Over the first few weeks of her foray into motherhood, Audrey Roloff was very candid about her difficulty breastfeeding.
The Little People, Big World star talked at length about her battle against mastitis and how VERY painful this condition caused it to be when she brought baby Ember up to her chest to suckle.
Or even when she tried to pump.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the pain that I’ve experienced while breast feeding has been comparable to unmedicated labor contractions,” Audrey said last fall, adding:
“Inevitably, all of this has left me feeling like I am failing my baby, frustrated, discouraged, and heart ached.”
We felt terrible for Roloff at the time and we still do. That must have been awful.
On this past Tuesday’s episode of her family’s reality show, however, Audrey elaborated on just why this experience was so awful for her and… well…
… we feel a tiny bit less bad because her view on the topic seems so effed up.
Acknowledging the aforementioned challenge she had with breastfeeding early on, Audrey said the following in a Little People, Big World confessional:
“We just don’t have feeding figured out yet. It just didn’t come easy for me, my body, for her.”
That part of the admission was fine and understandable.
And also very relatable; plenty of new mothers and new human beings need awhile to figure the whole breastfeeding thing out.
During a checkup just a week after giving birth, though, Audrey was told by a doctor that, if her baby wasn’t getting enough sustenance via breast milk, then Audrey and Jeremy would need to supplement with formula.
This is also something very common among new parents.
But Audrey simply was NOT having it.
And her reason for why has angered quite a few people on the World Wide Web.
“I was very adamant about breastfeeding exclusively. Formula is like a sin,” she actually said.
It does sound like Audrey eventually gave in (“I never thought I would do that, but at the same time I need to feed my baby so we have to do it.”), which at last makes us breathe a sigh of relief.
At least she wasn’t extreme enough in this view to actually harm her child.
But… formula is like a sin?!? Excuse her?!?
As you might imagine, many social media users were outraged that she would utter such a thing.
“‘Formula is a sin,’ girl shut the f–k up,” one fan Tweeted succinctly, while another said:
“Did she say, ‘Formula was a sin?’ I want to slap her.”
And one fan pointed out, “Oh Audrey, formula is not a sin. Fed baby is all that matters.”
Seriously, right?
If Audrey feels this way, we guess she’s entitled to that somewhat ridiculous opinion. (Okay, totally ridiculous opinion.)
But to come out and make such a public statement is casting quite the judgmental net over millions of women, many of whom have no choice but to use formula and all of whom just want what is best for their child.
What is sinful about that?!?
Audrey, it should be noted, has not commented on this controversy or issued any sort of apology.
The TLC personality is very open about her faith, as anyone who followers her on Instagram knows well.
She often tries to be encouraging to her fellow mothers, too, recently writing a message online that concluded as follows:
“Moms… You’re not the only one who has been criticized or glared at for doing something wrong. I have too. You’re not the only one.
“You’re not alone. Even though you might feel like it sometimes, we are all figuring out this motherhood thing as we go.
“Sharing what I’ve learned, where I’ve failed and how the Lord is encouraging, empowering, and equipping me as I embrace all that it means to be a mother.”
It’s a nice sentiment.
But perhaps Roloff should have considered how her “sin” talk would make these same mothers feel before she made the remark.
