Mum receives backlash over breastfeeding image

Mum receives negative comments after she shared an image of herself breastfeeding her baby son while sitting on Santa’s lap.

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Rebecca Dunbar, 40, stood waiting in line to get a picture taken with Santa when one of her twins began. She did what any mum would and began nursing him to settle him down.

She was still feeding when it was their turn to meet Santa so they both sat on his lap and continued to feed.

Rebecca said “We asked the photographer and he was comfortable with it because he has two children and they both nurse.’

‘Santa said: “I’ve never been asked that in 40 years so why not?” So we took the picture,’ added Rebecca.

‘Honestly, we were just in line and my little guy, who has the patience of nothing, decided he was hungry in about two seconds,’ she told Global News. ‘He would have just screamed the entire time so I started nursing him. And we were next in line.’

Rebecca shared the image on her Facebook page and most of her friends liked the photo, but sadly some other people found it unnecessary and even offensive. .

‘I posted it just as another picture of how great breastfeeding is, but it was a bit tongue-in-cheek and silly. Santa looks silly,’ she said.

‘I’ve seen a lot of negative comments on social media which is disappointing for to see,’ said Rebecca.

One woman wrote on Facebook: ‘What a crock. Mothers know full well that babies get hungry and require feeding probably every couple of hours.

‘She could have either found a quiet spot… or she could have pumped breast milk first and put it in a bottle in case her baby got hungry. Instead, she decided to act like an exhibitionist.

Another person commented: ‘Of all the the stupid publicity grabs by attention-started cows, this one is the worst. Obviously this self-centered crybaby doesn’t give a thought to how the poor gentleman playing Santa must feel – no, she and her self-important agenda come first.

Rebecca has since made her Facebook profile private due to the negative comments, said she doesn’t regret taking the photo and would take it ‘a million times’ again, but feels sad about the criticism she’s received.

‘I think breastfeeding should be made more acceptable in all ways. It shouldn’t deserve a comment one way or another because it shouldn’t be seen as abnormal,’ she said.

‘I think breastfeeding is absolutely beautiful and I was very positive about it. The fact that people have been so negative is a little upsetting. But everyone has an opinion,’ Rebecca added.

I think this is one of the BEST Santa photo’s I have seen this year and there are some awesome ones around.

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15 Comments

- - mom156049 said
  - 07 Feb 2016
    11:18 pm
Makes for a unique Santa photo. If the photographer and Santa were comfortable with it then why not….

- - madlac2 said
  - 04 Feb 2016
    9:30 am
Good on you Rebecca, thatll show the obnoxious breast hating pigs out there.
U go girl.
Oh and just to say alot of people breastfeed because a baby wont take a bottle, a little like how some people bottlefeed because bub wont latch onto the breast, therefore one cannot express and feed baby from bottle. All you breastfeeding haters out there need to go get a life, its none of your concern how people choose to feed their babies….you probably dont even have kids of your own so you wouldnt know s@!t.

- - mom93821 said
  - 31 Jan 2016
    8:59 pm
Definitely a very different Santa photo. Shame she received negativity, but breast feeding seems to divide people.

- - risshabear said
  - 19 Jan 2016
    12:18 am
By the sounds of it she asked the photographer and possibly Santa if they were ok with it anyways. Absolutely fine, unfortunately there are bigots with their stubbornness to see the reality that breastfeeding is natural and inevitable.

- - Angelmum94 said
  - 01 Jan 2016
    8:32 pm
You can’t see anything so i don’t know why people are complaining. You see 12 years olds with less clothes on in this modern times. It’s a very modest photo i do not see how it’s an exhibitionist. Also why should she express and bottle feed? If she can exclusively breastfeed good on her more women need to do it. Two thirds of women can breastfeed and one third genuinely can’t so if every women who can breastfeed did it wouldn’t be so unacceptable and there will be plenty of formula for the mums who genuinely can’t

- - Kasey said
  - 29 Dec 2015
    12:50 pm
Each to their own but I think she did this to prove a point.

- - mom90758 said
  - 22 Dec 2015
    8:08 pm
It’s a beautiful picture. I wouldn’t have done it myself, but it’s gorgeous. A great memory for that sweet little and healthy baby!
- mom93821 replied
  
  01 Feb 2016 , 6:45 pm
  It is a lovely pic and memory to cherish forever.
- - mom165081 said
  - 22 Dec 2015
    3:12 pm
I suppose it’s her choice and given she asked permission first, what’s the fuss?

- - rachelvk said
  - 22 Dec 2015
    2:38 pm
I personally would not post a photo like this but each to their own. Good on her for having the confidence and sense of humour.

- - mom73361 said
  - 22 Dec 2015
    1:41 pm
Good on her for feeding her baby when he was hungry and not worring about what others think. Other people will go eat and drink when and where they feel hungry so why do ppl have to be nasty/ rude to Mums feeding their child when they get hungry.
No mother should have to express milk just in case the baby gets hungry. Feed on demand so it’s always fresh and sterile, straight from boob to mouth.

- - Lizbef said
  - 22 Dec 2015
    12:35 pm
This is the second story to do with negative nancies criticising mums in how they have their Santa photos done. We’re supposed to support other mothers not belittle and criticise them, mothering is hard enough without!

- - mum888 said
  - 22 Dec 2015
    12:33 pm
Well, I guess you can say this is a creative photo and probably Santa was in more shock than anyone else . There is always someone that will do something different that has never been done before .Lets call it an eyeopener shall we …mm

- - mom94125 said
  - 22 Dec 2015
    12:03 pm
i agree, it is a great, funny picture but i know that stuff like this always gets talked about. i don’t think that people should be bashing her for it. People need a sense of humour. I think that if i had a pic like this that i wouldn’t post it online though

- - mom74640 said
  - 22 Dec 2015
    11:44 am
Like jf