Curious to hear why other moms made the move to pumping, especially if you are pumping exclusively or bottle feeding more expressed milk than breastfeeding. I know there are many reasons and I'd love to hear them all!

I'm a FTM with a three week old and here's something I'm noticing that's been weighing on me.

While I was pregnant I was told time and time again "Strive for the minimal intervention vaginal delivery but be grateful to have access to modern interventions if needed. As long as babe is healthy." Funny enough that's exactly what happened. My daughter was born at 37 weeks footling breech, placenta only 20% still attached and blood in the amniotic fluid. We wouldn't be here without that intervention. Everyone seems accepting even though we all know the benefits of vaginal births.

Similarly we know the benefits of breastfeeding. You'd think we would hear, "Aim to breastfeed but be grateful to have access to modern interventions if needed. As long as babe is healthy."

Maybe this is just my experience but I don't feel that same understanding and support when women move to formula or pumping and instead get pushed towards feeling bad about not breastfeeding. You'd think as long as babe AND MOM are healthy and happy that would be what matters. Instead everyone keeps reminding me of the benefits of breatfeeding.

In my case I am pumping more and breatfeeding less because of a combo of shallow latch, flat nipples, lazy feeder (likely from being early), slow weight gain/easily losing weight still, all topped off with lactation headaches that ate a million times worse when I breastfeed vs tolerable when I pump. While I do feel bad I can't just breastfeed on demand and satisfy my daughter I'd feel worse if she wasn't healthy or if my own health continued to suffer. Both her health and mine come into it.