If there's one place in the mall where it's pretty much acceptable to see some skin, it's Victoria's Secret. However, despite this store being the land of lingerie, it turns out that boobs are only accepted and celebrated on the models or displays. Celina Barbour was shamed for breastfeeding her 4-month-old daughter while browsing at Victoria's Secret with her husband, Theo. But the busy mom of three doesn't have time to appease strangers who are afraid of a woman's breast, especially while they're shopping for bras and surrounded by photos of exposed models, and so she and her husband filmed an epic clapback to everyone judging her.
Barbour says she was shamed while breastfeeding her infant in a baby carrier at Victoria's Secret.
After her husband left to go stand in line, the mom says multiple people let their displeasure be known, from an older woman to a group of college kids. She couldn't believe how many people felt comfortable confronting her once she was by herself. "People are more wanting to stay something if you're alone," Celina tells CafeMom. "Someone asked me, 'Why would you do that in here?' I again was shocked by that and said, 'Because she's hungry and I can feed on the go, why would I not?' She just looked at me like she had seen a monster and walked off."
Despite support from Victoria's Secret employees, Celina was upset by all the looks and comments as she joined her husband in line.
"He said something a bit loudly for all to hear about how it was funny that people would have the nerve to say something … like they haven't seen a boob before, and in this store of all places!" she says. "It feels so silly and crazy getting shamed in a store with half-naked girls all over the wall, of all places. I think that's why I laughed more than I did scream at anyone, because of the irony of it."
After they left, this strong mom and her incredibly supportive husband went to Target, where they filmed a PSA about breastfeeding in public.
"So if you're going to go into Victoria's Secret and say things about breastfeeding about how nasty, make snide comments, or looks … in a store that is filled with nothing but pictures of people's boobs hanging out, you probably shouldn't say anything to someone that's breastfeeding," the mom said in her rant.
More from CafeMom: Mom Kicked Her Daughter Out of Her House for Breastfeeding
"It's just weird to go 'Oh my god!' in this store. Really?! It's a store about boobs," Theo added in the video. "You're buying bras and underwear that look cute for men to see so that you can have sex. News flash: Sex leads to kids."
Some continued to judge Celina and even shared her video to shame her even more.
To the online trolls who think that Celina should just sit down and cover up instead of "prancing" while breastfeeding, this fierce mama filmed another strong message.
"The person put, 'Don't just prance around like you're trying to announce it or something, sit the hell down.' So I think that's really funny because first of all, I breastfeed all day standing up in a carrier," she said in the vid. "I have older kids. I don't have time to really sit down."
More from CafeMom: This Mom Will Damn Well Breastfeed at Disney Despite the Scowlers
And for anyone who thinks that wearing a cover is a simple solution, that will never be an option for Celina. "Real talk here. My daughter, she's 4 months old. She breastfeeds about every 45 minutes to an hour. Why would I put a cover on her head about 12 times a day? Just because someone is uncomfortable with seeing the top of my boob?" she continued. "I'm never going to wear a cover. If you feel like you need to wear a cover, you can wear a cover, that's up to you. But me, I won't. The laws protect me, I don't have to wear a cover."
In addition to the outpouring of love for the couple's amazing video, many are applauding Theo for the unconditional support he's showing to his breastfeeding wife.
Celina shares that Theo has been her biggest source of breastfeeding support. Even after she couldn't nurse her oldest because she was born with a heart defect, her husband stepped in when she was overwhelmed with trying to pump in order to research and teach her how to do it. "I think having the right kind of support makes a huge difference and makes breastfeeding so much easier," she tells CafeMom. "If you don't have support, get it from other breastfeeding moms or close friends that can relate. I would like moms to know no matter what anyone says, you're doing the right thing and the best thing for your baby."
