While we all know that when it comes to babies, fed is best (and there should never been any shame in the formula game), there is something that is also undeniably remarkable about chest/breastfeeding. That our bodies make food to sustain a baby (or sometimes two or more!), and to contribute to the development of those delicious thigh rolls and adorable chubby cheeks, feels like magic. But we also know that sometimes that magic also involves challenges ranging from low supply and chapped nipples to hours connected to a pump.
One of the cool things about social media is that it allows us to see celebrity moms navigate the same waters as the rest of us when it comes to balancing breastfeeding with being a working mom and grappling with challenges like low supply, weaning, and nursing multiples. There is something that is always empowering about seeing other moms — famous or not — who are figuring out this whole parenting thing as they go along, just like the rest of us. Although we might not have to figure out how to nurse while a glam squad makes us look picture-perfect, we think that a lot of parents will be inspired by these pictures of celebrity moms breastfeeding.
Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde knows her own power. No, we’re not referencing the fact that she is currently loved up with the adorable Harry Styles, but that she was an early adopter of sharing nursing selfies on Instagram. This picture was posted in 2016, and we are also loving her “never underestimate the power of a woman” T-shirt because nursing is a superpower.
Padma Lakshmi
Being a working mom, especially a working mom who is also trying to breastfeed, means multitasking. Most of us may not have to do a morning glam routine to get ready for our day of work, but the feeling of having to nurse and work at the same time feels super familiar. We really are amazing!
Ashley Graham
Ashley Graham is currently nursing twins, and we love that she shared this picture of one way to tandem feed. Breastfeeding multiples is a big commitment, and it’s impressive to see that Ashley has experimented with different postures and positions to find the one that works best for her and her babies.
Halsey
We think all moms are rock stars, but in this case, Halsey is a mom and an actual rock star too. We love the black lipstick and the no-nonsense look while baby Ender is nursing. Halsey is a mother now, but that doesn’t mean she’s any less committed to keeping up her rock-star vibes.
Chrissy Teigen
Does it count as tandem nursing if one of the babies is made of plastic? Hmm, probably not! But this picture of Chrissy Teigen nursing son Miles and her daughter Luna’s baby doll is a great example of how moms with multiple kids manage to feed a baby and keep an older sibling engaged and entertained too.
Gwen Stefani
Have boobs, will travel! Gwen Stefani shared this picture of her nursing one of her sons while traveling through Switzerland in 2014. This highlights one of the best parts about nursing: having the ability to easily feed a baby on the go, no matter what time zone or country we might be in.
Oliva Munn
Even though this video doesn’t actually show only breastfeeding, we had to include it because we think there is something really empowering about a new mom sharing how challenging it can be to nurse with low supply. It’s also a great reminder that breastfeeding doesn’t have to be all or nothing — it can also involve formula too because fed is best.
Alicia Silverstone
Actress Alicia Silverstone is one of the reigning queens of the Hollywood crunchy mom set, and this picture is a great example of why. We’ve got baby wearing, we’ve got on-demand nursing happening, and we’ve got some attachment parenting in action. But really, we do think it’s empowering to show how easy nursing on the fly can be when mom and baby have both figured it out after those sometimes challenging early months when nursing feels like such a production.
Alanis Morissette
This empowering picture of another working mom in action (we ought to know it’s the one and only Alanis Morissette!) is extra great when we look closer at it. Yes, Alanis is gazing lovingly at her baby, but that baby looks like they are giving some side-eye to the makeup artist who is turning his mom’s face blue!
Cardi B
We love this picture of Cardi B nursing daughter Kulture because it shows that being a breastfeeding mom doesn’t mean having to change her style or to start rocking some sort of less sexy mom look. Moms are sexy. Nursing moms are sexy. Thank you, Cardi, for that reminder, even for those of us who aren’t quite brave enough to try those nails ourselves.
America Ferrera
It is hard to be a breastfeeding mom and not at some point also have to be a pumping mom. America Ferrera showed that side of the nursing experience with this shot from her early days of returning to work after having a baby. It can be hard for a lot of moms to make that transition, so there is something empowering about seeing that, famous or not, we all likely end up attached to the pump.
Pink
Another celeb mom who showed off her nursing-while-in-motion skills is Pink. She shared this picture with the caption, “Hiking makes us thirsty!” and made us all a little jealous that we can’t hike and nap like a baby can, right?
Dwayne Johnson & Lauren Hashian
Aw, we love a supportive partner! There is nothing like the hunger and thirst that come with nursing, and we all deserve a little love and food from our partners or support folks. Dwayne Johnson posted this pic, writing: “I’ll handle this business. Mama @laurenhashianofficial has her hands full nursing/feeding Baby Tia, so I’m feedin’ mama her dinner. My pleasure. So much respect to her and all mamas out there holding it down and running things. Just landed and good to get all my girls settled in.” We love that!
Shay Mitchell
This may not be the most realistic version of what nursing looks like (our version was more sweatpants and a messy bun), but we still love to see a picture of a nursing mom who is so striking and confident looking. Do we suspect Shay Mitchell might have been thinking, “Please don’t poop, please don’t pee,” as she held her self-described “breast friend?” Sure, but at least she looks fierce doing it!
Hilary Duff
Hilary Duff shared this picture of her feeding her daughter Banks as she was winding down their nursing relationship. In her Instagram post, she described the emotions a lot of us feel around nursing: that mixture of pride and pressure and of feeling joy for the time with the baby but also fatigue at the demands of pumping. Truth is always empowering, so we’ll let Hilary share hers.
“Last week was my last week nursing Banks. My goal was to get my little girl to six months and then decide if I wanted to keep going. I enjoyed (almost) every moment of feeding my daughter. Felt so lucky to be so close to her and give her that start. I know many women are not able to and for that I am sympathetic and very grateful that I could,” she wrote.
“But I needed a break. I was going to break. With the stress of a dropping milk supply and a baby that was getting bored or not caring about nursing when I was available to, I was sad and frustrated and feeling like a failure all of the time. When really I’m a badass rock star.”
