Breastfeeding is the best nutrition you can give your newborn. While not all moms can or choose to breastfeed, there's no denying the perks it offers to both mom and child. So this August, the National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, breastfeeding moms should celebrate by getting on the #brelfie bandwagon!
At the United Nations (UN) press briefing in Geneva, the World Health Organization (WHO) spokeswoman Fadela Chaid told reporters that taking and posting #brelfies, or breastfeeding selfies, is "absolutely encouraged." To spread awareness about the breastfeeding and infant nutrition around the world, Christophe Boulierac, a spokesman for the UN children's agency UNICEF adds, "Everything that can be done should be done. This is a golden opportunity."
So we encourage and invite you to take and post as many #brelfies you want to let the world out there that it's normal and it's healthy. Some prefer #brelfies with a cover; others don't mind being photographed without. It's totally up to you. Here are some celebrity mommas who've joined the #brelfie bandwagon -- albeit not all of them are selfies, but it still helps the mission of breastfeeding awareness.
1. Marian Rivera
While entertaining guests after she'd given birth, Marian is a proud breastfeeding mom.
2. Bianca Gonzales Intal
While lounging at the beach," You gotta do what you gotta do!" Bianca says.
3. Ara Mina
"Breastfeeding is my best role ever," says Ara Mina, on breastfeeding daughter Mandy.
4. Princess Velasco
She shares the perfect breastfeeding cover for her is the one that doesn't cover her son's face.
5. Liv Tyler
Live recently welcomed her third child, and their nursing photo is just pure bliss.
6. Giselle Bundchen
This model mom's photo somewhat started the trend of glam breastfeeding--breastfeeding on the makeup chair at work.
7. Alyssa Milano
The former Charmed star and breastfeeding advocate has posted more than one #brelfie (five to be exact!) -- and we bet she's going to post more.
8. Olivia Wilde
Otis ordered milkshakes. Luckily I had some on me. Then he peed on my dress. Good kid. #boobfood #whennaturecalls pic.twitter.com/YC9OcJuRod
— olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) August 5, 2014
This is probably the first fashion feature that included a nursing shot. It was a spur of the moment thing, says Olivia, and she's damn proud. She's currently pregnant with her second child.
9. Gwen Stefani
The rock singer breastfed on the road with her third son Apollo in Switzerland!
10. Alanis Morisette
Alanis is breastfeeding her son on a family road trip. She's now breastfeeding her new daughter.
11. Blake Lively
Blake Lively showed one of the perks of breastfeeding via this carefully cropped photo her nursing daughter James while on a vacation. She is currently pregnant with her second child.
12. Pink
"Looks like Willow is having the best meal," the singer's husband Carey Hart wrote as caption. This was taken while he and Pink were having dinner out with their daughter tagging along.
13. Jaime King
The Hollywood actress summed it up on her caption for this photo: "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."
UNICEF reports that about half of the 77 million babies born around the world are not fed breast milk within an hour of birth, depriving them of the essential nutrients, antibodies and skin-to-skin contact that protect them from disease and death. Babies who get no breast milk at all are seven times more likely to die from infections than those who got at least some breast milk in their first six months, UNICEF said in a statement.