Becoming a mom is beautiful and fulfilling—and also just plain scary at times. In the spirit of Halloween, women are taking to social media to display their takes on pregnant and breastfeeding pumpkins. They showcase the challenges of motherhood—and they’re about as spooky as it gets.
One of the pumpkins, created by mom to three boys Katie Streif, shows a struggle with mastitis . Streif welcomed her youngest son last month and is currently undergoing treatment for the condition. When her oldest, 4-year-old son Leo came to her wanting to carve a pumpkin, she decided to have some fun of her own.
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Streif’s breastfeeding pumpkin features raw, red nipples that are hooked up to a Medela pump . “The idea immediately came to mind," Streif told TODAY Parents. “I wanted to do something funny and relatable to all mamas who may have gone through mastitis or something similar.”
Streif isn’t the first mama to want to showcase mom-life through pumpkin carving —it’s a tradition that’s been going on for years. A few years ago, Kim Wheaton, mom of two and a certified doula, created two breastfeeding pumpkins at a festival in her hometown of Sycamore, Illinois in an attempt to normalize the practice in her community.
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“I believe that breastfeeding is not a shameful thing, and women should have the freedom to breastfeed where and when they like,” Wheaton told TODAY Parents.
While some of the carvings are sweet, others are downright scary—with pumpkin guts for added effects.
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