A new mother’s story that includes breastfeeding and a “cute little” baby is being shared online, but not by anyone who has seen the original.
The video, posted Monday by Kaley Ziegler, a mother of three, is an account of her experience with breastfeeding.
It is a touching account of what it is like to breastfeed your baby while you are pregnant, and of what you may be able to learn from that experience.
“I just wanted to share this to say that we all have to be kind and compassionate,” Zieglin said.
“And just make sure you let go.”
The mother-to-be, whose real name is Kaley, was in the hospital for two weeks and is now recovering at home.
Her experience was not as common in the United States, where breastfeeding is not officially considered an illness, although some hospitals are allowing mothers to breast feed with a respirator.
The post is being viewed more than 1.3 million times on YouTube.
Ziegler is not the first to share her story on social media.
“In Australia, breastfeeding is still considered a health condition, but there is a small number of places where you are not allowed to nurse and there are other things that you can do to keep your baby warm and stay hydrated,” said Jennifer Meehan, a nurse practitioner in Melbourne.
Meehan said it is not uncommon for a mother to be given a “milk bottle” at birth, and is not recommended for infants younger than six months.
She said that breastfeeding is also “not always the best choice” for a young mother in the first trimester of pregnancy.
“A lot of people are trying to keep their babies warm and not letting them nurse and also keeping them hydrated and feeding them enough,” Meegan said.
“So it is definitely something you have to keep in mind when you are having a baby.”
Zieglin, who works as a social worker, is not trying to shame the woman in the video, but said she wants to be aware of what others may be doing.
“If there is something I have done that I think is a little off the mark or that I am missing, then I think that it would be really helpful for people to know,” she said.
The mother has not posted a message to Kaley’s YouTube account, but she has been reaching out to her followers to let them know about her experiences.