“Southern Charm” star Madison LeCroy isn’t apologizing for her parenting choices — even if one of them is has been seen its fare share of debate and shaming.
The 35-year-old welcomed her second child, a little girl named Teddi, this June. Teddi was born six weeks early — and unlike when she gave birth to her 12-year-old son, Hudson, LeCroy never saw her milk come in.
That left her with one choice for feeding her baby: formula.
“It was a a no-brainer for me,” she told The Post. “I didn’t beat myself up too much about not being able to breastfeed… You go through the period where you’re sad you couldn’t do it. But then at the end of the day, it’s what had to happen.”
It was important to her to approach shopping for a formula thoughtfully.
“I did tons of research trying to find something that modeled breast milk itself,” she explained, noting that she was initially eye European infant formulasm which are less likely to contain artificial sweeteners and also require DHA, an Omega-3 fatty acid — something not mandated in the US.
European formulas also have stricter regulations to ensure more nutrient-packed products, and block synthetic additives and GMOs.
Ultimately, it was LeCroy’s husband, Brett Randle, who suggested Bobbie, an organic, European-style formula, founded by moms and beloved by celebs like Cardi B., Sophia Ro, Carmen Aub and Blake McGrath.
“He’s got seven brothers and sisters, and everybody has kids, and they gave him some recommendations, and one of them was Bobbie. I trusted that. I did the research and it’s a ten out of ten for me,” said the star, who has now teamed up with the brand on a new campaign.
US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been looking to make formula more nutritious — and less dangerous — for months as a part of his Make America Healthy Agenda.
“You have to listen to your body and your baby. I think people who say breastfed babies are the best need to understand that. In my opinion, a well-fed baby is always the goal,” she said.
Still, formula feeding has been shamed by some hardcore breastfeeding advocates. LeCroy hopes speaking out can help break the stigma.
“Give yourself grace,” she said. “If you have to go with a breast milk formula company, that’s what you have to do. You can’t let other people get in your head about what they think is best for you. Only you can decide what is going to be best for your baby.”
And just because she didn’t breastfeed doesn’t mean her body hasn’t gone through a lot of changes — her breasts included.
“Let’s just say that the body is definitely giving,” she said. “My milk never came in, but it sure does look like it did.”
In her case, going the formula route has all worked out great so far.
“To be a preemie and already at 12 pounds, we’re doing really well. She’s got a head full of hair and is very, very happy,” she said of little Teddi.
Plus, she gets more sleep and more assistance with Teddi’s feedings.
“I’m sure my husband’s kicking himself because I’m making him do the nighttime feedings,” she said.
In the vein of more freedom for moms, LeCroy believes — as Bobbie advocates — that mothers should have access to paid maternity leave.
“Paid maternity leave would be great. My husband somehow got that. I, on the other hand, being self-employed, went straight back to work,” she said.
The United States is the only industrialized country in the world without a national program for paid parental leave.
Bobbie is hoping to lead by example with its open-sourced Take Our Leave parental leave policy that offers birthing and non-birthing employees up to 12 months of leave.
