Breastfeeding Mother Told To 'Cover Up', She Covered Her Face Instead

Breastfeeding is essential for the normal development of an infant. New age women are claiming their right to breastfeed a child whenever and wherever required. However, breastfeeding in public is an issue almost worldwide.

A similar incident happened in Mexico, where a breastfeeding mom was asked to cover up at a restaurant while she was feeding her four-month-old. She did exactly what she was asked, but the way she did it is grabbing attention all over.

When Melanie Dudley, a mother of three from Austin, Texas, was told to cover up while feeding her baby, instead of covering her chest, she covered up her face and continued to nurse her baby. Her creative response has gone viral.

“I was on vacation in Cabo San Lucas with my entire family and a man asked me to cover myself,” Melanie told Yahoo Lifestyle. She said that the move was spontaneous. “I’m usually discreet, but we were seated in the back of the restaurant.”

After the man asked her to cover-up, she asked her husband to hand her a cover and covered up her face.

Also: Why Breastfeeding In India Remains Low Priority

Last week, a Facebook user Carol Lockwood shared Dudley's hilarious response. Carol shared a photo of Melanie nursing her baby in a hotel bistro with a cloth completely covering her face. The post soon went viral with 218K shares and more than 127K likes.

It reads, “A friend’s daughter-in-law was told to ‘cover up’ while feeding her baby, so she did!”

https://www.facebook.com/carol.lockwood.58/posts/10215738847931572

Carol shared this photograph as she states that she was done with people shaming women for nursing in public. In her post, she wrote. “I’m SO over people shaming women for nursing!!!” Later adding: “PS: To reduce speculation: it was a man who asked her to cover up, it was 90 degrees and extremely humid, and, no, she wasn’t in a Muslim country disrespecting traditions.”

Dudley, 34, shares that she’s been moved by all the support she’s received for the photo. “I just can’t believe it. It’s wild to me.”

“I hope the momentum keeps growing. Let’s be supportive of women who want to nurse in public, with or without a cover,” she added. “I mean, just do your thing. It’s not hurting anyone.”

Also Read: In a First, Bandra Station gets a Breastfeeding Room

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