Lauren Toyota gets real about feeding a baby: '1,800 hours of unpaid work'
Lauren Toyota is opening up about the reality of motherhood.
Over the weekend, the former "Much Music" reporter took to Instagram to share a candid video about parenting with her 89,000 followers.
In the clip, the 39-year-old filmed herself breastfeeding her six-month-old son.
In the caption, the cookbook author saluted mothers for their hard work and commitment.
"Feeding a baby is a full-time job you don’t get paid for! 1,800 hours or more when all is said and done!" she said, referencing the average amount of time a person spends breastfeeding in the first year of a baby's life. "Tell me more! Oh there’s pumping, cleaning pump parts, washing bottles, preparing and warming bottles...whether breastfeeding or formula feeding this s— ain’t free!" she said. "Just saying! Here’s to moms!"
In the comments, fans and fellow mothers thanked Toyota for making them feel "less alone."
"Cleaning pump parts…does it ever end? Clean and dry one part and it feels like you have to start all over again…thanks for making me feel like I’m less alone!" commented a follower.
"I love that you've incorporated being a new mom into your online posts/life, while maintaining your little one's privacy!" shared someone else.
"It really is a whole job! Wow Lauren, you're killing it!" added another.
"Totally worth it! I wanted to quit many times but I kept reminding myself why I’m doing it. Totally worth it! Keeping going mama, you got this!" wrote a fan.
This isn't the first time that the new mom has opened up about parenting.
Last month, Toyota told mothers that they don't need to ask "permission" to have some "me time" in an Instagram video.
In the clip, the Mississauga, Ont.-native explained that she asked her husband if she could go to a yoga class. Later on, she realized that she doesn't need permission to make time for her physical and mental health.
"This morning I asked for permission to go to yoga," she began. "I haven't been in 14 months. Next time I'm just going to say, 'I'm going to yoga. Bye.' Choose your words."
"Here’s a lesson, Moms, you don’t need permission," she added.
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