Here’s What I Find Off About National Breastfeeding Month

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Let’s face it: if you’re in the U.S. or scroll through social media from that neck of the woods, you can’t escape National Breastfeeding Month. You’ll see images of babies latching on—like, everywhere.

I need to be upfront: I didn’t breastfeed my three kids for personal reasons—not because I couldn’t or felt like I was failing. I just decided it wasn’t for me. I admire those who do breastfeed; it’s a lot to handle after carrying a baby for ten months and going through delivery. Honestly, I wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment, emotionally or physically.

What I really don’t get is why we have a whole month dedicated to breastfeeding and its promotion online. Do we really need to raise awareness about it? I mean, who doesn’t know that breast is best for babies in developed countries at this point? It feels more like a “Look at me! I’m breastfeeding! Aren’t I amazing?” than an actual educational effort. Unless a mother has been living under a rock, she knows the benefits of breastfeeding. And if she is under a rock, do you think she’s even seeing all this breastfeeding chatter?

I understand that breastfeeding moms face backlash for feeding in public, which baffles me. I mean, why would anyone find that offensive? But, in a world filled with a-holes, I guess it’s not shocking that some people can’t handle the sight of a mother doing the most natural thing in the world.

While I can see the importance of normalizing breastfeeding without shame, dedicating an entire month to it while ignoring other healthy feeding choices seems off. Why not support all kinds of feeding methods? Trust me, I know firsthand that there are many mothers out there who also need support.

What started as a way to help mothers has morphed into a shaming game—not just for those who don’t breastfeed but for any mom who feels they don’t measure up. We already put so much pressure on mothers to get everything right. Filling social media with perfect breastfeeding images doesn’t help anyone, especially not the mom who’s struggling to get her baby to latch or dealing with painful cracked nipples. How does reminding her of what she can’t do help?

And let’s not forget the women who don’t breastfeed by choice or because they can’t. We know that breast is best, and it’s been drilled into us enough to assume we’ve made our choices intelligently, or they’ve been made for us due to medical issues.

What about women living in poverty? Sure, they’re statistically less likely to breastfeed, but does posting pictures of babies nursing on social media really help them? I doubt it. If someone isn’t getting the support they need in real life, pictures online aren’t going to change that. Plus, has anyone even asked if they want to breastfeed? It’s their body and their choice. If they’re feeding their baby, then is it really a national crisis?

Let’s be real: formula is an FDA-approved way to nourish infants, and it’s not like there’s a mortality rate linked to it. There are countless adults who were bottle-fed and are perfectly healthy. The real issue is infant mortality due to lack of proper nutrition, which can sometimes be exacerbated by the shame surrounding formula feeding. Sadly, some mothers feel they’d rather let their children go hungry than use formula, all because of the pressure to breastfeed.

So, what’s really troublesome about National Breastfeeding Month isn’t its core message of support but the way it’s promoted. It creates divisiveness—pitting breastfeeding moms against those who bottle-feed or those who choose to breastfeed long-term versus those who didn’t. The endless stream of perfect breastfeeding selfies and celebrity stories that lead to unhealthy comparisons is exhausting.

The support for breastfeeding has turned into a competition, sending messages like, “Look at me! Aren’t I great for breastfeeding?” Comments like, “Everyone should at least try breastfeeding” or “If you didn’t want to breastfeed, why become a mom?” make this month difficult for women like me.

Instead of isolating moms based on their feeding choices, we should celebrate all healthy feeding methods with something more inclusive—maybe a National I Feed My Baby Month? In the end, isn’t that what really matters? Healthy babies being fed by their mothers? If it’s not, it should be.

In summary, while National Breastfeeding Month aims to support mothers, it often breeds division and pressure rather than unity. We should recognize and support all choices made by mothers in feeding their babies, ensuring that the focus remains on healthy infants and their wellbeing.