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Mommy shaming is nothing new — in fact, a recent study confirmed that two out of three mothers will experience some type of shaming over their parenting decisions, whether it be pressure to breastfeed, like Whitney Port admitted she recently faced, or unwanted advice for a medical condition, as Chrissy Teigen combatted following the birth of her first child, Luna. Julia Stiles, however, who joined the new mommy club back in October, is not here for that nonsense.
The Drowning actress gave fans their first glimpse of her babe on Wednesday with an adorable shot of sleeping Strummer in her new Tula baby carrier, writing, “I haven’t worn a backpack since middle school. Now I have a front pack.”
While most of the comments were positive ones of congratulations, some were also quick to fly into mommy shaming mode, letting the powerhouse know, in no uncertain terms, that they didn’t think she was doing it quite right. Comments such as, “Tula tip: Little baby feets go out the side and not in the waistband!” and “Feet should never go in the waistband,” began to pop up, as well as a reminder that Stiles, 36, is a public figure. “SO MANY people see this, it’s important to point out improper carries,” one user wrote, adding, “This is a brand new infant we’re talking about.”
Addressing her critics, the ‘90s rom-com queen took to Instagram once more to set the record straight with a lengthy response of her own.
“It has come to my attention that in the previous photo I am not holding my baby correctly. Wow, I didn’t expect that,” she began. “What was supposed to be a shout-out of products I like suddenly becomes an invitation to comment on my baby and my ability as a mother. That’s the internet for you, the carnivorous plant from Little Shop of Horrors.”
She continued on to explain Strummer’s positioning just the same, saying, “I was trying to keep much of my son’s image private, including I guess, his little feet. And it was just a photo taken at my home, not normally how I carry him around. Thanks for the concern, anyway. Yes, mothers always read the safety instructions. But Instagrammers: Instead of writing snarky comments about a five-week-old, try dancing around your living room to a Clash record. It’s way more fun.”
Kat Stratford would be proud!
Have you ever been mommy shamed? Tell us about it over @BritandCo.
(Photos via Jamie McCarthy/Getty)
