'Normalise formula': Chrissy Teigen reveals breastfeeding struggles

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen with their children Miles and Luna. Photo / Getty Images

Chrissy Teigen posted a Twitter thread in which she pleaded with people to normalise feeding babies formula.

In the thread, which has since gone viral, Teigen advocated for formula feeding and, above all, for not shaming people for how they feed their children, opening up about her own struggles with breastfeeding.

"Ok I'm gonna say something and you all are definitely gonna make it a thing but here goes: normalise formula," she wrote on Twitter.

"Normalise 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," the model and author added.

"People have surrogates, people have trouble breastfeeding and all you hear as a new, anxious mom is how breast is best."

Teigen said that while conversations about normalising breastfeeding are great, it is also important to "normalise formula"."So yeah, that's all," she added. "Normalise formula. Your baby is gonna be beautiful, perfect, and okay."

Teigen said she remembers constantly using her breastpump because she "didn't trust" milk was going into their mouths if she breastfed. "It drove me mad to the point I could only get an ounce [of milk]," she added.

"The stress of it, combined with the guilt that you cannot do nature's most natural thing for your own baby is too much. I dunno why this is my crusade now. I just remember the sadness I felt and want you to know you are doing it right if your baby is fed, mama."

ok I'm gonna say something and you all are definitely gonna make it a thing but here goes: normalize formula.

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) November 29, 2020

Her Twitter thread received thousands of replies from people who agreed that it's important to support new mothers to feed their babies, however they do.

Teigen and her husband, singer John Legend, recently opened up about the loss of their son Jack, who passed away after being delivered at just 20 weeks old.

The couple, who have daughter Luna and son Miles, shared the heartbreaking news with fans on their social media accounts on October 1.

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They have kept the public up to date on how they are dealing with the heartbreak, after Teigen took a break from social media last month.

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Earlier this week, Teigen also made headlines after coming out to defend Meghan Markle, following backlash for the Duchess' piece in the New York Times, where she revealed she had suffered a miscarriage.

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In a tweet which has since been deleted, Teigen called a Twitter user a "piece of s**t" for question Markle's reasons to write the deeply personal essay about her loss.

• For support for bereaved parents visit sands.org.nz
• 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)
• https://www.lifeline.org.nz/services/suicide-crisis-helpline
• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633
• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)
• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757 or TEXT 4202
• NATIONAL ANXIETY 24 HR HELPLINE: 0800 269 4389