Brave Mom Hangs Pink Sign Above Hospital Bed to Explain to Nurses Why She Won’t Be Breastfeeding Her Newborn

When a mom gives birth, there are a million and one decisions she needs to make. Besides the obvious—like picking a name or certain diaper brand—the decision whether or not to breast feed is a big one.

While lots of moms support others in this space no matter what their decision, it’s not uncommon for bottle-feeding moms to get ridiculed by those who breast feed. There have many studies that have shown the benefits of breastfeeding, but there’s nothing wrong with using formula either.

In fact, there are many reasons why a mom might not breastfeed. Some babies have trouble latching and some mom’s bodies simply don’t produce enough milk. And then there’s the case of one mom named Meghan Koziel, who recently made headlines for how she approached this situation.

At just 26-year-olds, Meghan was tragically diagnosed with breast cancer. In the process of recovery, she had to undergo a double mastectomy, leaving her without both of her breasts.

There was a point where Meghan was unsure if she would even be able to have children. As a precaution, she decided to preserve her fertility through an egg retrieval and thankfully, it worked. She was finally able to get pregnant after two years of being on hormone-blocking meds, and recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Kendra.

Of course, after having her double mastectomy, Meghan was left without breasts, leaving it impossible to breastfeed Kendra.

Meghan was aware that people who didn’t know her situation might accidentally make her feel bad, and to void any awkwardness, ridicule, or confusion, Meghan made her decision loud and clear for the whole hospital to hear (and read).

She posted a photo of herself on Instagram in a hospital bed with a bright pink sign above her that read:

“No Breastfeeding Zone. Though breastfeeding is a very special task, Please be aware before you ask. Our miracle baby will be formula fed, And it will not affect her future ahead. This Mommy is a Survivor.”

The post was captioned, “Attention please, attention please. We do indeed have a mommy-to-be who had breast cancer and a mastectomy which means, without boobs in the houseeeee! Got the banner raised just in case people are confused at why we are NOT going to be breastfeeding our little bundle of joy. Yes I have foobs, no I do not have boobs (or nipples) therefore…my body is incapable of breastfeeding.”

Meghan wasn’t trying to be rude—actually, being a former hospital worker, she was well aware that most staff might accidentally skip over that part on her medical history. And it worked like a charm!

She leaves us—and other news moms—with some words of wisdom for deciding between breast feeding or bottle feeding, especially if you have any health issues.

“To all the mommies like me facing complicated health histories of facing social media trolls for how you’re raising your child I would say…keep on being you!” she said. “We all must make decisions that are best for our families, and it is truly no one else’s business if it doesn’t affect them! Raise your child surrounded by love and with happiness and that baby will be amazing.”

What do you think of Meghan’s story and the sign she made? What are your thoughts on the breast feeding vs. bottle feeding debate?