Mom spurs debate after photo captures her breastfeeding on Disney ride

Meredith Barnyak, the breastfeeding mom, has had to deal with internet commenters criticizing her actions.

Where and when to breastfeed has been a historically polarizing subject, but one American mom has ignited fierce debate after she was pictured nursing onboard a ride at Disney World‘s Epcot theme park.

Meredith Barnyak, a mother of two from Pittsburgh, was visiting the Orlando, Fla., park with her family, and was eager to expose her children to the magic of Disney. Barnyak told Today she and her children — Graham, 3, and Poppy, 1 — as well as her husband, mother and stepfather had been enjoying rides in the park.

While riding the Frozen Ever After boat ride, Barnyak said her infant became squirmy.

“She would just pull on my shirt and I thought, ‘OK, it’s dark out. We’re all humans. We’re all honestly going to enjoy the ride a lot better, and you’ll be happier being fed,'” Barnyak explained to Today.

As Barnyak was breastfeeding her daughter, she noticed a flash signalling that an in-ride photo had been taken of her and her fellow riders.

“As soon as I saw the flash, I was like, ‘Oh no, I think all these people have a picture of (me) breastfeeding my baby on this ride,'” she laughed.

With her permission, Barnyak’s cousin, Jo Goddard, shared the photo to Instagram for followers of her lifestyle website, Cup of Jo.

“My cousin @meredithbarnyak being an absolute MOM on this Disney ride,” Goddard wrote in a simple, emoji-filled caption.