Experts, Mothers Say Online 'Mommy Shamers' Can Make A Tough Job Even Tougher

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Parenting is already a tough job and 'mommy shaming' can make things even harder.

As CBS 2's Cindy Hsu explained, a growing number of mothers feel like they are under attack.

Mommy shaming is when someone makes a mother feel bad about how they are parenting. Lana Lebersfeld said that she sees it all the time.

"The breast milk as opposed to formula, how you dress your kid," Lebersfeld said, "I know some of my friends who get shamed for being working moms."

Trista Vanhoose said that she was mommy shamed by a relative over vaccinating her son.

"She sent me this huge article about why I shouldn't and how I'm very ignorant," Vanhoose said.

With the internet shaming has really exploded. Leigh Ann Torres has a blog and says online conversations have turned into painful attacks on her and her parenting.

"The mom shaming is really the 2014 term for judgement," she said.

Parenting expert Tammy Gold told CBS 2's Hsu that shamers can now remain anonymous and feel a lot more confident, by hiding behind a computer screen.

"With Instagram and Facebook and Twitter, moms feel like they can comment on everything that other moms are doing," Gold said.

Gold said that there are a number of ways to handle it, whether the shaming happens online or face to face.

"The first way is to say 'thank you very much for your opinion, but I think I'm good,' and that gets the message 'I don't want to hear it,'" Gold said.

You can also say you appreciate positive information, and even post that on your page, but if the negative comments keep coming feel free to de-friend those sending the nasty comments.

Experts say the one giving the advice is often insecure about their own parenting skills and telling others what to do makes them feel better about themselves.

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