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In May, Torah Bright shared a photo showing her breastfeeding her 10-month-old son while in a headstand.
The photo, posted to Facebook, sparked a fierce online debate – and the Olympic champion, 34, says she now regrets sharing it at all.
‘If I knew how these women had taken the image, you know, to represent things that it wasn’t, I don’t think I ever would have done it,’ she told Stellar on Saturday.
Private: In May, Torah Bright (pictured) shared a photo showing her breastfeeding her 10-month-old son while in a headstand. The photo, posted to Facebook, sparked a fierce online debate – and the Olympic champion says she now regrets sharing it at all
‘But at the same time, I think it’s a conversation that is a beautiful one to have – and that little dilemma did start it,’ she added.
The athlete said part of the backlash had to do with the ‘guilt’ mums experience around the topic of breastfeeding.
‘It’s [others’] projections on me – that you might not be a good mother if you don’t breastfeed or you choose not to or you can’t. It’s just this guilt put on mothers from the outside world.
Regrets? ‘If I knew how these women had taken the image, you know, to represent things that it wasn’t, I don’t think I ever would have done it,’ she told Stellar on Saturday
Fit: Torah recreated the viral image in a photoshoot for Stellar magazine, this time wearing a bikini top and jeans while her toddler son waddled alongside her
‘But really, we’re all just trying to do the best we can. And we have different breaking points,’ she said.
Torah recreated the viral image in a photoshoot for Stellar magazine, this time wearing a bikini top and jeans while her toddler son waddled alongside her.
The image of her breastfeeding son Flow was part of a series of photos she uploaded on Mother’s Day alongside the caption ‘becoming a mother has unleashed something inside of me’.
‘My prayer for all mothers, now and in the future is that they be heard. Honoured. Respected and encouraged to trust their intuition.’
Moving: The image of her breastfeeding son Flow was part of a series of photos she uploaded on Mother’s Day alongside the caption ‘becoming a mother has unleashed something inside of me’. The photo attracted thousands of comments
The breastfeeding photo attracted thousands of comments, including one that read ‘now that’s a balanced meal’.
Another said: ‘Breastfeed anywhere, anytime’, while a third commentator wrote ‘What an awesome mama bear. Love her’.
But Bright was also criticised for her breastfeeding approach, with one commenting ‘I’m not saying it’s not beautiful. Breastfeeding is between a mum and a child. This is way too much. It’s not about handstands and seeing how that child could actually latch on for likes’.
Family: She shares her son Flow, 11 months, with her partner, fellow snowboarder Angus Thomson. All pictured
Bright said she was disappointed with the critical comments, many of which came from other mothers, adding ‘disclaimer: this is not a sustainable breastfeeding practice’.
‘Reading some of the comments make me sad,’ Bright wrote in an Instagram story.
‘In my world mother’s should be each other’s cheerleaders (it’s hard enough). Embrace our quirkiness and finding the joy in every sh***y thing that is motherhood.
Love: The couple were married in 2015
‘We all do it differently, it is not wrong or right. Motherhood is pure. I only now consider myself a wonder woman because I have joined the sacred mothers club with you. Nothing but respect to all mothers.’
Bright said she was ‘not looking for praise’, telling how she walks ‘this earth to the beat of my own drum, led by my intuition and search for love and joy… obviously’.
She shares her son Flow, 11 months, with her partner, fellow snowboarder Angus Thomson. The couple were married in 2015.
In 2010, Torah scored her first Olympic medal, winning gold for snowboarding at the Vancover Winter Olympics.
Winner: In 2010, Torah scored her first Olympic medal, winning gold for snowboarding at the Vancover Winter Olympics
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