Mom wears her baby to the grocery store—and finds herself at the center of an unexpected social experiment

Massachusetts mom Lia Scenna thought she was just popping into the grocery store with her baby in a carrier. Instead, she became the star of an accidental social experiment.

In a popular TikTok video, Scenna counts how many times strangers stop to make a comment while she’s babywearing. The final tally? Six spontaneous interactions—plus a surprise mid-grocery shopping visit from Grandpa.

What did she hear? Comments about her babywearing style, (“In Africa, we wear babies on our backs”), nostalgia (grandmother-age women reminiscing about when their babies were young), and questions about just how old that little one is (almost four months).

It’s a video that starts with sweet comments like “That’s brand new” (a true New England dad classic) and ends in full internet gasp when a man reaches toward her baby’s face—only for us to realize, oh wait, that’s her father.

The reactions online have been just as warm—and telling:

• k h e n d r a

  : “You handled all the stranger interactions so well, I would literally smile and run away.”

• jules:

  “It’s beautiful how children bring people together .”

• Kori Molter | WFH Mom:

  “I screamed when the man touched her face… then I was like oh it’s papa .”

But the video highlights something deeper: the moment you step out in public with a baby on your body, you become a magnet—for connection, commentary, and sometimes scrutiny.

Related: 5 Best Carriers–According to a Babywearing Expert – Motherly

Babywearing is an open invitation (whether you mean it to be or not)

There’s something about seeing a baby strapped to a parent—especially a mom—that taps into our collective urge to connect.

But the comments and curiosity don’t just flow because of the baby. They flow because we still see caregiving, especially when it’s visibly maternal, as fodder for public conversation.

So when you’re a babywearing mom in a public space, you’re performing a role that many feel entitled to respond to. With smiles. With nostalgia. With advice you didn’t ask for.

The weight of being “seen”

Scenna’s calm kindness to each person who stopped her didn’t go unnoticed. “I love that you didn’t get annoyed,”Bailey Watchmaker said. “Babies just bring joy to everyone.” But others were more honest about the emotional toll:

“I’m not as nice as you ,”

a user named Briittney admitted. “Thanks for preparing me.”

In a culture where moms are expected to be endlessly present, cheerful, and patient—even while managing unpaid labor and the mental load—these interactions can feel both heartwarming and overwhelming.

Related: The invisible labor that’s breaking moms: How unequal mental load impacts mental health

TL;DR: Babywearing turns moms into conversation starters

Scenna’s video is a reminder that motherhood in public is often treated like a communal event. Sometimes that leads to connection. Sometimes, it just means one more thing moms have to manage with a smile.

So the next time you spot a mom with a baby on her chest and a shopping list in her hand, maybe hold back the advice—and just give her a knowing nod. She’s already carrying a lot.