Sadly, moms being shamed for breastfeeding in public is nothing new, but I’ve never heard of a breastfeeding mom being accused of trying to steal another woman’s boyfriend. What? Really?
As someone who has breastfed a baby, I can tell you that seduction is the absolute last thing on our minds when we’re trying to feed our child.
Unfortunately, this did happen to one mom who spoke out in the hopes of preventing another mom from going through this.
Reka Nyari is a world-renowned photographer based in New York.
Originally born in Helsinki, Finland, Reka came to New York to study photography and has primarily worked from the city since then.
Besides being a photographer, Reka and her husband are also the parents to their adorable daughter, Ilo.
In Finnish, Ilo’s name means “happiness”. Isn’t that so sweet?
Since, Ilo was born, Reka breastfed her and shared images of herself breastfeeding through her Instagram account.
She said in an interview that since breastfeeding is so natural to her as a mom, she didn’t hesitate to share the images with her followers.
Breastfeeding is also a subject explored in many of Reka’s works of art.
She’s staged elaborate photoshoots for herself and models that focus on the topic of breastfeeding. These images truly highlight the beautiful bond between a mother and child.
Reka also considers herself somewhat of a lactivist.
She’s been open about her decision to breastfeed her daughter into her toddler years and has opened up about how strangers have tried to shame her for her choice.
One incident that stood out to Reka was when she was breastfeeding her daughter on a plane.
A woman sitting in front of Reka openly shamed her while she nursed her daughter during the plane’s landing.
Reka shared her experience on social media.
“She called me ‘disgusting’ followed by a litany of degrading swear words. Apparently she thought I was trying to steal her man by quietly breastfeeding my baby during the landing of the plane,” Reka said .
Since sharing her experience, Reka’s story went viral and she received a ton of support from other breastfeeding mothers.
She hopes that by people hearing her story, we can finally learn to normalize breastfeeding once and for all.
Reka is still breastfeeding her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, and sharing updates from her breastfeeding journey with the world.
It’s so important for breastfeeding moms to share the good and bad parts of their journeys with each other. This is how we build a community of strong breastfeeding moms!
Reka says she has been more criticized now that her daughter is older.
She said, “Now that my daughter is 34-months-old, I get judged and criticized a lot. Friends and family roll their eyes, give disapproving stares, and tell me that I should quit.”
““I was considering weaning my daughter off when she was about one-year-old,” Reka said.
“…but I found so much evidence that extending breastfeeding past one-year is extremely beneficial for both the mum and child.”
“Talking with accomplished, experienced paediatricians sealed the deal. I was not pushing it.”
“I let my daughter decide how she felt, and if she still wanted to feed.”
“But it’s harder because you have to deal with a toddler who does acrobatics while they have a nipple in their mouth. It’s also harder because people judge you, and you have to constantly explain yourself.”
“The more women speak publicly about this, the more people are exposed to the idea and the more acceptable it becomes.”
“Breastfeeding and extended breastfeeding should be normalised. I feel sad when I read about a lot of mothers who breastfeed past a year but hide it because they feel ashamed or judged.”
“Of course, I give my daughter solid food too – she loves to eat.”
“But some of the benefits of extended breastfeeding include: boosting the child’s immune system, helping brain and intellectual development, and making children more socially adaptable and independent.”
Reka is standing up for what she believes in, and we are here for it!
