Bryony Esther was forced to breastfeed her infant while standing because the guys on the train refused to give up their seats.
Now the mother is coming under fire online for continuing to nurse her one-year-old child.
Bryony Esther, an Essex mother, was returning home from a hospital in London where she had visited her ill son four days before. Her two little daughters, ages five and one, accompanied her.
She had asked a group of men seated with a luggage if she may sit with them, but they refused, so she had to breastfeed her one-year-old while standing. She then snapped a picture of herself and posted it on Facebook.
“I had to stand on a train while breastfeeding my kid since the charming lot of charmers were more concerned with their baggage and rolling joints!” she stated in her article.
“It has a strong odor. In addition, the rider on the bright bicycle who kept crashing with me sat in the disabled seat. Please feel free to share this because it would make my day if their moms, girlfriends, and wives were able to see how they act.”
The post was shared by more than 36,000 people in total. However, not everyone agreed.
“I’ve gotten a few responses that say things like, ‘Your baby appears to be too old to be breastfeeding,’ and ‘That’s dirty — throw it away,’” the mother explained. ‘Exhibitionist!’ and other derogatory remarks such as ‘Get a car!’” Esther elaborated.
“I could teach them on being ecologically conscious, lowering congestion in London, and on the WHO [World Health Organization] feeding standards, but I’ve been a bit busy with Zak at GOSH [Great Ormond Street Hospital],” she said.
She went on to say that the fact that this wasn’t the first time anything like this has happened motivated her decision to take a photograph at the time.
“I’ve posted about this issue before, the last time being April of last year when I was eight months pregnant and making the same journey to visit my sick son at Great Ormond Street Hospital (just like I was doing the other day), and the last time my friends told me, ‘Next time you should take a picture and post on Facebook so their mothers can see,’ so I did.”
Another woman told her that she should have told the men to move their bag and that if they didn’t, she should have filed a complaint. She also said she should have told the males to relocate their baggage. Esther explained that she didn’t want to cause a scene in front of her five-year-old daughter since she didn’t want to disturb her.
When she went to address someone about their antisocial behavior in 2009, she was attacked. “I was attacked,” she continued.
The mother who practices “baby-wearing,” “natural parenting,” and “eco-friendly” parenting, on the other hand, is glad that her post has received a lot of attention.
“I have to admit that it has given me something else to think about, which is a much-needed break from the hospital,” she explained.
