Seen At 11: Parent Shaming Troubling New Trend Emerging On Social Media

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Parent shaming is becoming a troubling new trend on social media.

CBS2's Kristine Johnson reported celebrity to every day parents are being criticized online for the way they discipline to how they feed their children.

Recent incidents included model Chrissy Teigen taken to task for being out with her husband John Legend when her baby was 10 days old; pop star Victoria Beckham being criticized for posting a photo where she kissed her daughter on the lips; and actor Ryan Reynolds called out for not putting his baby correctly in a carrier.

Experts said that parent shaming is a hot trend nowadays on social media.

"I think it makes parents question how they're doing things every second of the day because you never know who is going to call you out," said Rebecca Gruber, a parenting blog writer for Pop Sugar.

The issue flared after two highly publicized incidents: parents were criticized after their 4-year-old fell into a gorilla pen and after a 2-year-old was snatched and killed by an alligator.

Experts said the trend is fueled by the anonymity of social media.

"Nobody knows who you are, you can get it off your chest, you can feel superior," said parenting expert Carolyn Meyer-Wartels.

However, not all shaming is done anonymously as a stranger came up to Annie Ferguson Muscato while she was buying formula and told her "breast is best."

"I got a little indignant," Muscato said.

She wrote an open letter to the stranger on her Facebook and suggested an alternative to shaming, saying, "Try to remember that mamas should support each other."

She said the reaction to her post was overwhelmingly positive.

"It gave me a lot of hope in women, and particularly mothers," Muscato said.

Muscato said she hopes her message can help turn the tide on shaming.

"Remember that none of us are perfect and we're all doing the best we can and we can all do better if we lift each other up rather than put each other down," she said.

Experts said to help stop parent shaming, people should put themselves in parents' shoes, and practice empathy and understanding.