Life

This "Fed Is Best" Calendar Uses Stunning Photos To Prove That There's No Wrong Way To Feed Your Baby — PHOTOS

by Dena Ogden

Good news, all: We're making more progress in the War Against the Mommy Wars (yes, that's a thing because I just decided to give it a name). Staci Caspers and Justine Temke, Minnesota moms and birth doulas with Midwest Doulas, created the Judge Less movement to counter the culture of mom-shaming and to "bring awareness to the shared experiences of mothers and parents, transcending the idea that our ideals are at war." Uh, yes, please! The project's tagline—"when we let go of judgment, and let in love, beauty is the final result"—makes me think of hugs and smiles and non-ironically running barefoot through a field of wildflowers with my little one. I, like all the moms I know, will take any opportunity I can to bring more love and beauty into our lives. 

Caspers and Temke teamed up with the talented Ashley Rick of St. Paul Photo Co. to bring their movement to life with a beautiful calendar. The 2016 theme is #FedisBest, which celebrates all types of feeding. That's right, breast and bottle, hanging out in nutritious, photographic harmony. Temke shared that the topic of future calendars will change "but will always be geared toward breaking a lingering heaviness of guilt and shaming." In addition to being a theme with which every mom has experience, #FedIsBest lends itself to some gorgeous photos, featuring images of mothers feeding their babies in a variety of ways. 

Here's a sampling of the stunning calendar images:

Images: Courtesy of St. Paul Photo Co.