breastfeeding.

"Many women commented saying they have been told to feed their baby in the toilets or they need to cover up, or that baby is old to be breastfeeding.

"Some even said they gave up breastfeeding due to such incidents, which I feel is so unfair on both mother and baby.

"I was initially very angry that people can make remarks about a woman feeding her child. New mothers shouldn't be afraid to feed their baby whenever and wherever they need, just because some uneducated individuals disagree."

Caters)

Since voicing her feelings online, Leah-Marie has been flooded with messages of support from other mums and is now posting more than ever to help breakdown the stigma.

"The breastfeeding journey for me has definitely been difficult to say the least but is extremely rewarding," she said.

"As for any new mother it can be quite difficult from trying to learn about correct latching and constantly wondering if your little one is getting enough milk.

"You're also learning to be comfortable with breastfeeding especially in front of people and feeding in public is also very difficult.

Caters)

"As a new mother I experienced many different issues with feeding, from cracked nipples to serve cases of mastitis. I am super proud I have managed to feed him for nine months and will continue to do so until he is ready to wean.

"I have since used my platform to try and post more regularly and normalise breastfeeding, as it is something I am very passionate about.

"Breastfeeding has created a beautiful bond between me and my son and despite all the difficulties we have faced I wouldn't change it for the world."

Topics: Breastfeeding, Life News, Parenting

Lucy Devine

Lucy is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, she has worked in both print and online and is particularly interested in fashion, food, health and women's issues. Northerner, coffee addict, says hun a lot. Get in touch at [email protected].

@lucedevine