A photograph of a rugby player breastfeeding her 13-week-old daughter on the sidelines in the middle of a game has garnered an enthusiastic response.
Emily Brierley from Bradford in Yorkshire, England, was subbed during a Stanningley Ladies rugby league game on June 13 to feed her baby, Arabella. After a six-month break from the sport she loves, owing to pregnancy, Brierley, 29, had been keen to return to the pitch.
![(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/elbrierley">Emily Brierley</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2F28%2FEmily.jpeg&w=1200&q=75)
The photo, she reflected, has “opened up a lot of people’s minds” to the idea that breastfeeding in public spaces is both natural and acceptable.
![Emily Brierley with her daughter, Arabella. (Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/elbrierley">Emily Brierley</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2F17%2FEmily_1.jpeg&w=1200&q=75)
Despite wanting to return to rugby training just days after giving birth to Arabella, Brierley confirmed that she waited for her coach and doctor’s go-ahead. And when she was finally given that go-ahead, she was straight back to training the very next day, and trained for a couple of weeks before the game.
The mom of two, who also has a 9-year-old daughter named Scarlett, was touched by the “unbelievable” response from netizens after her sweet moment with Arabella was snapped and shared online.
![Baby Arabella with her older sister, Scarlett. (Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/elbrierley">Emily Brierley</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2F17%2FArabella_Scarlett-Grace.jpeg&w=1200&q=75)
“It’s not an easy thing to do,” wrote another, adding, “I’ve recently had a baby too! Kudos to you, women are unreal!”