This breastfeeding mom had the most hilarious response to a stranger who told her to “cover up”

Mothers still often face criticism for breastfeeding in public, despite the fact that it’s 100% natural. But one breastfeeding mom’s recent response to a stranger saying she should “cover up” is going viral for all the right reasons.

According to HuffPost, Melanie Dudley was nursing her four-month-old while on vacation in Cabo San Lucas when a man approached her and asked her to cover up. Dudley, a 34-year-old stay-at-home mom from Austin, Texas, said she usually does opt to use a cover, but decided to forgo it this time because of the hot weather.

"I did have the cover on, but it was so hot. It was like, 95 degrees, and my little baby was sweating," Dudley told Today.com. "I said, ‘You know what? I'm on vacation, I'm taking this off."

Dudley was stunned at the way the stranger shamed her for breastfeeding…and decided to take his instructions literally. She threw the breastfeeding blanket over her head, leaving her breast exposed.

Her husband snapped a photo of the goofy pose and later shared it with his mother. The couple eventually gave permission to their family friend, Carol Lockwood, to share the picture on Facebook.

"A friend's daughter-in-law was told to "cover up" while feeding her baby, so she did," Lockwood wrote in her post. "I've never met her, but I think she's AWESOME!!!"

The picture has been shared more than 211,000 times and liked more than 121,000 times since it was posted on July 31st.

Given that August is National Breastfeeding Month, Lockwood’s post couldn’t come at a more perfect time. Breastfeeding is a natural part of the journey for so many parents, and it’s important for others to understand the struggles that come with it and work to be a little more understanding. Breastfeeding moms should feel comfortable feeding their babies—and the rest of the world should, quite frankly, grow up.