Tamara Ecclestone has spoken out about inadvertanly sparking a breastfeeding in public debate, by sharing a brelfie while on holiday.
Speaking to Lorraine on Monday 22 June, the 30-year-old mum said:
"I think parenting in general, people always have such an opinion and it divides opinion.
"I’m kind of over trying to please anyone, I just do whatever feels right and I think as a mum you just follow your instinct of what feels right to you."
Ecclestone, who had her first child Sophia with husband Jay Rutland in March last year, shared the photo in question on Instagram while on a family holiday.
"I shared so many pictures of Sophia," she told Lorraine.
"I’m completely obsessed with my daughter, sorry everyone all I do is post pictures of her - and my husband took the picture and I loved it.
"I thought it was so cute and I didn’t realise that it was going to cause so much controversy, I didn’t realise that people would have so many opinions on it, I just thought it was a beautiful photograph of the person that I love so much and on holiday and it was a special moment and that was really the only reason to share that picture."
“It was such a natural moment, I didn’t realise the photo was being taken, I hadn’t even brushed my hair we’d literally just woken up and gone straight to the beach to me it wasn't really thought about, it wasn't calculated, it wasn't planned," Ecclestone added.
"It was just like a spontaneous moment and I think sometimes those are the nicest pictures and to be honest I just think, why should I not post a picture?
"If someone is bottle feeding their baby and enjoying it and in the moment and post a picture of their baby while they’re being fed a bottle nobody would have anything to say about that."
The photo has received a mixed response from commenters, with some people suggesting Ecclestone should have "covered up":
One woman wrote: "It is beautiful but in the privacy of your own home cover up with a blanket nobody knows the values of having morals.
"No I don't want to see your boob in public neither does my husband we all know it's a beautiful thing and your child has to eat blah blah blah pump before you go out or cover up.
"Nothing in this world is private everyone wants to expose themselves and their baby I don't get it really."
However, many people praised Ecclestone for sharing the photo and were quick to defend her against the criticism:
"This is beautiful @tamaraecclestoneofficial," wrote one. "I can't believe some of the awful narrow minded comments on here! You're encouraging women to breastfeed not only in public but past their baby's first birthday!! Well done you!"
