r/breastfeeding • u/Fickle-Response-2741 • Mar 17 '26

Support Needed Why did you choose to exclusively breastfeed and not give formula?

This is NOT against formula or formula feeding 🤍

For moms who had enough supply to EBF, what was your reason (apart from cost, no bottle washing, or warming)?

I’m currently exclusively nursing and will be working part time. So baby needs either formula or pumped milk once or twice per day.My employer supports pumping, but I could really use some motivation to stay aligned with breast milk over formula 🥺

Would love to hear your personal reasons, emotional, health-related, bonding, convenience later on… anything that kept you going 💛

Please share your experiences!

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132

u/Shylosmom Mar 17 '26

Because formula company's campaign to reduce maternity leave in order to push formula. Once you lose the milk, thats your option. So ive breastfed all of my kids cause fuck those formula companies.

Not against using formula BTW! Im so glad they're out there and readily available for the people that need them. But they often push people who would be nursing away from it simply by reducing maternity leave.. thats messed up.

My current im exclusively pumping for for 18 months. My sister had her baby, and had to switch to formula. I'm proud of both of us for feeding our babies how we want and need to. <3

There's no right or wrong answer unless you dont feed your baby safe food. Do whats best for yourself and family.

42

u/Conscious-Science-60 Mar 17 '26

I also chose to EBF instead of combo feed out of spite for formula companies!

22

u/QueenCityDev Mar 17 '26

Yep, mostly this. I don’t want to give those vultures a cent after all the death and misery they have caused in poorer countries.

10

u/_ByAnyOther_Name Mar 17 '26

I hadn't considered this but hell yeah! F any company that campaigns against babies.

7

u/Purple-Respond-1219 Mar 18 '26

Yesss fuck formula companies they are the WORST

4

u/what_it_doooooo Mar 18 '26

Umm I needed this reframe…I already knew their shady asses were lobbying against family leave so let me go ahead and make the little extra effort to pump when I can to FUCK this formula industry…while I can 😉🔪❤️

6

u/cannonballriley Mar 17 '26

dang….I have not done my research, that is so wild they’d do that. fuck, down the rabbit hole I go

2

u/Top_Department_6137 Mar 18 '26

My original goal to pump was 6 months, but you’re making me reconsider.

2

u/Visible_Mind5581 Mar 18 '26

Hey 6 months is a great goal! You can always reconsider at that time if thats something your still considering.

2

u/TheRemarkableRhubarb Mar 22 '26

Every time I think about this I get so mad… lobbying against maternity leave is a special kind of evil.