Don’t mind if I bibbity boob-ity do.
A mom visiting Disney World in Orlando, Florida decided to breastfeed her daughter on the Frozen Ever After ride at Epcot and it was caught on the amusement park’s camera. The photo circulated the internet and the mom soon became the titular character of an online debate.
However, mom Meredith Barnayak said she didn’t see any issue with breastfeeding her daughter Poppy, 1, while on the ride.
“She would just pull on my shirt and I thought, ‘OK, it’s dark out. We’re all humans. We’re all honestly going to enjoy the ride a lot better and you’ll be happier being fed,’” Barnayak told Today.
Barnayak, who is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was visiting the park with her baby daughter, her husband Jeremy, their son Graham, 3, and her mom and stepfather. Barnayak said she’s a big supporter of just feeding your baby whenever she needs it.
“I am a pretty big proponent of any way you can feed your baby you should be able to do it — in any place,” she explained.
When she saw the ride camera’s fast go off, she knew others on the ride would see her breastfeeding her baby.
“As soon as I saw the flash, I was like, ‘Oh no, I think all these people have a picture of (me) breastfeeding my baby on this ride,'” Barnyak said.
Barnayak sent the photo to other people in her family, and her cousin Jo Goddard, who runs a women’s lifestyle website called Cup of Jo, asked if she could post the pic on her site’s Instagram page.
“My cousin @meredithbarnyak being an absolute MOM on this Disney ride,” she wrote along with the photo and heart emojis.
What they didn’t expect was a slew of commenters leaving disapproving comments.
“Not to be a stick in the mud but this seems…kinda dangerous?? Am I overestimating the thrill level on this ride? The rest of the adults seem to be clinging on pretty tight,” one person wrote.
“Being an absolute mom? You want attention and credit for this? As if it’s some kind of superhero moment? ‘“’Hey look! Someone’s feeding their kid! Amazing! Put it on social media!’”’ The cries for attention are getting worse…” another said.
“I don’t have anything against feeding your baby in public and I actually encourage women to do it, but some people, like your cousin, just wants to be in the center of attention! And by the way, having a baby on a ride at an amusement park,” a third chimed in.
Others defended the mom.
“Love it. Taking care of that baby in every circumstance,” one exclaimed.
“This might be the best breastfeeding photo ever. It belongs in a museum, someone shared.
“This is what a hero looks like,” one exclaimed.
Barnayak clapped back at the haters who questioned the safety of her breastfeeding on the ride.
“I guess if you look at this picture, it might look like it’s an intense ride. But it’s a boat ride,” she said. “There’s no seatbelts. It’s a very nice relaxing ride except that there is a drop that you don’t see coming because it’s dark. And that’s what that photo was taken.”