Toddler 'Breastfeeding' Sibling Sparks Outrage

A photo of a toddler pretending to breastfeed his younger sibling is causing huge controversy in the parenting world, with some calling the image “pornographic.”

The photo was shared on Facebook last week by a breastfeeding support group called Breastfeeding Mama Talk. The image shows a young boy, shirtless, pretending to breastfeed his sibling. The caption reads, “Don’t worry mom. I got you covered!”

Despite receiving thousands of likes and shares, the post sparked a number of negative reactions. In the comments, one Facebook user wrote: “This is disgusting to say the least. If it were the mother, that's different. I see no problem. But to allow a sibling, that is just sick. I see no humour in this at all.”

Another said: “That is sick child pornographic... those children need to be taken away from the parents and the photographer arrested.”

While some saw no harm in the boy pretending to breastfeed, they did voice concerns about the newborn’s safety. “Your baby could be suffocated,” one wrote. “Then you've hurt two children. I guess common sense isn't common.”

In response to the backlash, the breastfeeding group commented on their post saying, “Wow I guess this has people upset LOL Change doesn't happen until you rile people up I guess.”

They later added: “Anyone that would associate anything sexual to breastfeeding needs to get their head examined.”

Some parents were quick to support the group. In their defense, one said: “Anyone that sees a child as sexual in any way is perverse, and I can only hope doesn't allow themselves around children.”

The post also prompted users to share photos of their own kids pretending to breastfeed. One mother who shared a photo said, “If I'd have known big brothers could breastfeed, I'd have taken a lot more showers when baby was new.”

Despite the criticism, many parents praised the photo for showing “such a natural process” and getting kids comfortable with the idea of nursing.

One user, who gave the photo a round of applause, wrote: “He's gonna grow up to be a dad & husband who supports breastfeeding!”

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Ridiculous Places Women Weren't Allowed To Breastfeed In 2015

Doctor’s Office(01 of08)

In June, Florida mom Nichole Moore was kicked out of a psychiatrist’s office after she began breastfeeding her eight-month-old daughter during an appointment. “He said that by me nursing her, I wouldn't be giving him my full attention,” the mother explained. “I said, ‘Are you kidding me?!' I can do both, and I told him that I've never had an issue multi-tasking in any appointment ever!” Full story here. (credit:AOL On)

Airplane(02 of08)

Back in March, Virgin Australia allegedly called the police on a mom after she refused to stop breastfeeding her 10-month-old son as the plane taxied down the runway. Despite wearing a cover and having her son secured in a baby sling, mom Virginie Rutgers and her baby were forced off the aircraft and had to take a different flight home. Following the incident, Virgin Australia said Rutgers was ejected from the flight because she refused to secure her baby in a seat belt, not because she was breastfeeding. Full story here. (credit:AOL On)

Women’s Locker Room(03 of08)

Mom-of-two Caroline Hoffman was at LA Fitness in Georgia this past September when her seven-month-old son began to get hungry. Hoffman then went into a stall in the women’s locker room to nurse him. Soon after, an employee told her to leave. “I had no idea any rule was broken,” the mom told The Huffington Post. “I came out to the front right away and apologized to the staff for my mistake, even though, as it turns out I was not in the wrong, and I should have been allowed back there.”Hoffman was then offered two options: nurse in the washrooms of the “Kids Klub” or on a chair by the front entrance. The mom was not a fan of either option, so she asked if she could nurse in a corner of the children’s area, but was denied. The gym manager later apologized to the mother.Full story here. (credit:Facebook)

Restaurant(04 of08)

When Holly Treddenick started to breastfeed her baby at a restaurant in Wiarton, Ont., back in July, her actions seemingly upset two men who were dining nearby. A staff member then told the mother to leave. “She told me I should have asked her first, I was uncourteous, that I was offending the patrons and that I had to leave,” Treddenick explained in a Facebook post. “I started to pack up, then the owner came out. He backed up what she said, but added they had a private area for breastfeeding and I should have asked. I told him they were wrong, that I had the right to nurse my baby anywhere. He disagreed and I left.”Full story here. (credit:Facebook)

Change Room(05 of08)

In September, Oregon mom Karina Gomez was shamed for nursing her baby in Marshalls. In a viral Facebook post, the mother wrote: “Yes, this is me sitting on a toilet feeding my sweet, Katalina Maria, after I was denied my right to breastfeed where I wanted to by a #marshalls employee. I was denied to breastfeed in a dressing room, instead I was directed to a bathroom stall to breastfeed.“What a way to treat breastfeeding customers, shaming them for breastfeeding, making them feel embarrassed that you need to feed your child. I am angry, upset, but more so humiliated. My rights have been violated.”Marshalls later apologized to the mother and told The Huffington Post that this was an unfortunate incident. “We have a breastfeeding policy in place which instructs Associates to allow customers to breastfeed as they choose within stores,” a spokesperson said. “We have looked into this matter and regret that it may not have been followed in this instance.”Full story here. (credit:Facebook)

Church(06 of08)

An Indiana mom says she was escorted out of church for breastfeeding her baby. “The staff member came up to me and gave a few options: cover up, go to the bathroom (or) the nursery, or leave,” Tayna Ogle said. “Breastfeeding is not a sexual thing, women should not feel shamed or embarrassed to nurse where they need to.”Following the incident, Grace Community Church released a statement saying, “We not only welcome nursing mothers and their babies, but provide optional nursing amenities for the comfort of the mother and child.”Full story here. (credit:Wish TV)

Post Office(07 of08)

In July, mom Raven Dibble was told to leave a Wisconsin postal building two days in a row because she was breastfeeding her three-week-old daughter. According to Dibble, she was told to cover up and a postal worker called her “indecent” for nursing in public.“I'm not standing up for my own right to breastfeed my child,” the mother said. “I'm standing up for other women to breastfeed their child. I'm standing up for those children, my daughter, her right to eat.”A spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service later issued a statement apologizing. Full story here. (credit:Channel 3000)

Airplane Bathroom(08 of08)

In October, Phoenix mom Mariana Hannaman was told she could not pump breast milk in the airplane bathroom of her American Airlines flight from Chicago to Phoenix. After the mom had been pumping in the bathroom for about 10 minutes, a flight attendant knocked on the door and demanded she stop and leave.“I opened the door, with the pump still attached to my breasts and she looked down and then said ‘What are you doing, you can’t do that here. You’re taking too long, there’s other passengers,’” the mom recalled. Following the incident, the airline apologized to Hannaman, explaining that the flight attendant’s “actions were not in line with the company's policies.” Full story here. (credit:Twitter)

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Toddler 'Breastfeeding' Sibling Sparks Outrage

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