Christina Torino-Benton recently gathered with her friends and family in order to celebrate the union between her and her husband-to-be, Danny. Though everyone’s wedding is special in its own unique and personal way, Christina and Danny’s wedding was special for another reason. Gemma, Christina’s 9-month-old daughter, was in the crowd as her two parents declared their love and solidified their bond. Interestingly enough, midway through the couple’s beautiful ceremony, Gemma began to cry; she was hungry.
Using a healthy dose of her motherly instincts, Christina deduced that the only way to ease the crying baby was to feed her. “It’s happening,” Christina said to her groom. He then nodded in agreement, and Christina’s mother handed her a crying Gemma. In her gorgeous wedding dress, halfway through her wedding, the mom sat down and began to breastfeed her child.
Lana Nimmons, the wedding photographer, captured the beautiful moment between the mother and her infant (as seen above). After the wedding, Christina took social media and shared the powerful image on the popular Facebook page and mother support group Breastfeeding Mama Talk.
“I made it work … I had to!” Torino-Benton said in an interview with The Huffington Post. “The people at my wedding were not surprised with me feeding Gemma mid-ceremony because I’m always feeding her at some point or another in front of them. […] Breastfeeding is so natural. It took me a while to become comfortable with nursing out in the open, but now it’s completely second nature and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Not only were the attendees of the wedding supportive of Christina’s decision to feed her baby mid-ceremony, but netizens and Facebook users have also been wildly supportive of this inspiring mom! In fact, the powerful post has garnered hundreds of shares, and thousands of likes across social media! And for good reason, too.
Wedding photographer Lana Nimmons said, “I am not surprised by the response; Christina is an amazing woman and mother. I am so happy everyone has been so incredibly supportive.”
“I’m feeling nothing but positive vibes from the public response. Everyone has been very encouraging and supportive,” Torino-Benton added.
It’s good to see that this mother received such overwhelming positive feedback. In a world full of critical, and judgmental individuals who constantly shame mothers who nurse in public, it’s always comforting to know that the stigma is eroding with time. However, social changes don’t occur over night and they don’t happen without a spark. Sharing remarkable photos like Christina Torino-Benton’s is an example of the catalyst needed to eliminate social stigmas like the ones nursing mothers must deal with, and we support her for her bold choice and post!
Original article on The Huffington Post
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