Instagram Won't Allow Breastfeeding Ads on Social Media, So We Changed Our Moms Into Cats

According to Instagrams policies, “We agree that breastfeeding is natural and beautiful, and we understand that it's important for mothers to be able to share their experiences on Instagram. The vast majority of these kinds of posts are following our policies.”

Awesome, Instagram is helping to make a change in the world, in the efforts to #normalizebreastfeeding. EXCEPT, when you turn those posts into ads. Then all the sudden they get categorized into the “sexual & nudity” category and denied… denied… denied.

No matter how many times we appeal the denial (thinking it must be a mistake), we continue to receive emails from Instagram stating that a real, live, breathing human has reviewed the ad and they “stand behind their decision”.

Up until July of 2018 we’ve had no issues with posting breastfeeding photos on our Instagram account. Sure breastfeeding photos are okay to post on the social media platform, they say themselves that they agree that breastfeeding is “natural and beautiful”. If this is true… why are they denying breastfeeding ADS?

It’s not just us. A whole flood of breastfeeding brands reached out us saying the same thing is happening to them after we posted THIS post.

Don’t think it’s that big of a deal? Think about this… how many ads do you see popping up in your feed of women in lingerie, swimsuits, models completely in the nude with a little tiny heart over their nipples. Hey, if you wanna show your body… show your body.

But what kind of message is Instagram sending to young girls, or even young boys? Our youth is learning something without even realizing it… that it’s okay to show a woman’s body as long as it’s meant to be sexual in nature, as long as it’s to look good on the beach, as long as it’s art.

But it’s absolutely 100% NOT okay when you’re using your body how nature intended you to. To feed your baby. If it’s not appealing to society, put it away, we don’t want to see it. What the hell kind of message is this?

Not to mention how many ads out there promote bottles and formula. Again nothing wrong with this, #fedisbest. But here’s the issue. How can ads like this be acceptable, but any ads that promote breastfeeding is NOT?

How incredibly lopsided is that equation? To sum it up, Instagram only supports formula feeding products. Instagram has over 800 million users… MILLION. With a reach like that, you’re making a HUGE impact on the world. On these young kids. On future mothers.

Instagram, you can’t do a half fast job by saying you agree that breastfeeding is natural and beautiful so we’ll allow those photos. But don’t stand behind them when they turn into ads.

I think you owe your community an explanation. No, let me rephrase that… we DEMAND an explanation.

So for our latest campaign, we’ve changed our mothers into cats. Instagram, is this photo okay now? Can this run as an ad now?

Are these photos acceptable?

What do we have to do as women to get your attention? To be heard? To change this blasphemy?

We demand to be heard. So we started a petition. We have over 15,000 signatures. We're making waves ladies. We've had TWO of our ads approved (out of 15).

And as much as this is good news, countless ads are still being denied for "sexual content". We will not lay down, we will not stop appealing, we will not give up! We have almost 30k followers and we plan to use our voice, even if it shakes.

We will stand up for every single breastfeeding mother. . If you haven't signed the petition yet, you can do so HERE!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (owner of The Little Milk Bar)