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Amelia Jones
A US-based new mum has been left disgusted and shocked after she came across a video of herself feeding her newborn - in a breastfeeding support group - without knowing she was being filmed.
The post 24-year-old Izabele Lomax (@izlomax) originally saw was actually calling out the original poster (OP) for violating her privacy.
It showed the new mum sitting on a sunlounger under an umbrella and feeding her nine-week-old son, Baker - unaware anyone was filming.
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It read: "Quick 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.
"I blocked out the momma and baby for privacy but it got under my skin so badly."
But it was the OG post that really made Lomax's blood boil, captioned: “I’m not shaming woman who breast feed their babies. I’m shaming the woman who breast feed in public with no respect to cover themselves up and just let their boobs hangout (nipple included) for everyone to see!
“COVER TF UP!!! I shouldn’t have to cover my sons eyes and explain why your boobs are out and quite frankly I don’t want to see it either. Have some respect!”
Lomax responded with her own TikTok video - again topless and feeding her child - who can be heard babbling in the background as she spoke out in her own defence.
She began: "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.
"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."
She said to put the situation into context: "What if you were told that the only way you could eat at the beach is if you were covered up by a towel?"
The advice from experts is that covering young babies during hot weather can prevent air from circulating and cause them to overheat.
MadeForMums advises: "Babies can’t control their body temperature as well as adults can, and overheating can lead to heat rash, restlessness and in extreme (though rare) cases, SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)."
She also touched on the sexualisation of breastfeeding in front of the OP's young child.
"Let it be known that her son is literally four years old.
"If you are sexualising a breast to a four-year-old, you've got your own set of issues."
She thanked those who'd come to her defence in the OG post's comment section but assured her followers that the video had since been deleted.
She talked about her right to feed her baby in 'restaurants' or 'walking down the street' - it's legal to do so in public or private places in all 50 US States and in the UK.
Her TikTok was met with overwhelming support from other nursing and bottle-feeding mums.
One said: "I'd be staring in jealousy and amazement because I never made enough to do that! Good job, mama."
A second said: "Mama I'd have gladly came and sat down right beside you to nurse my 15 month old! You're doing great!"
She summed up her advise for those who come across breastfeeding women, saying: "Next time you see a mom breastfeeding her child in public, covered up or not, tell her how good of a job she's doing."