Emily DiDonato’s Latest Postpartum Admission Is Helping Fellow Moms Feel Seen

Along her third postpartum journey, model and mom Emily DiDonato has been incredibly open with her fans every step of the way. Recently, the 35-year-old New York native has opened up about everything from her favorite postpartum workouts to the nutrition principles that have worked best for her. And now, DiDonato has used her platform to speak out further on a very polarizing topic: breastfeeding.

“I was hesitant to share this, but since posting about my decision not to breastfeed my third baby, I get messages every day from women, saying that hearing my experience made them feel less alone in their own feeding decisions,” she wrote in the caption of an Instagram reel posted on Sunday, Oct. 11.

DiDonato then continued in her caption, “I would never argue against the benefits of breast milk, but I also know from my own experience with DMER, that breastfeeding or pumping isn’t always the right choice for a mom’s mental health or her family.”

DMER, or Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex, is a psychological condition in which a breastfeeding mother feels intensely negative feelings or overwhelming anxiety during letdown. DiDonato, who welcomed her third child, Jack, with husband Kyle Peterson this spring, has spoken out on her platform on numerous occasions about her experience with the condition while breastfeeding her two older children.

“I thought about this decision A LOT before having my 3rd. It was emotional, and there was definitely guilt attached to it. But ultimately, I wanted to show up as a happy, present mom to all three of my kids, and for me, not breastfeeding was the right choice,” DiDonato concluded. “Turns out I didn’t hate the newborn stage. I just hated breastfeeding.❤️.”

Clearly DiDonato’s vulnerability allowed other women to feel seen, as plenty of her 2.8 million followers chimed into the comments section of the post, which, at press time, has more than 11,800 likes.

“This is the content women need! More openness and transparency, thank you for putting yourself out there and sharing ❤️❤️❤️,” one follower applauded.

“Thank you for saying this out loud! So validating. 🫶🏻👏🏻,” someone else added.

“Thank youuuuuu for this! If I had a 3rd I would skip to fully enjoy newbornhood! Breastfeeding added so much unneeded stress and pressure to my journey. Appreciate your transparency 🩷,” another fellow mom stated with gratitude.

DiDonato and Peterson, who tied the knot in June 2018, started their family by welcoming daughter Teddy in November 2021. Their son, Oliver, joined the brood in April 2023, followed by Jack this May.

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