Jessica Simpson — world-renown singer, entertainer, and businesswoman — has long been a strong ambassador of that #MomLife content. She’s always been incredibly candid about her struggles during pregnancy, highlighting the discomfort she’s faced in dealing with weight gains, swollen ankles, and acid reflux. It’s part of the reason so many moms follow and love her.
But on April 2, 2019, Simpson posted the following photo of bottle pumped full of breast milk with the caption, “This is what success feels like.”
Hard to see anything wrong with that, right?
Wrong!
Offense Taken!
Though many commenters wrote in support of Simpson’s impressive admission, a lot of people were offended by her messaging.
“What a great way to make others who can’t feel like failures. Think before you post…,” one commenter wrote, sparking a debate amongst Simpson’s followers.
“Breastfeeding is great but for all the moms out there that can’t breastfeed or simply are ‘done’ due to choice, formula is also the best you can do for your child,” another added.
The Debate Deepens
Other commenters were not offended by Simpson’s message, but wanted to clarify what “success” means when it comes to raising a child.
“I think success is your baby being fed no matter how you do it. The measure of success is not how much you can breastfeed, or if you can at all, just love your babies. To all the mothers reading this and struggling with breastfeeding, don’t get discouraged! It doesn’t work out for everyone,” wrote one commenter.
“Success is raising a kind child. Now that feels amazing whether or not that child was fed breast milk or formula,” wrote another.
Not All Bad News
Of course, there were many excited comments made in support and appreciation of Simpson’s impressive feat.
In the end, we should all work to support each other, even when we do things differently. Simpson is doing the best for her kids, just as we are doing the best for ours. And what more can you ask for, really?
Any way you cut it, we hope Simpson continues to share stories about her motherhood. The more we share, the better off we all are. Besides, we have enough new things to worry about without burdening ourselves with how Jessica Simpson feeds her kids.