Mom Told to Cover Up While Breastfeeding Sparks Debate

A breastfeeding mom’s hilarious response to being asked to “cover up” at a restaurant has taken the internet by storm.

Last week, Facebook user Carol Lockwood shared a photo of Melanie Dudley nursing her 4-month-old baby at a hotel bistro, humorously draped with a blanket entirely over her head. The caption read, “A friend’s daughter-in-law was told to ‘cover up’ while feeding her baby, so she did!” The post quickly went viral, amassing 90,000 reactions, 12,000 comments, and 169,000 shares. Lockwood added, “I’ve never met her, but I think she’s AWESOME!!! (Please share! With permission, I’ve made this post public — I’m SO over people shaming women for nursing!!!)”

Lockwood clarified further: “PS: To reduce speculation: it was a man who asked her to cover up, it was 90 degrees and extremely humid, and, no, she wasn’t in a Muslim country disrespecting traditions.”

As with most public breastfeeding debates, opinions were divided:

“Nothing wrong with breastfeeding, but I feel they should cover themselves—not their heads, but the exposed area.”
“You should be able to feed babies when they are hungry and not feel bad. It’s a natural thing to do.”
“I still think there’s a time and place to nurse, and there’s nothing wrong with being a little discreet about it.”
“Most women do use a cover, but if they choose not to, then the people who are offended should look away and not stare. Even children don’t stare as much as some adults do.”
Melanie Dudley, a 34-year-old stay-at-home mom from Austin, Texas, and mother of 4-year-old twins, explained her reaction to Yahoo Lifestyle. “It was a spur-of-the-moment thing,” she said. “I was on vacation in Cabo San Lucas with my entire family, and a man asked me to cover myself. I’m usually discreet, but we were seated at the back of the restaurant.”

In response, Dudley asked her husband for a cover—then draped it over her face just as he snapped a photo.

Other women have also used humor to combat public shaming for breastfeeding. In 2017, Nicolle Blackman reacted similarly when a female stranger in a Washington state McDonald’s asked her to cover up, allegedly worried about her husband’s wandering eyes.


“I was very annoyed when she said that,” Nicolle Blackman shared with the U.K. Independent. “Why should I cover up my son? He holds his breath when he’s covered.”

Blackman added, “I hope to inspire other women by speaking out and encourage them to stand up for their children. Just do whatever is best for your baby. If covering works for you, that’s great. If it doesn’t, that’s fine too.”

A similar incident occurred four months earlier, as reported by Today. New mom Avery Lane of Fort Gordon, Georgia, was asked to “cover up with a towel or something” while nursing her newborn at an H&R Block office. Lane responded, “No, but I have a muslin if you’d like to cover your face. You must not know Georgia’s breastfeeding laws.”

Melanie Dudley’s humorous response has gained attention just in time for National Breastfeeding Month, with the first week dedicated to World Breastfeeding Week. These observances aim to highlight the benefits of nursing and provide support for mothers who choose to breastfeed.

While public breastfeeding is legal in all 50 states, misunderstandings and confrontations persist. In June, an Oregon doctor asked a nursing mother to cover up during an appointment, citing concerns about “lawsuits from something inappropriate” occurring. The mother’s response? She hired a lawyer. Meanwhile, last week in New Jersey, police were called on Michelle Ayala for breastfeeding her 2-year-old in a public park. Ayala noted that the responding officer was respectful, telling her, “I support you completely. Thank you for your time and patience,” as reported by NBC New York.

Despite receiving some criticism for her viral photo, Dudley remains steadfast in her belief that it has sparked vital conversations. “Breastfeeding is hard enough,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle. “This is another layer of stress that we just don’t need to deal with.”

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