The whole “celebrities are just like us” notion is often hard to believe. But when it comes to breastfeeding, many famous moms have shown they encounter the same ups and downs as their non-Hollywood counterparts.
In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, we’ve put together a compilation of memorable moments when celebrity moms shared their own nursing experiences. From Pink to Chrissy Teigen to Kristen Bell, these ladies are normalizing breastfeeding in front of a big audience.
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Kristen Bell
In January, Kristen Bell shared a hilarious story about the time she skipped pumping for a day for a role. “It was mildly painful, but it was worth it,” she said. “This was my version of Christian Bale losing 125 pounds or something.”
When Bell hosted the 2014 CMT Awards, she gave her Twitter followers a glimpse into her "new backstage beauty routine" -- a breast pump.
When Bell hosted the 2014 CMT Awards, she gave her Twitter followers a glimpse into her "new backstage beauty routine" -- a breast pump.
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Kelly Rowland
Jason LaVeris via Getty Images
Kelly Rowland wrote about breastfeeding in her 2017 book, Whoa, Baby!: A Guide for New Moms Who Feel Overwhelmed and Freaked Out (and Wonder What the #*$& Just Happened).
In the book, she recalled nursing her son Titan, who was born in 2014. “All that gnawing at your nipples will take its toll! In those early days, I was fascinated (my polite way of saying ‘horrified’) by the transformation of the boobs,” she wrote. “My nipples were HUGE ― we are talking the size of Frisbees ― and sometimes I could see these veins bulging out while I was nursing. My boobs themselves were so long and stretchy that I sometimes felt like I could’ve swung them over my shoulders.”
In the book, she recalled nursing her son Titan, who was born in 2014. “All that gnawing at your nipples will take its toll! In those early days, I was fascinated (my polite way of saying ‘horrified’) by the transformation of the boobs,” she wrote. “My nipples were HUGE ― we are talking the size of Frisbees ― and sometimes I could see these veins bulging out while I was nursing. My boobs themselves were so long and stretchy that I sometimes felt like I could’ve swung them over my shoulders.”
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Amanda Seyfried
Jason LaVeris via Getty Images
Amanda Seyfried settled the breastfeeding vs. bottle-feeding debate on Twitter in July. "Breastfeeding is awesome. Formula is awesome. Feeding your baby is awesome. Not awesome? Judgement," she tweeted.
She also tweeted parts of a 2016 Quartz article from writer Maureen Shaw about the double standard in society's sexualization of breasts: "Breasts are intended to feed babies. With all our progress on feminist issues, how can such a simple biological imperative remain so stigmatized? In a word: sex. We live in a culture comfortable with exploiting breasts to sell burgers, for goodness sake."
She also tweeted parts of a 2016 Quartz article from writer Maureen Shaw about the double standard in society's sexualization of breasts: "Breasts are intended to feed babies. With all our progress on feminist issues, how can such a simple biological imperative remain so stigmatized? In a word: sex. We live in a culture comfortable with exploiting breasts to sell burgers, for goodness sake."
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Emily Blunt
Larry Busacca via Getty Images
In a 2016 interview with InStyle, Emily Blunt got real about breastfeeding and the chaos of raising a toddler and an infant. “I’m still breastfeeding, so I am hungry all the time,” she said.
“After we got home from the hospital, I didn’t shower for a week," she continued. "And then John and I were like, ‘Let’s go out for dinner' ... I could last only about an hour because my boobs were exploding. When the milk first comes in, it’s like a tsunami. But we went, just to prove to ourselves that we could feel normal for a second.”
“After we got home from the hospital, I didn’t shower for a week," she continued. "And then John and I were like, ‘Let’s go out for dinner' ... I could last only about an hour because my boobs were exploding. When the milk first comes in, it’s like a tsunami. But we went, just to prove to ourselves that we could feel normal for a second.”
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Tatyana Ali
David Livingston via Getty Images
Tatyana Ali opened up about breastfeeding in a 2016 interview with Essence. "I decided to breastfeed solely, so that is really what my schedule is [all about],” Ali said.
“You know, it’s something that is not necessarily instinctive, like there are messes and there are different techniques and styles,” she added. “Then you have to learn the style of your baby and how much they want to eat. The learning curve has been huge.”
“You know, it’s something that is not necessarily instinctive, like there are messes and there are different techniques and styles,” she added. “Then you have to learn the style of your baby and how much they want to eat. The learning curve has been huge.”
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Mila Kunis
Getty
While promoting "Bad Moms" in 2016, Mila Kunis revealed that she received "shameful" looks from strangers while breastfeeding her daughter, Wyatt, in public.
“In the States and in our culture, we sexualize the breast so much that there’s an aspect of it that people just don’t know how to wrap their head around the idea of showing your breast in public,” she explained, adding, "If it’s not for you, don’t look.”
“In the States and in our culture, we sexualize the breast so much that there’s an aspect of it that people just don’t know how to wrap their head around the idea of showing your breast in public,” she explained, adding, "If it’s not for you, don’t look.”
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Adele
Dan MacMedan via Getty Images
Adele opened up about her breastfeeding experience and the pressure on moms to nurse during a performance in London in March 2016.
“The pressure on us is fucking ridiculous,” she said. “And all those people who put pressure on us, you can go f*ck yourselves, all right? Because it’s hard. Some of us can’t do it. I managed about nine weeks with my boobs.”
“All I wanted to do was breastfeed and then I couldn’t and then I felt like, ‘If I was in the jungle now back in the day, my kid would be dead because my milk’s gone,’” she added.
“The pressure on us is fucking ridiculous,” she said. “And all those people who put pressure on us, you can go f*ck yourselves, all right? Because it’s hard. Some of us can’t do it. I managed about nine weeks with my boobs.”
“All I wanted to do was breastfeed and then I couldn’t and then I felt like, ‘If I was in the jungle now back in the day, my kid would be dead because my milk’s gone,’” she added.
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Maya Rudolph
Matthew Eisman via Getty Images
While promoting "The Angry Birds Movie" in 2016, Maya Rudolph talked about parenting and breastfeeding in particular.
“My mother breastfed me — there’s like, folklore about it, people always say, ‘I remember your mother used to breastfeed you!’—probably until I was about 4," she said. "So I just thought my kids would be hanging off me for years, but they were all like, ‘I’m done!’”
“My mother breastfed me — there’s like, folklore about it, people always say, ‘I remember your mother used to breastfeed you!’—probably until I was about 4," she said. "So I just thought my kids would be hanging off me for years, but they were all like, ‘I’m done!’”
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Tamera Mowry
Tamera Mowry
Tamera Mowry opened up about her breastfeeding struggles in a personal post on her website in 2015.
"Aden wasn’t latching properly, which meant I experienced soreness, my nipples were callused and I was in pain for about eight weeks," she wrote. "I was having a hard time keeping up my supply of milk, and it was taking a major emotional toll on me."
"Aden wasn’t latching properly, which meant I experienced soreness, my nipples were callused and I was in pain for about eight weeks," she wrote. "I was having a hard time keeping up my supply of milk, and it was taking a major emotional toll on me."
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Jessica Alba
Getty
In a July 2015 interview with Yahoo Parenting, the actress explained that the feeding line at Honest Co. supports both breastfeeding and formula feeding parents. “The overall community online was either one or the other. And a lot of my friends did both," Alba said. "So I wanted to develop a real dialogue, and create a line that’s for everyone. So whether you want to breastfeed, or whether you want to supplement feed, we’re going to give you the best in both areas.” In her book, The Honest Life, she shared her personal breastfeeding journey, writing, “I breastfed as long as I could, but not as long as I wanted. I had to get back to work, and I wasn’t able to keep it going.”
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Zoe Saldana
WireImage
While struggling with pumping pain in 2015, Zoe Saldana turned to Twitter for advice from fellow lactating mamas. She received many pain relief tips from her followers.
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Nicole Trunfio
Elle
After model Nicole Trunfio brought her newborn baby son to for her Elle Australia photo shoot, a picture of her breastfeeding him landed on the June 2015 cover. She later posted a candid nursing photo on Instagram.
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Doutzen Kroes
Vogue Netherlands
Dutch model Doutzen Kroes appeared on the March 2015 cover of Vogue Netherlands with her kids, who also appeared in a photo shoot for the magazine. Posing in a bed with her husband DJ Sunnery James and 4-year-old son Phyllon, Kroes breastfed her 5-month-old daughter Myllena in one shot.
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Molly Sims
Fit Pregnancy
Supermodel Molly Sims opened up about her struggles with breastfeeding her first child in an interview with Fit Pregnancy for her February/March 2015 cover issue. “When Brooks was born, my milk never came in, and I tried to breastfeed for three months,” she said. “I felt awful and ashamed. I wanted to breastfeed because it’s so good for the baby, so I worked with a lactation specialist," Sims continued. "After three months, she said, ‘You’re done. You don’t have any milk.’ I’ll try breastfeeding again, but if it doesn’t work, I won’t push it.”
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Amanda Peet
Amanda Peet
During a January 2015 appearance on "The Ellen Degeneres Show," Amanda Peet revealed that she puts cabbage on her breasts after nursing. "Some people get painful engorgement and you can put cabbage leaves on your boobs, and it stops the milk," she explained.
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Kerry Washington
Matt Winkelmeyer via Getty Images
Actress Kerry Washington opened up about breastfeeding her daughter, Isabelle, in a November 2014 interview with BET's 106 & Park. She explained that nursing her baby inspired her to take care of herself
"I'm breastfeeding, so I can't starve myself," she said. "It's important for me to be a good mom and a good actor, and be responsible to myself and my family."
"I'm breastfeeding, so I can't starve myself," she said. "It's important for me to be a good mom and a good actor, and be responsible to myself and my family."
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Natalia Vodianova
Natalia Vodianova/Instagram
Natalia Vodianova, a Russian model notable for her work with Calvin Klein, debuted her son Maxim to the world with a stunning breastfeeding photo in 2014.
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Halle Berry
Jason Merritt via Getty Images
During a 2014 appearance on "The Ellen Degeneres Show," Halle Berry reenacted her breastfeeding experiences.
“When I would put Nahla on the boob, she would [have] a nice little girly suck," she said of her daughter. Talking about her son, she said, "Him ... he’s like sucking the life out of me!”
“When I would put Nahla on the boob, she would [have] a nice little girly suck," she said of her daughter. Talking about her son, she said, "Him ... he’s like sucking the life out of me!”
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Penelope Cruz
Getty
In a 2013 interview with Allure, Penelope Cruz spoke openly about nursing her children. "I was breast-feeding my son 13 months, and I plan to do the same with my daughter. [Nursing] is addictive. It's hard when the day comes when you have to stop." She also pointed out one of the perks of breastfeeding. "I'm supposed to get extra calories because breastfeeding you burn, like, an extra 500 a day."
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Hilary Duff
Getty
In 2012, Hilary Duff confirmed in an interview with Us Weekly that she chose to nurse her son Luca. "I'm breastfeeding now so that's a really wonderful experience -- challenging but wonderful."
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Selma Blair
Getty
In a 2012 interview with People Magazine, actress Selma Blair spoke openly about breastfeeding her son Arthur in public. "We all have nipples," she said. "I don’t care who I offend; my baby wants to eat. If I can’t get a cover over me quick enough, so be it."
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Alicia Silverstone
Getty
Alicia Silverstone -- whose 2012 pre-mastication video thrust her baby-feeding philosophy into the public spotlight -- was once photographed breastfeeding Bear Blu while walking.
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Beyonce
Getty
Beyonce was spotted breastfeeding Blue Ivy in New York City while dining out with husband, Jay-Z in 2012.
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Tori Spelling
Tori Spelling/Twitter
In November 2011, Spelling's husband, Dean McDermott tweeted a photo of his son, Liam, who was 4 at the time, which showed Spelling's breasts in the background. "I am a mom, I was nursing my baby... [Dean] was so devastated about it that I couldn't be mad. I mean it was genuinely an accident," Spelling told CNN about the incident.
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Mayim Bialik
kveller.com
Actress Mayim Bialik blogged on kveller.com in September 2011 about starting to wean her 3-year-old son Fred. The post included a highly publicized photo of Bialik breastfeeding Fred on the New York City subway. In her book, "Beyond The Sling," she wrote that he still nursed about five times a day at that age, and later told CNN "it is still a tremendous source of discipline, and of bonding, that occurs between a mother and a child."
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Miranda Kerr
Miranda Kerr/Twitter
Shortly after giving birth to her son in 2011, Flynn, Kerr posted a photo on her blog that then-husband Orlando took of her nursing. A few months later, she shared a photo on Twitter of herself breastfeeding while on the job.
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Julie Bowen
Supergoatsack/Twitter
Back in 2010, "Modern Family" star Julie Bowen showed "Lopez Tonight" viewers a photo of the way she nursed her twin boys -- breastfeeding both babies at the same time."It's like two little liposuction machines on you," she said. "They suck the fat out of you. They call it the 'double football hold.' You hold one here, and here [gesturing to her breasts], like two footballs ... They're doing God's work right there, helping me return to my birth weight."
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Salma Hayek
YouTube
Salma Hayek breastfed a newborn baby boy in Africa whose mother had no milk in 2009. Hayek was weaning her own daughter, Valentina, at the time, but still had milk to donate.
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Elisabeth Hasselbeck
Getty
In 2008, Hasselback demonstrated how to use a breast pump on "The View" -- she was nursing her son, Taylor, at the time.
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Jennifer Garner
Getty
In the the April 2007 issue Garner told Allure Magazine: "All I ever heard was everyone bitch about [nursing] -- nobody ever said, 'You are not going to believe how emotional this is.' It's like, I'll say I'm going to stop, and then I'm in there, feeding her."
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Kate Beckinsale
Getty
Kate Beckinsale told Jay Leno in 2006 that she missed breastfeeding her daughter and that "she was very good at it."
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Gwyneth Paltrow
Getty
When Gwyneth Paltrow was nursing her second child in 2006, she told Harper's Bazaar, "I stay healthy by working out but not dieting, because I am a milk machine."
This article is part of HuffPost Parents’ World Breastfeeding Week series. Read more here.
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