Alyssa Milano is now a mom of two: a 3-year-old boy named Milo Thomas and a new daughter, Elizabella Dylan, who was born just weeks ago. She joins many other celebrities who have posted breastfeeding selfies, as she shared a touching black-and-white photo of herself nursing her new baby.
Alyssa feeding her baby
The comments on her Instagram photo were overwhelmingly positive. "Thank you for being bold and showing that breastfeeding is normal, and it's ok to do it!" wrote one commenter. "Celebrities can really help make a difference for women and socity [sic] feel more comfortable! @milano_alyssa , stay strong and keep on nursing that precious baby! Best bond in the world!"
"Thank you for helping normalize breastfeeding!" writes another.
On the other hand, I checked a few entertainment websites, and the comments about Milano were overwhelmingly negative. I won't reprint any here, but they were full of statements about how gross she was, questioning her motives and saying it was in-your-face and totally inappropriate.
Sharing a breastfeeding photo is one of the simplest ways to help other mothers feel more comfortable nursing. If you're a new mom and you see a star like Milano sharing her breastfeeding picture, then you may feel like you're a part of a larger community — a community in which breastfeeding is accepted and encouraged (of course, provided you don't bother reading the bogus tripe from the unenlightened naysayers).
Rock on, Alyssa Milano. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photo.
More on breastfeeding
Gwen Stefani's breastfeeding selfie
Celebrity moms who share breastfeeding selfies
Life-sized breastfeeding signs promote acceptance of nursing in public