The Rise of the Breast Pump Selfie

Victoria’s Secret model Doutzen Kroes pumping breast milk. (Photo: Doutzen Kroes/Instagram). 

In real life, public breastfeeding is rife with controversy. In Hollywood, the act has become almost a status symbol with dozens of celebrities flocking to social media to post breastfeeding selfies. But while the “brelfie” may have peaked (thank you, Gisele), the breast pump selfie (brumpie??) is now officially a thing.

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On Sunday, Victoria’s Secret model Doutzen Kroes took to Instagram to post a black-and-white photo of her pumping her breast milk. “Daily routine! I’m promoting breastfeeding, it’s the best for your baby when possible!” she captioned the photo, which commenters called “encouraging” and “wonderful.” Many used the hashtag #normalizebreastfeeding to show their support while others questioned the model’s motivation for posting such a personal image.

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Kroes seemingly took a cue from Kourtney Kardashian, who in March posted an Instagram selfie wearing a revealing black undergarment while pumping her breast milk after attending a work event in Las Vegas.

Kourtney Kardashian pumping after a work event. (Kourtney Kardashian/Instagram.)

All these images are powerful because they promote the idea that breastfeeding should be normalized — that’s a good thing especially in the United States, one of the few countries in the world that doesn’t offer paid maternity leave, despite research showing that women with longer leaves are more likely to nurse. They also challenge the notion that nursing is a modest, private act. That’s significant in a world where women are increasingly getting kicked out of public places and risk losing their jobs for nursing openly, despite laws that make the act legal in almost every state.

But the breastfeeding selfie is cloaked in glamour —  the images of Gisele and Alyssa Milano show the stars surrounded by hair and makeup artists and in a Glamour magazine shoot, Olivia Wilde wore a Roberto Cavalli ball gown while nursing — and for the many women who receive inadequate breastfeeding support in hospitals and are anxious about their ability to nurse correctly, such photos can intimidate.

The breast pump selfie, on the other hand, is refreshingly relatable. Unlike celebrities, working women don’t have the luxury of bringing their children to work and breastfeeding during meetings. For those fortunate enough to work at companies covered under the Family Medical Leave Act (which requires that organizations with more than 50 people provide “reasonable break time” in a private room for women to pump their milk), these celebrity snaps ring true. And the other employees who are often forced to nurse in bathroom stalls have Scarlett Johansson on their side — the actress reportedly had to sneak backstage at the Oscars to pump before dashing onstage to present an award.

That said, being exposed to diverse images of strong, multi-faceted women openly blending the demands of motherhood with their professional lives is always step in the right direction.

Next social media trend: Formula feeding. Make it happen, Hollywood.

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