Chrissy Teigen Spoke Out in Support of Parents Who Struggle to Breastfeed: "Normalize Formula"

Chrissy Teigen spoke about the "shame" and "guilt" she felt while struggling to breastfeed, and called for the normalization of baby formula.

beverly hills, california february 09 christine teigen attends the 2020 vanity fair oscar party hosted by radhika jones at wallis annenberg center for the performing arts on february 09, 2020 in beverly hills, california photo by daniele venturelliwireimage,
(Image credit: Rodin Eckenroth)
  • Chrissy Teigen spoke about the "shame" and "guilt" she felt while struggling to breastfeed, and called for the normalization of baby formula.
  • "normalize breastfeeding is such a huge, wonderful thing. but I absolutely felt way more shame having to use formula because of lack of milk from depression and whatnot," Teigen tweeted.
  • "'normalize breastfeeding' is great. 'normalize formula' is great, too!" she continued. "your baby is gonna be BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT, AND OKAY."

Chrissy Teigen spoke out on Twitter Sunday in support of parents who are unable to breastfeed, reflecting on her own struggles with breastfeeding and the "shame" and "guilt" she felt. "ok I'm gonna say something and you all are definitely gonna make it a thing but here goes: normalize formula," she tweeted. "normalize breastfeeding is such a huge, wonderful thing. but I absolutely felt way more shame having to use formula because of lack of milk from depression and whatnot."

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"people have surrogates, people have trouble breastfeeding and all you hear as a new, anxious mom is how breast is best," Teigen continued. "'normalize breastfeeding' is great. 'normalize formula' is great, too! so yeah. that's all! normalize formula! your baby is gonna be BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT, AND OKAY."

Teigen went on to share her difficult experience attempting to breastfeed, and her resulting "stress" and "guilt." She tweeted, "I remember pumping my ASS OFF, highest mode, so often, because I didn't trust milk was going into their mouthes if I breastfed. it drove me mad to the point I could only get an ounce. an ounce!"

"the stress of it, combined with the guilt that you cannot do nature's most natural thing for your own baby is too much," she finished. "I dunno why this is my crusade now. I just remember the sadness I felt and want you to know you are doing it right if your baby is fed, mama."

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Emily Dixon
Morning Editor

Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.