These Photos Prove Bottle Feeding Is Beautiful Too

We love breastfeeding photos — they're a truly inspirational look at the bond between a mother and her baby. But we also know that breastfeeding isn't something every mother does. Is a mom feeding a baby milk from a bottle any less beautiful? Photographer Nikke Whitman thinks not. The mother of three recently met with women who chose to bottle feed their babies based on choice or because of circumstances out of their control — and what she discovered surprised even her.

"Some women, in shame, pick up that bottle to nourish their child with the fear of being judged," she wrote on her site. "This is not okay. Feeding your newborn should never feel shameful!"

Whitman was inspired to create the photo series, Bottle Feeding Is Beautiful Too, which sheds light on the bond that can still exist without the breast.

"This is a matter of informed choice," she said, noting such issues as low supply, complicated work schedules, adoption, and mastectomies can lead to the decision to use a bottle. "We mamas know our child needs care, and we give it."