Jill Duggar isn't new to navigating public opinion. Growing up as part of the Duggar family, sharing some of her most significant life milestones on TV, and opening up about really challenging aspects of her upbringing have primed her to learn to ignore all the noise.
But that doesn't make it easy, and the former reality star recently sparked a heated discussion after sharing a photo on social media.
On July 14, Jill shared a photo with her 1.8 million followers on Instagram while she was in the passenger seat of the car en route to a family road trip vacation.
The mom of three shared the photo of a manual breast pump about half full of breast milk.
'When on a road trip…' she wrote in the caption.
Jill is a mom to three kids — Israel, 8, Samuel, 5, and 1-year-old Frederick — whom she shares with her husband, Derick Dillard. Being a seasoned mom by now, Jill knows which products make her life easier, and for her, a trusty breast pump is one of them.
"I know this pump pic kinda dates me since I'm not using one of those new fangled pumps that makes the on-the go sessions easier… but this one still works after 8 years," she shared in the caption.
'So why get a new one?!' Jill wrote.
Even though she probably meant that question to be rhetorical, fans and critics took to her comment section to give their two cents, sparking quite the discussion.
Commenters were either giving Jill advice on getting a new pump (which she wasn't asking for), telling her that she should not be using that pump, or arguing with each other.
'People in the comments raking her over the coals,' one person noticed and commented.
"Just because you can get something, doesn't mean you need to get it," one commenter wrote, seemingly not realizing Jill said she wasn't getting a new pump. "Reusing items until they're no longer working is better!"
Because that commenter she seemed to misunderstand, other commenters chimed in. "Who said she's getting a new one her old one is fine," one person wrote.
"Why get a new one?" another confused commenter shared. "Girl get you a hands free pump!! Life changer!!! Who wants to be stuck sitting attached to the wall?"
"Postpartum doula here!" another person added in the comments. "Girl get you a new pump through your insurance! Those motors are not designed to work past 3 years or so."
"Pumps slowly loose suction power over time," another person added. "They actually recommend you only use a pump for about a year."
"Just make sure it's not an open system!" someone else suggested. "Those can only be used for 1 baby even if it's siblings."
But more than one commenter praised Jill for reusing the pump.
"Yesssssssssssss love it! Pump momma, pump!" someone else wrote.
"Frankly I think it's awesome that you're using what you have and saving the environment from more waste when you've got something that works," shared one person. "Good for you!"
