Chrissy Teigen Opens Up About Feeling Shame Over Not Breastfeeding

Chrissy Teigen and Jenna Dewan want mothers to know they aren’t alone in feeling “shame” and “guilt” over giving their babies formula.

Teigen, 35, shared a lengthy Twitter thread on Sunday in which she opened up about her stressful experience breastfeeding and encouraged everyone to “normalize” formula, assuring mothers that their babies will be “BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT AND OKAY” even if they aren’t breastfed.

“ok I’m gonna say something and you all are definitely gonna make it a thing but here goes: normalize formula,” began Teigen, who shares daughter Luna, 4, and son, Miles, 2, with husband John Legend. “normalize breastfeeding is such a huge, wonderful thing. but I absolutely felt way more shame having to use formula because of lack of milk from depression and whatnot.”

“people have surrogates, people have trouble breastfeeding and all you hear as a new, anxious mom is how breast is best,” she added, noting that breastfeeding and formula are both “great.”

“normalize formula! your baby is gonna be BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT, AND OKAY,” Teigen wrote, before continuing in another tweet. “I remember pumping my ASS OFF, highest mode, so often, because I didn’t trust milk was going into their mouthes [sic] if I breastfed. it drove me mad to the point I could only get an ounce. an ounce!”

The cookbook author said the “stress” and “guilt” over not being able to “do nature’s most natural thing” can be “too much.”

“I dunno why this is my crusade now,” she concluded, before telling other mothers that they aren’t alone. “I just remember the sadness I felt and want you to know you are doing it right if your baby is fed, mama.”

Many women came forward and shared their support for Teigen, including Dewan, who called Teigen’s post “a great thread” for mothers.

“I too had trouble producing milk second time around with Callum and wasted too much time feeling unnecessary anxiety and guilt about it,” she said of her experience with her second child.

Actress Olivia Wilde also commented on Teigen’s thread, writing, “Amen sister.”