The road is often bumpy, painful, and exhausting for women who commit to breastfeeding their babies, so breastfeeding moms need support and care. Between cracked nipples, engorgement, and the endless hours devoted to the job, moms who breastfeed are put through the wringer. Now add a potty-training toddler who demands attention or a full-time job that requires you to pump in the bathroom at work, and, well, it can be one of the most challenging (and rewarding) parts of motherhood. Here are 20 celebrity moms who have powered through it and helped normalize and support breastfeeding for all of us.
20 Celebrity Moms Who Normalize Breastfeeding
Here are 20 celebrity moms who share their journeys and normalize breastfeeding for all women.
1. Jessica Simpson
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Breastfeeding moms often say they hear their breast pump in their sleep. And it looks like singer and fashion mogul Jessica Simpson has, at times, been besties with her pump too. Not long after her third child, Birdie Mae, was born, this celebrity mom shared a snap of her freezer full of breastmilk — with the caption, “I’m starting to think we should add breast milk to the Jessica Simpson Collection 🤣”
You can’t put a price on a freezer full of liquid gold.
2. Tia Mowry-Hardict
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Actress Tia Mowry-Hardict shares that although she was grateful to be able to breastfeed, her path was far from easy. “Happy #nationalbreastfeedingweek #nationalbreastfeedingmonth. #breastfeeding my son Cree was very challenging. I just didn’t have enough milk and that was okay,” Mowry-Hardict shared in an IG post in 2020. “However, with my daughter #cairo I was determined to try again and I’m so happy I did. I researched, looked to the #breastfeeding community for guidance and had an incredible breastfeeding consultant. I was able to #breastfeed #cairo for 13 months. Trust me, it was not easy. I had #mastitis in the first few months. Cairo also has a lip tie making it a little challenging. However, we did not give up! To all the #mothers who couldn’t breastfeed. Don’t beat yourself up. The most important thing is that your baby is fed, protected and loved. 💕 #wegotthis.”
3. Rachel McAdams
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We all remember the iconic photoshoot Rachel McAdams did for Girls. Girls. Girls. Magazine, where she paired her breast pump with Versace, making the multitasking of motherhood — including breastfeeding — look glamorous. In her IG caption, photographer Claire Rothstein says, “Breastfeeding is the most normal thing in the world and I can’t for the life of me imagine why or how it is ever frowned upon or scared of. I don’t even think it needs explaining but just wanted to put this out there, as if it even changes one person’s perception of something so natural, so normal, so amazing then that’s great.” And Rothstein adds: “Side note: I did not look anywhere near as fabulous as this when feeding/pumping. And that’s ok too.”
LOVE.
3. Candice Swanepoel
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Victoria’s Secret model Candice Swanepoel is an outspoken advocate supporting women who breastfeed in public. “Many women today are shamed for breastfeeding in public, or even kicked out of public places for feeding their children,” she writes in a precious IG pic of her baby breastfeeding. “I have been made to feel the need to cover up and somewhat shy to feed my baby in public places but strangely feel nothing for the topless editorials I’ve done in the name of art? The world has been desensitized to the sexualization of the breast and to violence on tv…why should it be different when it comes to breastfeeding? – Breastfeeding is not sexual, it’s natural – Those who feel it is wrong to feed your child in public need to get educated on the benefits breastfeeding has on mother and child and, in turn on society as a whole. 💪🏼💙 👫👭 #mothernature”
4. Emily Ratajkowski
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Emily isn’t afraid of making waves — whether it’s gossip around her smooches with Harry Styles or her passion for breastfeeding. Her IG is full of gorgeous pics, including her feeding baby Sylvester Apollo (Sly). One caption reads, “If it seems like I’m always breastfeeding it’s because I am.”
Isn’t that the truth?! It’s a full-time job!
5. Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys has helped normalize the conversation around the fact that sometimes breastfeeding doesn’t come naturally to people. And she talks engorgement. Ugh, the engorgement.
“I loved (breastfeeding). I took this whole class too, which I thought was really good because I think a lot of people think you’re just supposed to have this natural instinct that’s supposed to happen out of thin air,” said Keys in an interview with Amanda de Cadenet. “The whole engorgement thing, no one mentioned that part. I remember I was in bed, and I couldn’t move because it hurts and there is no way around it.”
6. Alyssa Milano
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Alyssa Milano, another celebrity mom and fierce fighter for women’s rights to breastfeed in public, used her appearance on the Wendy Williams Show as a teachable moment. When the TV host said she “didn’t need to see that” and suggested breastfeeding mothers cover up, Milano pushed back, asking, “Would you eat under a blanket?” And the vocal actress followed up by inquiring why models and celebrities are allowed to walk around nearly naked, but a mother feeding her child is a problem. We agree!
One of our fave Alyssa Milano breastfeeding pics is this one — because we’re all Wonder Woman, aren’t we?
7. Halle Berry
Celebrity mom of two Halle Berry, says her experiences breastfeeding Nahla versus her little brother Maceo were drastically different. “There’s a difference between boys and girls,” Berry says in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres. “When I would put Nahla on the boob she would go [light sucking] — a nice little girly suck. With him, it’s like, [chomping suck]. He’s like, sucking the life out of me!
We know not every mom will have this experience with boy babies vs. girl babies, but it’s fun to hear celeb moms tell how different their kids can be.
8. Kandi Burruss
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Kandi Burruss, the Real Housewives of Atlanta star and celebrity mom, can attest that our babies do not care what else we do when they get hungry. In an all-too-relatable IG pic, Buruss writes, “This #breastfeeding stuff is no joke … He doesn’t care that I have a head full of shampoo. He wants to eat now! Lol! This pic might be a bit much to share on the gram but this is my reality right now. Save your negative comments… #KandiKoatedMilk”
And that’s motherhood in a nutshell.
9. Thandie Newton
Thandie Newton shared a picture on IG in 2014 of her breastfeeding her two-year-old son at the Latitude Festival. Her caption, “Perfect happiness @latitudefest This is what my body is made for. And the rest is my choice. #Freedom,” says it all.
She is free to feed her child in whatever works best for her, as we all are — the end.
10. Kristen Bell
Another supporter of moms who feed their babies whenever and wherever they are hungry, Kristen Bell, said this when asked where moms should breastfeed: “It’s called earth. Planet earth. That’s the place they should be allowed to breastfeed.” And she went on to say, “If someone sees an inch of your boob or areola and they can’t control their disgust or shock or sexual desire, that’s on them.”
Also, in a 2014 interview for Redbook, Bell says anyone who takes issue with women breastfeeding in public can “calm down” and “get over it!” After all, she says, “They’re just boobs! They’re under our shirt whether you’re looking at them or not.”
We love you, Kristen Bell.
11. Eva Longoria
Celebrity mom, director, and actress Eva Longoria shared a few inspirational pics on Twitter that prove how well moms multitask — like directing while breastfeeding (not even sitting down!) Her tweet reads: “Here are pics of me directing while breastfeeding Santi during filming of @GrandHotelABC. Women multitask everyday & I was lucky to have an amazing crew & cast that supported my new motherhood + career goals!”
This message is vital because although we can and often do keep all the balls in the air simultaneously, we need support. Thank you, Eva, for inspiring other moms to reach for their dreams and recognizing the importance of a “crew” that has your back.
12. Nikki Reed
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Twilight actress Nikki Reed shared an IG snap of breastfeeding her daughter Bodhi, who was 20 months old. “I often get asked how long I plan on breastfeeding. To be honest, I have no idea how long [Bodhi] and I will be on this journey together. I follow her lead, and she tells me exactly what she needs,” her post reads. She explains that Bodhi didn’t like baby foods, so they skipped over to finger foods while breastfeeding.
And she adds this supportive note: “Also, in case you need to hear it again because I definitely did, whatever you’re doing you are doing it right! Every baby is on their own path doing things when and how they need to, and our job is to trust our gut, talk to other mamas and just go with the flow!”
13. Mandy Moore
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The matriarch of This Is Us gave birth to her first child August (Gus), while the show was still in full swing. That meant she experienced what lots of working moms do — breastfeeding at work. In honor of National Breastfeeding Week, Moore wrote a poignant IG post expressing her gratitude for her breastfeeding experience (which wasn’t always easy) and her belief that “fed is best.”
“Breastfeeding is not always smooth sailing (clogged ducts, timing life around feedings, pumping for when I’m at work, etc… )” she writes, “but nursing this baby boy for the past nearly 6 months has been a beautiful, messy and an oh so rewarding experience I will treasure forever. It goes without saying that #fedisbest and I’m grateful to my body and the tremendous support I’ve had around me (especially in the beginning days and weeks when I had no clue what I was doing) for allowing me this time to nourish my sweet guy. #nationalbreastfeedingweek”
14. Miranda Kerr
Miranda Kerr, a mom of three, has been open about her passion for breastfeeding, sharing snaps of her feeding baby Flynn years ago on social media. In a 2020 interview with People, Flynn was nine years old, but she was also busy chasing 20-month-old Hart and her new baby Myles.
When asked how she fits breastfeeding into her busy working mom life, Kerr responded, “You definitely have to plan. So like right before [this] event, I made sure that I pumped because my house is far away from here. So I pumped right before, and then I’ve got to pump any minute. It’s every three hours. Then when I’m with him, I breastfeed every two to three hours. But at least I always have extra milk at home.”
It is a whole extra job, but it sounds like Miranda Kerr rocks it.
15. Beyoncé
Beyoncé doesn’t share too many personal details about her home life, but in her documentary Homecoming, she does share that while prepping for the 2018 Coachella, she was still breastfeeding twins Rumi and Sir. That’s right — dance and singing rehearsals on stage and breastfeeding two babies backstage. Talk about a supermom.
Beyoncé shared that she would return to her trailer between rehearsals to breastfeed the twins. “It was a lot to juggle. It’s not like before when I could rehearse 15 hours straight. I have children, I have a husband. I have to take care of my body.”
16. Bekah Martinez
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Bekah Martinez rose to fame on The Bachelor, but to many, her social media has kept her in the news. From her 13-minute-long water birth video to her controversial tandem breastfeeding pictures, this is one celebrity mom who shares it all — and doesn’t care what anyone thinks.
In a 2021 IG post, Martinez shared that her tandem breastfeeding days were over with this caption: “It’s bittersweet. We spent 26 wonderful months of doing “boobie” together, but it was definitely time.” And she goes on to say, “I’m SO grateful for the DMs that gave me the courage to assert my boundaries and wean with confidence! Now, after a week of weaning, we’re way past the toughest moments and it’s been AMAZING to just cuddle with her without the need to latch!! … I’m proud of our journey and I’ll always look back happily on the times my body fed and comforted my baby girl. ♥️”
And this proud mama is now pregnant with baby No. 3, so we’re sure there will be more breastfeeding stories.
17. Jenna Dewan
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When celebrity mom Jenna Dewan had her son, Callum, she admitted that breastfeeding was a wonderful yet difficult experience in a genuine and honest post on IG. “Ohhh breastfeeding. It’s incredible and it can also be really challenging. At least it was for me the second time around,” her caption reads. “From latching issues, to my son loving one side vs. another, making more milk, when to pump… EVERYTHING was different and I found myself asking a lot of questions.”
Dewan says she’s found lots of breastfeeding support from other moms. “There really is no other advice that compares to other moms who have been in exactly the same situation. I always believe that when women come together and share knowledge, we are so powerful.”
Yes, we are stronger together.
18. Julie Bowen
Breastfeeding her twins was no small feat for Modern Family star Julie Bowen, but she credited “the football hold” for some of her success. In an appearance on Lopez Tonight, she mentioned how she wasn’t allowed to share her breastfeeding pic on another talk show. Well, George Lopez took a different approach and put this beautiful image up for all the world to see.
And when explaining how she manages breastfeeding while being a busy working mom, Bowen shared one hack — pumping while driving. “You slap it on, turn on the machine and you drive along. I’m so used to doing it that I don’t even think about it anymore,” she laughs.
Multitasking, it’s what we do.
19. Jamie King
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Another celebrity mom who proudly breastfed and 100% supports all mothers choosing to feed their babies in whatever way works best for them, Jamie King, says mothers get judged no matter what they do. She shared an IG post when her son James was a baby that read: “#JamesKnight is now 8 months old! These are the moments a mother lives for. Breastfeeding should not be taboo — and bottle feeding should not be judged — it’s ALL fun for the whole family:)”
And in an interview with People, King expanded on this topic to say, “I think that it’s really unfair for anybody in the spotlight — any sort of celebrity who has a very privileged life — to go out there and tell mothers what to do when they don’t understand their socioeconomic circumstances, when they don’t understand their health circumstances, when they don’t understand what their life is about…I feel a responsibility as somebody who’s in the spotlight and as a public figure to let these women know they are not alone. I grew up in Omaha, my mother did both, and I am perfectly healthy and happy and fine.”
And she adds, “We all eat in public. I don’t see why it should be frowned upon. Nothing about the way a mother feeds her baby should be frowned upon.”
20. Olivia Wilde
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Olivia Wilde isn’t afraid of the spotlight — in any capacity — including showing off the beauty of breastfeeding. In an IG post shared just weeks after her daughter Daisy was born, this celebrity mom shared this gorgeous pic with the caption: “My drinking buddy. #neverunderestimatethepowerofawoman”
And, when doing an interview and photoshoot with Glamour, the then-breastfeeding mom had no qualms about feeding her son Otis right there in the middle of it all. “I was working…and I needed to feed my son,” Wilde said of the shot. “Either I was going to do it off-camera or on, and I thought, ‘You know what — shoot it, because this is part of my real life.'” And she also went on to say, “Being shot with Otis is so perfect because any portrait of me right now isn’t complete without my identity as a mother being a part of that.”
Breastfeeding has been a primary source of baby nutrition since the beginning of humanity, and yet women still must fight to feed their babies in peace. We are told to cover up or that it’s inappropriate to do so in the workplace, still today, in 2023. That’s why we appreciate influential celebrity moms continuing to normalize breastfeeding for all moms and supporting moms who don’t breastfeed. Because in the end, we’re all moms doing our best, getting up every day, and giving our all to these beautiful children we are raising, and no mom should be judged or criticized for feeding her child.
So, to all the mamas out there feeding their babies right now, we see you. You’re doing a beautiful job.
