Rumer Willis Shares Empowering Message About Avoiding Breastfeeding "Shame"

Rumer Willis is getting a few motherhood tips off her chest. 

The 35-year-old—who welcomed her baby girl Louetta in April with partner Derek Richard Thomas—opened up about her breastfeeding journey and why she wants to help other parents feel empowered about their experience. 

"I don't have shame about my breasts or about feeding my daughter," Rumer exclusively told E! News' Francesca Amiker. "That's how they eat; that's how they find connection; that's how they find safety. We, as a society, are the ones who have sexualized breasts. Breasts are literally made to feed our children."

It's this mindset that has helped the House Bunny alum feel confident and comfortable feeding her 7-month-old daughter anywhere.

"I have no problem doing it," the eldest daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore explained. "If people look at me weird or judge me, that's fine. Whatever your journey is, don't be ashamed. It's such a privilege to be able to feed your child and have those moments of connection. Are you going to prioritize what other people think of you over your connection with your child?"

Rumer—who partnered with Bumpsuit to launch the Lou Blue Baby Carrier—noted that she feels passionate to share her breastfeeding experience because she knows it's hard for others to find a sense of community.

"There's so much misinformation that is promoted towards women that they don't feel empowered," she said, "It doesn't seem like there's a general container of support for women to continue on their breastfeeding journey. So, it's really important to be able to talk about it."

She continued, "If we remove all of the judgments and negativity, and show up with more compassion, then a lot of stuff would be drastically different." 

And while Rumer might be offering words of wisdom, she's still learning valuable motherhood lessons.

"This has been such an experience from the moment I got pregnant til now," she said. "It's been such an exercise in surrender and self-trust. Everyone will give you advice—grandparents, friends, sisters, doctors—and the truth is you really have to trust yourself."

Of course, Rumer isn't the only celebrity to candidly share her breastfeeding journey. Keep reading to see what other advice A-listers have shared.

"I think my breastfeeding journey was also very empowering because it was so difficult," Keke told Essence in an interview published Aug. 21. "And I wanted to give up at so many different points, but I just kept pushing myself and kept trying to figure it out."

She added, "The relationship I had with my son during that process empowered me to get back up and do things for myself again."

The Game alum, who shares son Cree, 12, and daughter Cairo, 5, with ex-husband Cory Hardrict, opened up about her struggles with breastfeeding. "When I had Cree, I was struggling to breastfeed him," she wrote in an Aug. 10 Instagram. I was only able to breastfeed for 3 months before having to switch to formula. And during the second time, I found that I was able to breastfeed Cairo for 13 months." 

She continued, "Nonetheless, the journey was difficult...if you are struggling with breastfeeding, I want you to know that it is more than okay to feed your children formula. As long as your children are fed, loved, happy, and supported that's all that matters."

The House Bunny actress snapped a photo of herself nursing daughter Louetta, who she shares with musician Derek Richard Thomas, during a family beach day in August 2023.

In a carousel of Instagram pictures, the former Victoria's Secret model shared a photo of herself breastfeeding her and Jason Statham's baby girl, Isabella. 

In May 2022, Ashley Graham shared a photo of herself feeding her twin boys, Malachi Ervin and Roman Ervin, at the same time. She captioned the post, "double fisting (peep the whacky tan lines)."

In March 2021, the Victoria's Secret model shared a pic of herself on Instagram breastfeeding her baby girl, Tuulikki Joan Daly. A couple of hours later, she shared the same photo on her Instagram Story, writing, "Find it interesting the amount of dms I get from men who get offended when you post a photo breastfeeding... Like, why is the most natural thing so offending to you? Breasts literally excists [sic] so we can feed our children [red heart emoji]."

The Twilight star opened up about breastfeeding her 20-month-old daughter Bodhi Soleil Reed Somerhalder in an Instagram post in 2019. "To be honest, I have no idea how long her and I will be on this journey together. I follow her lead, and she tells me exactly what she needs," she wrote.

"little bear," Kehlani tweeted in 2019, along with photos of her and baby Adeya.

"On a lighter note.... @acrebaja was bomb," the actress shared on Instagram while kicking off 2019, after welcoming her second child, daughter Banks. 

"Feeding time for the little munchkin," Robin Thicke's girlfriend wrote by a video of her feeding their daughter Mia. 

The actress breastfed son Grey, writing on Instagram in 2017, "BREASTFEEDING=JUDGEMENT FREE ZONE!"

The Hills alum and mom of one told her Instagram followers in 2016 that her sister, Casey Loza, is "always capturing me in moments. #momonthego."

The actress is all smiles as she snaps a selfie of her feeding her little one.

The model mom of two encourages other moms to share #breastfeedingselfie pics.

The Bravo star astutely pointed out in 2016 that "this #breastfeeding stuff is no joke."

The actress shared this photo in honor of daughter Elizabella's first birthday in 2015. "Happy Birthday, my beautiful Elizabella. You've taught me that my heart has no end. You were the missing piece to my soul. Thank you for choosing me," she wrote. 

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