Yahoo Lifestyle 
'Controversial' detail in mum's breastfeeding ring divides opinion
Parenthood, childbirth, breastfeeding – the process of having a human and raising it is no easy task, and it doesn’t help anyone when society brings the hammer of judgment swinging down onto harried parents at every turn.
Whether it’s arguments over how long to breastfeed for, how you should bring that baby into the world, or whether you let your toddler watch telly it seems there are as many opinions as options flying around and most can agree it’s best just to take a back seat and mind your own business when it comes to parenting choices.
One mum well and truly rocked that boat this week when she took to a ‘ring shaming’ Facebook group to poke fun at an admittedly unusual way a friend had decided to commemorate her time breastfeeding her bub.
Namely, she purchased a piece of jewellery made from breastmilk.
Now for many, the idea of fluid that comes from your body hanging around longer than necessary is an uncomfortable one, but not everyone agreed that the choice was something that should be up for debate, or even some light-hearted ridicule.
RELATED:
“She “bought” a breast milk ring,” the woman who shared a screenshot of the Facebook post wrote. “Doesn’t say she made it with her own.”
In the original pic, the woman explains that after breastfeeding her little one she decided to purchase something she could remember the experience by.
“After almost a year of breastfeeding, I finally bought a piece of breastmilk jewellery and I’m in love with it!” she wrote.
The photo shows a ring with a stone that looks like an opal set in it though, of course, it’s slightly more lactose-based than your average rock.
The post, somewhat backfired as many came to the mum’s defence, pointing out that breastfeeding is an intensely personal journey and it’s not up to others to judge.
“I can’t shame how a mother chooses to memorialize her breastfeeding journey,” one lady wrote.
“Breastfeeding is f**king HARD and [one] year is definitely an accomplishment,” another wrote. “If she wants a bodily fluid ring let her have the damn bodily fluid ring.”
Others were in knots over the whole thing.
“Kind of gross,” one wrote. “Kind of cool, because female bodies do awesome things. Definitely not for me though.”
Others could not get behind the idea.
“Eww, who wears jewellery made from bodily fluids,” one wrote. “Couldn't they have made it aesthetically nice at least? Yikes.”
“This is f**king weird,” another agreed.
Many hit back, however, saying sharing the mum’s ring to Facebook was ‘bullying’.
“It’s a bully move,” one woman wrote.
Others came to a more balanced conclusion.
“The ring is ugly the sentiment behind it is not,” one decided.
It’s not the first time a parent’s unusual move has sparked debate, and this week supermodel Jen Hawkins shared some sage advice to ladies who have copped heat with Yahoo Lifestyle.
“Women just need to know that they’re doing the right thing for their own child, because every child is different, and just literally brush it off because it doesn’t matter in the whole scheme of things,” she shared.
Never miss a thing. Sign up to Yahoo Lifestyle’s daily newsletter.
Or if you have a story idea, email us at lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com.
