Heather Rae El Moussa‘s heart was in the right place when she shared a “mom tip” with her Instagram followers, but her suggestion didn’t land well for some fans.
The Selling Sunset star shared a lengthy post on Tuesday regarding a recent flight she took with husband Tarek El Moussa, their newborn son Tristan, and Tarek’s 12-year-old daughter Taylor and 7-year-old son Brayden, whom he shares with ex-wife Christina Hall. The flight was notably via private jet, which was the point of contention for many of the new mom’s social media followers.
Alongside several photos from the flight, including one of Heather kissing her son’s head as he gazed into the camera and another of the family smiling in front of the private plane before boarding, the reality star wrote, “Our little traveling boy!! Took Tristan on his first flight ever with Tay and Bray so they could be with us at The Flipping Summit and see us in our element 🤍”
Where the Issue Took Flight
The “proud mama” continued, “Tristan did such an incredible job and mom-tip, I breast fed him on the way up and then again on the way down to help with ear popping.” She explained, “It worked perfectly and then the rest of the flight he just giggled, played and looked around and was so happy & didn’t cry once… he loved the new environment 🫶🏻,” the reality star added.
“He also slept the longest he’s ever slept at the hotel and it was great because in between speaking or in between events I would rush back to breast feed him,” Heather wrote, concluding, “He was such an angel 🥺 proud mama moment.”
How the Turbulence Unfolded
As eager as she was to share her advice with other moms, the realtor’s suggestion caused major turbulence in the comments of her post.
One follower gave Heather a dose of tough love, writing, “I love you and think you are an incredible woman, boss, mama and so many other things. You radiate positivity and inclusivity. BUT, this is tone def af.” They explained, “Private jet with help, is not an accomplishment. It’s straight privilege (and your hard work) but ZERO percent relatable.”
Other less friendly critics wrote, “Of course it was GREAT. Try flying commercial 😂,” “Not all Mamas have the luxury of a private plane. But good for you and your ‘tips’ 🙄,” and “I would imagine travel isn’t hard in a private plane 😂 try traveling with two toddlers economy,” among hundreds of similar comments.
One mom gave full skull emoji vibes with her snarky comment: “My son simultaneously peed, pooped, and vomited on his first flight and then I got the opportunity to change him in the teeny tiny airplane lavatory. So, pretty much the same experience.” And you know what? That’s a valid experience, too.
Mom Tips for the Every Day Mamas
Some of the Selling Sunset star’s followers gave some insight into how her tips aren’t really relevant for the everyday moms who fly commercial, with one person writing, “I love the idea of breastfeeding on take off and landing. But just Fyi for other mamas- with flying commercial (I’ve done lots of it with babies) I’ve found it’s hit or miss on if you can make this work.”
They explained that “the position fly attendants make you hold [babies] during take off/landing for safety reasons” can hinder moms from following the reality personality’s advice, adding, “So just be prepared for this not to be an option.”
Many people, however, commended the new mom for sharing her experience, regardless of the unrelatable nature of it. One commenter wrote, “Good for you momma, breastfeeding isn’t easy so it’s awesome you are doing it and keeping up with your schedule etc. I know I struggled with that!”
Some of her followers asserted that the realtor earned the ability to fly private through hard work, with one fan writing, “For all the people jealous on here and think she is wrong for posting what is NORMAL for her, scroll on. She works her ass off and so does her husband. She is not privileged if she EARNED what she has.” They added, “Work hard, play hard. If you have nothing nice to say, be quiet. It’s really a simple concept,” and encouraged her to “keep sharing please!”
Another fan commented, “a plane is a plane – flying is flying – she breast fed him before and after and that’s what helped nothing do with being in a private jet,” to which Tarek replied with three clapping emojis. We love a supportive partner!
All in the Name of Helping Other Moms
Since welcoming her son in February, Heather has frequently shared her experience as a mother in an effort to create conversation and community for other moms experiencing similar things with their babies, bodies, and mental health.
While, yes, not all of her insight is relatable, the reality star is far from malicious or thoughtless when she puts herself out there for others to learn from and connect with. Not every experience she shares is going to resonate with every mother out there, but we commend her for doing her best to help fellow mamas feel seen and heard.
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