'Breast is Best' Letter From New Mom Goes Viral

By Wendy Widom

(CBS) — "Breast is best," is a phrase many pregnant and new moms hear from medical professionals, family members, fellow moms, and even complete strangers.

It was a stranger at Target who approached Gainesville mom Annie Muscato to criticize her for buying formula for her newborn.

In a carefully worded letter on her Facebook page titled "Dear Stranger in Target," Muscato shared how it felt to be chided over what she feeds her baby. She refers to struggling to reconcile the "breast is best" mantra with her own experience as a new mom.

I know that my baby began screaming after she ate. Writhing in pain. Inconsolable.
I know over the last month and a half I have exclusively pumped and tried slow flow bottles of breast milk, I have tried different positions, I have seen another lactation consultant.
I know I have held my child, my baby, while she screamed for hours- one day for eight hours straight.
I know we have been to see the pediatrician at least twice a week since she has been born.
I know that I tried cutting soy, and dairy, and leafy greens from my diet to make my milk more digestible for her.
I have pumped- and I'm still pumping- enough to have hundreds of ounces of breast milk in my freezer even though she will likely never be able to eat it.
All because "breast is best."

Muscato's letter on Facebook has gone viral, with over 11,400 shares in two days.

Today Muscato told CBS 2 via Facebook that she has received an outpouring of support from many people, including moms for whom breastfeeding came easily.

"I've also had several people reach out to let me know that while they have never said anything, they have judged women buying formula because breastfeeding came so easy for them and they will think twice next time," she says.

Her goal for writing the post, says Muscato, is to provide "a gentle reminder for all of us to cut each other some slack."