Feed the Baby

Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.

Feed the Baby Project is a long-term personal project by @tiffanybrownanderson. With this project, Brown Anderson captures the physical and emotional bond that mothers and their children experience while breastfeeding, and she includes herself and her family in the collection. These photographs are a celebration of all mothers breastfeeding, covered or uncovered, in public or private spaces.

The work is born out of an experience the photographer had while breastfeeding her second son when he was only a few weeks old. The encounter inspired Brown Anderson to want to create a more accepting and supportive culture for all mothers, no matter how or where they choose to feed their baby. This is an issue of human rights, and a woman’s right.

Brown Anderson continues to seek moms that feed their babies in public spaces throughout their unique daily lives, as well as moms that manage to fit breastfeeding in against the odds of their own personal circumstances.

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Photographer, Tiffany Brown Anderson, nurses her 23-month-old son, Aksel, with her son, Zand, 4, left, and her mother, Pat Host, following the annual Mom's on the Run, Mother's Day event in Reno, NV.Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Friends Rachel Jobe, left, and Ashley Detrick nurse their sons along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail while on a hike in Salt Lake City, Utah. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Rachel Sanchez nurses her two-year-old daughter, Lillliana, with her husband, Mike, in front of the Salt Lake City Mormon Temple in Utah, where the LDS couple are members. Rachel grew up with four brothers and MikeÕs family had not had a grandchild yet. Both sides of the family were uncomfortable as Rachel began to breastfeed Lilliana during family gatherings. Initially as a result, Rachel would go to another room to nurse. With the realization of how much mom and baby were both missing out on events, and the loss of the group stimulation for Lily, Rachel and Mike decided to make a change. Rachel began nursing publicly. Rachel spoke about her religion playing an important role in her nursing relationship with her daughter: ÒAs IÕve moved past a year of nursing, nursing has taken on a new aspect in our relationship. It has gone from more than just food. Now itÕs such a connection and a bond with us. ItÕs almost a spiritual connection between my daughter and I. ItÕs a quiet time for just us. A time that I get to talk to her, about my faith and my dreams for her, and a time for us event to be silly and play games together. The faith of my religion believes that families are together forever. It has made it so the bond with her is the most important thing to me.Ó Rachel learned about La Leche League from another mom when Lilliana was 14-months-old and has found support through her local group as she moved into Òextended nursing.Ó She encourages moms to find their local league for support and community. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Autumn Fesel nurses her 16-month-old daughter, Amelia, while playing at Cowabunga Bay water park with her family in Henderson, Nevada. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Dr. Mara Merritt nurses her 11-month-old daughter, Ellen, during a short break between patients at her family medicine practice in Leavenworth, Washington. The MerrittsÕ nanny brings Ellen to the clinic mid-day so the infant can continue to breastfeed while Dr. Merritt returns to work. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Health coach and nutritionist, Brittany Dearing Henderson nurses her eight-month-old son, Holden, at the Gardens Park in Las Vegas. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Kacey Brooks nurses her nine-month-old baby girl, Olivia, in the dry lake beds outside Boulder City, Nevada after riding ATVs, on MotherÕs Day. Her husband, Bobby, and step son, Thomas, play in the background, at right. ÒAt first I was really nervous. The thought of breastfeeding actually scared me. I was not comfortable with it,Ó Brooks shared. ÒThen I started doing some research and I said, ÔYa know what? IÕm going to give this a try.Õ I know that itÕs the healthiest thing, I know that it is whatÕs natural, itÕs whatÕs best, itÕs cheap. I said IÕm gonna give it the good Ôol college try, and I fell in I love with it.Ó Brooks continued, ÒIt was very difficult at first. It didnÕt come naturally, I had to really work at it but then once it happened it was like a lightbulb just went off. ÔYes! This is exactly how it should be done.Õ ThereÕs this euphoric feeling and this bond that happens.Ó Before having a child Bobby had more taboo feelings toward breastfeeding, in line with the sexualization of breasts in American culture. After Olivia was born and seeing breastfeeding personally, ÒItÕs really changed my feelings about it,Ó he said. ÒAfter seeing the benefits and hearing more research about what it really is, that really changed my feelings in a lot of ways. It became more of a natural, almost beautiful thing. ItÕs my daughter, itÕs how she eats.Ó Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Friends from "Las Vegas Stay At Home Breastfeeding Mamas,Ó a Facebook group, gather in support of public breastfeeding at the famous "Welcome to Las Vegas sign." Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Elitsa Kostadinova nurses her 14-month-old son, Vincent, after his swim lesson at Las Vegas Municipal Pool. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Brittany Dearing Henderson nurses her eight-month-old son, Holden, after a quick shower at home in Las Vegas. ÒWhen we were first breastfeeding it was a little frustrating at times. Once we got the hang of it, I felt accomplished and a really good bond. ItÕs really amazing to be able to comfort your child quickly and with something thatÕs about me and him. No one else can comfort him that way. ItÕs just the two of us. I get peaceful in our nursing sessions. We can just relax together.Ó Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Photographer and pre/postnatal yoga teacher, Ashley Detrick reads to her 19-month-old son, Owen, while nursing him to sleep for a nap on a Sunday afternoon in Salt Lake City, Utah. ÒMy goal at first was just to make it to the first year, and hope that I could breastfeed. I originally thought that if we could just get to a year that I would think about weening him. But we passed a year and I kind of set a goal for a year and a half. WeÕve gotten past a year and a half and my plan is to let him ween himself. Whenever he is ready I guess IÕll be ready. IÕm not looking forward to that day. ItÕll probably be pretty sad to miss out on that time.Ó ÒThe breastfeeding time with Owen is really special time. When he was little it was our connection to each other. I mean physically, but we could share our thoughts with each other and look into each otherÕs eyes. Now I read to him a lot when heÕs breastfeeding, to go down for a nap or for bedtime. ThatÕs really been special to me. ItÕs hard to explain. ItÕs just a connection between a mom and a baby.Ó Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Lilly Garcia breastfeeds her seven-month-old daughter, Elena, at Grace Reformed Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. Garcia talks about her journey with breastfeeding: ÒWhen I was pregnant I was really nervous about breastfeeding. I didnÕt know what to expect. While I was doing all this research about pregnancy and how my baby was growing and how I could prepare for her birth, I really wasnÕt looking into how I would feed her and sustain her. So it made me kind of unprepared for breastfeeding when I had to start doing it.Ó ÒMy midwife and her team were great. They just stepped in and we were able to ask them everything. We also hired a location consultant. I really couldnÕt have done it without her help. Eventually we got better at nursing and I got more comfortable at doing it anywhere.Ó ÒIÕm blessed to be a part of a church thatÕs very very supportive. It very much feels like a family here. Everybody stepped in to help us after the baby was born.Ó ÒI still am nervous about nursing without cover at church but I think IÕm more prepared now to have a conversation about it and talk to people.Ó ÒI think itÕs so important to talk about things. Especially in a church setting where you are surrounded by people who are trying to learn and truing to search for answers. I think that could include conversations about how to support moms, and baby.Ó Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Cherish Giordano nurses her four-month-old daughter, Lucy, with her husband, Anthony, at their regular table at Grouchy John's Coffee Shop in Henderson, Nevada. ÒI was a very conservative person before I had her,Ó Cherish explained. ÒI never wore revealing clothes, but I sat down and talked to my husband when I was eight-months-pregnant and said, ÔI will not wear a cover.Õ Ò ÒI got one for my baby shower and I threw it out. I was so offended they expected me to wear a cover. SheÕs my first [baby] so I didnÕt know how it was going to go. I just knew that I was going to try and make a difference so that when she has children sheÕs able to do the same. So that sheÕs able to comfortably feed her baby without someone being uncomfortable or unsure of why sheÕs doing it.Ó Cherish recounts her first public breastfeeding experience: ÒIt was five-days after Lucy was born after our midwife appointment and we went to Chipotle. I was all out breastfeeding her. She didnÕt know what she was doing and I didnÕt know what I was doing and this old man came up to me and he said, ÒYou look so beautiful,Ó and he looked at her and looked at her hair and he didnÕt mind. Anthony has been supportive of CherishÕs desire to breastfeed since they learned they were expecting a baby. He added, ÒAll of our friends in our group, none of them are breastfeeding. Half of them are like, ÔWe canÕt believe youÕre breastfeeding in public,Õ but itÕs great for us. It works for us.Ó Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Jessica Lagor nurses her 16-month-old daughter, Lily, at her parents' house in Las Vegas. JessicaÕs mom and three-year-old son, Levi, look on. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Stephanie Koehler and other mamas nurse at Well Rounded Momma's weekly Milk Circle breastfeeding support gathering, in Henderson, Nevada. Stephanie stroked her babyÕs hair as she began to tell her story, ÒWhen I originally started breastfeeding I was really self-conscious. Because I had heard so many negative things telling women to cover up, or telling women to stop, you canÕt do that in public. It was made to seem like something dirty or something sexual or that you were exposing yourself. Not for what it really was, you feeding your child.Ó ÒSo when I first started breastfeeding I tried to cover-up as much as possible. IÕd actually only nurse her in the car or IÕd make sure that I scheduled my time of leaving the house around when she ate. I was so mortified of leaving the house and having to nurse her out in public because I was questioning what other people think. It was tough, but we slowly overcame that,Ó Stephanie said. . She went on as the other mamas socialized behind her, ÒOnce I got in this milk support group I felt like it was super normal. Being around the other mamas, it just made it that much more normal. It was nothing to be ashamed of. ItÕs actually something really beautiful. ItÕs just being a mom. Taking care of your baby. Some people bottle feed, some people breastfeed. ItÕs normal. ItÕs absolutely normal.Ó Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Monee Harrington nurses her 11-month-old baby girl, Eleanor, in the Costco parking lot. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Ivon Valenzuela nurses her eight-month-old daughter, Yaquiri Talon Feather, while shopping with her partner, Camille Wells, left, and daughter, Katherine Sanmugam, 13, at Home Depot. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Lisa Rounds nurses her 2.5-year-old daughter, Ophelia, at Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada, while camping with her husband, Jeremiah. ÒI didnÕt know anything about breastfeeding [before Ophelia.] I had not had any experience around breastfeeding and I wasnÕt breastfed, so I didnÕt know what to expect, but I was just excited to try to do it.Ó ÒAs far as nursing in public, now that sheÕs older we donÕt do it as much just because it doesnÕt come up as much. She gets busy and she wants to play rather than stick to Mommy. We have nursed in public if she needs to. It doesnÕt bother me. It did when we first started but now IÕm like, Ôwhatever.ÕÓ ÒAt church IÕve noticed that if men are in the room theyÕll get up and leave, which is fine. They could stay if they wanted but thatÕs their comfort level. In general I havenÕt really had any bad experiences.Ò Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Biologist and elite kayaker, Tracy Bowerman, PhD, nurses her 14-month-old daughter, Pema, with her husband, Willie Kern, on the Deschutes River just downstream from the Bend Whitewater Park in Bend, Oregon. Tracy, a native of Bend now living in Leavenworth, Washington, returned to running rivers and mountain biking shortly after PemaÕs birth with support from Willie to nurse immediately before or after adventures that allowed her to regain fitness and maintain mental health. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Rebekah Sapp nurses her five-month-old daughter, Piper, along the Columbia River while her husband, Josh Heide, plays with their dog, left, in Portland, Oregon. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Jessica Langor nurses her 16-month-old daughter, Lily, at the Touch A Truck event at The Orleans in Las Vegas. Though it was a kid-centered event there were no easy places for moms to nurse. Jessica found herself propped against a front loader tire for the second year in a row to nurse her children. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Christina Perry nurses her nine-month-old daughter, Annabelle, at the Wheeler Farm farmers market in Murray, Utah. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Cherish Giordano nurses her four-month-old daughter, Lucy, during her husband's softball game at Big League of Dreams Las Vegas. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Kelly Lucente Evans nurses Baby Jack at home in Las Vegas on Jack's 1st birthday. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Vicki Savatgy nurses her newborn son for the first time following her home birth in Las Vegas. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.
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Rosa Catu, center, raises her hand to be counted during The Big Latch On event at the University of Nevada Reno in Reno, Nevada. The Big Latch On is an international event each August to promote and support breastfeeding in local communities. Feed the Baby Project portrays a most basic act of motherhood - babies feeding at the breast - in authentic settings from real mothers' lives. The project documents mothers from diverse backgrounds nourishing their babies in predominantly public settings, to help shift the cultural perception of breastfeeding from noteworthy to normal.