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One question some mamas face is whether or not we can drink while breastfeeding [3]. Depending on which expert you ask, you might have a murky answer at best. Because it truly depends on a number of factors. You'll hear experts say that the best rule of thumb is to not have any alcohol, but you'll also hear that waiting up to two hours after having one glass before nursing won't harm your baby. You'll hear that moderation is key, and you'll read plenty of divisive arguments about "pumping and dumping [4]." Making smart decisions about your own wellness and your child's are really up to you, the mother, to make, which is why it gets under my skin whenever people are mom-shamed for doing this very thing: making personal decisions that have absolutely nothing to do with any of us.
While Snooki has always been an easy target of criticism after her Jersey Shore days, the confident mom of three has also always kept it real and stood up for herself when people jumped on her. Last year when she went to Disneyland and put her kids, then 4 and 6, in strollers [5], she defended herself for this very benign parenting decision.
This time, though, she's found herself in the centre of a much more hot button issue than stroller usage at an amusement park. The mom of 8-week-old son Angelo shared a picture of her bottle feeding him while drinking a glass of wine. The caption read, ""What's mom life like with 2 kids and a newborn?" THIS. #MomJuice #ImAGoodMomISwear." Oh boy.
Writing "I'm a good mom I swear" is cheeky and silly, and I think people are missing that completely. And to me, that hashtag calls out the desperation this likely tired mama is experiencing. So seeing this makes me laugh. Because I've been there. But also, we don't know ANYTHING at all about her day . . . her week. She could be using formula. She could have a milk supply so well stocked that she can wait hours before nursing. Who knows? Maybe she won't even finish this one glass.
Never one to ignore the criticism, Snooki stood up for herself, responding to commenters, "I allow myself to have a few glasses once a week to stay sane with three kids. I do what's necessary to clean my milk for my baby. Let a mawma live and keep being 17."
I know heavy drinking while nursing happens. I know that this is an important safety topic and I'd never sweep that under the rug. Snooki introduced herself to the world as a party girl and heavy drinker, after all. I've seen her trip and fall while inebriated on TV and in person. I fully understand the public's image of her and what we might call to memory when seeing this picture of her drinking while bottle feeding her newborn.
But let's not miss the fact that Snooki isn't an idiot. She knows that by sharing this with this caption she's opening herself up to us. But she's married now. Her life exists off camera for the most part and she has three kids. Is it that wild to imagine a world in which she can post this, write this (even if it is a little jarring), and we all just trust that she's making the best decision she can for herself and instead just hook her up WITH Whatever the emoji is for "I understand" — that's the one I'd send her.
