“Someone explain to me why my 8-year-old’s swimsuit top has this?” a mother asked on TikTok, uploading a clip where she dismantles a girl’s bathing suit to reveal foam circles inserted into the top part of it. “It’s inappropriate,” she added, believing that the padding was intended to give a more mature appearance to the body of her school-aged daughter.

She was quickly forced to apologize after another account, called The Asian Duo, countered with a clip explaining the real purpose of such additions. 

“Those pads are not there to convey any inappropriate meaning or hidden messages at all. They’re there for an added layer of protection,” she explained.

A mother gets a reality check after complaining about extra “inappropriate” padding in her 8-year-old daughter’s swimsuit

Image credits: lifeaskristinab

“Hey girl, let’s not try to make things into something that it’s not. Honestly, those pads are not there to convey any inappropriate meaning or hidden messages at all,” said the response video on July 20, 2024, which has since gone viral and has close to 2 million likes on TikTok.

She continues to explain that the foam pads are added to the swimsuits for protective purposes, adding that manufacturers can’t know at which age a girl will start developing since they develop at different paces, so they add the padding to cater to those who have started puberty.

Image credits: Freepik

“Mostly when they’re on the beach or in the pool, it gives them a little bit more discretion. It gives them confidence because we don’t want to show anything,” she continued. “That’s why it’s there, because, as you know, these swimsuits are very thin, and if you wear a very light-colored material — like, let’s say, white — things will poke out. Obviously, that’s not appropriate.”

“It was eating at my soul. I need to address it.” The woman posted a video expressing her regret, where she detailed the causes of her original grievances

Image credits: asianunplugged

The mother, Kristina Battaglia, originally believed that companies were manufacturing the suits with nefarious intent and quickly released an apology video a few hours after the counter-response, and she explained the reasons behind her initial complaints.

“I thought it was completely unnecessary for my daughter’s bathing suit to have cups,” she explained. “I uploaded the clip thinking the companies’ agenda was to add the cups to ‘hoist up’ a little girl’s parts, which I thought was completely inappropriate.”

Image credits: asianunplugged

@asianunplugged Bathing suits Modesty #bathingsuit #swimsuit #modesty #pool ♬ original sound – The Asian Duo

“However, I got my ass handed to me. Thank you for correcting my ignorance and making me understand that these suits are useful for early bloomers that might need extra coverage,” she continued, alluding to the response her video received. “I felt horrible. I [offer] my heartfelt apology.”

Kristina then explained that she has since deleted her original video after the massive criticism it garnered. “I was getting dragged, rightfully so,” she added, reassuring her viewers that she had learned her lesson.

Bathing suit brands explain that, while pads might have the side-effect of “boosting” an older girl’s features, their main purpose is to protect them

Image credits: lifeaskristinab

Swimsuit manufacturer Bond & Co explains that the foam pads are, first and foremost, added to provide girls with an extra level of modesty. 

However, they do not shy away from explaining other reasons why pads are used: “Another reason to include pads in a swimwear design is to give a fuller bust appearance, and through the use of extra padding and sometimes even gel, you can provide that little extra ‘boost.’”

Image credits: lifeaskristinab

According to the company, the foam pads are meant to be removable, giving parents and girls the choice to keep or ditch them according to their own preferences and values. 

“If you feel that it’s just not the right option then that also is totally fine and we support you in this choice. All you need to do is simply pull the pads out and store them away safely in case you wish to re-use them again down the track,” the manufacturer said on their website.

Women on TikTok recounted their own stories about bathing suits, with numerous mothers discussing their experiences with daughters who have matured quickly

Image credits: lifeaskristinab

The response video has garnered more than 12,000 comments at the time of writing, with many mothers sharing their own experiences with the suits and being thankful for the extra protection they provide.

“Without the padding it would be very revealing,” said one viewer. 

“My sister needed them at 8, I agree a hundred percent,” explained another.

“My three daughters needed them at 8-9. They all flat out refuse to wear swimsuits without them,” said a mother, sharing her experience.

“I especially remember developing in 3rd grade and wishing I had padding because I was embarrassed,” added one viewer.

@lifeaskristinabIm sorry🫶🏼♬ original sound – Lifeaskristinab

In Kristina’s apology video, her viewers valued her accountability and were ultimately thankful for the conversation it created, helping raise awareness around the issue for mothers around the world.

“Thank you for accepting the information and allowing it to shift your perspective,” one of her followers said.

“It takes a lot of courage to react this way to being dragged, and now you’ve shifted from making a mistake, to becoming the example,” said another.

“You probably helped some other moms out there that had no idea either, so it’s still good you put it out there and got new information being spread,” explained one viewer, adding a silver lining to the entire situation.

“We never stop learning!” Despite the initial confusion, viewers valued the lessons garnered from the discussion

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