Meghan Markle makes first public appearance since birth of baby Archie
The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle made her first public appearance since the birth of her baby Archie at the Trooping the Colour ceremony for Queen Elizabeth II.
It was quite some time before I took my first child out in public after she was born. I was really nervous for many reasons – I feared that some stranger would get her sick, that I might put her car seat in the car incorrectly, that she wasn’t warm enough in the cold weather, that she would start crying and never stop.
The list went on and on. But one of the more prominent reasons I was hesitant to go out with my newborn was that I’d be judged by other moms.
I did not want anyone to think I was a bad mom because I was doing something inherently obvious to every mother but me.
MEGHAN MARKLE AND BABY ARCHIE SUPPORT PRINCE HARRY AT CHARITY POLO MATCH
Thank goodness I’m not Meghan Markle.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor attend the King Power Royal Charity Polo Match, on July 10, 2019, in Wokingham, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
While being married to a royal prince and getting to wear a sparkly crown is probably quite enjoyable, taking her 2-month-old on out in public is probably not. This is especially true with so much unnecessary criticism hurled at Meghan by other moms and strangers on the internet like when she stepped out with baby Archie Harrison on Wednesday to watch her husband and brother-in-law at The King Power Royal Charity Polo Day event.
What happened? Was Meghan not buckling her son correctly in his car seat? Maybe smothering his little head unknowingly with a blanket? Or was he just dressed unfashionably? Nope. Criticism centered on the fact that some people didn’t like the way she was holding her bundle of joy.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor attend The King Power Royal Charity Polo Day at Billingbear Polo Club on July 10, 2019 in Wokingham, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Among the expert opinions offered by others on social media, who may or may not even be parents themselves, were tidbits like: "Meghan doesn’t look comfortable holding her baby, it doesn’t look at all a natural pose! Does she know how to hold her 2-month old baby?" and "She doesn't know how to hold the poor thing.”
For the record, I think she was holding baby Archie just fine. He looked so cute with his pudgy limbs and chunky cheeks just snuggling into her. While I’m no body language expert, she looked protective of him, which isn’t unusual given her stature and position.
Prince George of Cambridge, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor attend the King Power Royal Charity Polo Match. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time the trolls have taken aim at Meghan. She was criticized awhile back for holding her pregnant belly in an offensive way.
FILE -- The Duchess of Sussex, leaves after visiting the National Theatre in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, FILE)
Come on, internet people, get a life. Meghan’s every public move is chronicled and it’s no surprise she may look to be protective of the people she loves.
The C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Michigan released a poll in 2017 that showed almost two-thirds of moms felt criticized in some way for their parenting decisions.
I give Meghan credit for choosing to take her little baby out in public to support her husband, knowing there would be cameras everywhere and her every move would be scrutinized.
A majority of criticism came from people they knew but a small percentage came from social media. Likely none of the respondents were as famous as Meghan but it shows that mothers do experience that feeling of being judged for our decisions as parents, even if they are something as seemingly innocuous as how we hold our babies.
I give Meghan credit for choosing to take her little baby out in public to support her husband, knowing there would be cameras everywhere and her every move would be scrutinized.
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I don’t think I could do it as a mother. We have enough difficult circumstances to overcome as moms in our daily lives and there is no reason we have to be cruel to each other, whether we’re talking about someone as super famous as Meghan or our neighbor next door.
Meghan's recent experience should be a reminder to all of us that a little encouragement goes a long way towards helping moms support moms.