“Exclusively breastfeeding” means…

I thought: Exclusive breastfeeding-only boob Breastfeeding-boob and bottle Bottle feeding-breastmilk or formula Combo feeding-breastmilk and formula

What we shouldn’t be doing is shaming other mothers for feeding their babies. My baby girl gets a bottle of expressed milk a day and during that time I pump for the next day lol. Somedays I don’t even give my baby the bottle of expressed milk because pumping is more effort than breast feeding loool. It sounds like you’re doing a great job but you shouldn’t direct anger at someone because they are doing things a little differently. In my opinion it is a bit weird you think like this

I have fed baby directly from boob for just over a year now! All forms of feeding imo have pros+cons to them and each have own challenges too. Tbh pumping milk seems like a lot more effort to me in ways and really challenging to keep up with! If she were going out with her friends for many hours I believe she would still have to pump the same amount as you would feed your baby to keep up with supply but I never have pumped so idk how true that is but thats what I believed.. which would be hard too! I think it’sunique challenges to everyone! Getting up and doing a bottle, cleaning bottles with formula seems like a lot of effort to me as well! I know how hard it can be in the early months feeding baby the way that you are as I did the same way. Not being able to go out for long or at all when young. It is mentally hard on you. But I wouldn’t compare yourself to anyone else or who has it harder it will drive you mad x

In my opinion, exclusively breastfeeding means that the baby is only getting breastmilk. Whether from boob or bottle, it has the same nutritional value. Motherhood and breastfeeding are hard. We should all be proud of ourselves for things we accomplish with our babies. But without looking down on others who found ways to make their journey a little bit easier. Breastfeeding was a big challenge for me. My son wouldn't latch at all at the beginning. I tried everything to get him to do it. Different products, multiple lactation consultants. He did latch at the end and is now feeding well. But it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do in my life. I also feel very proud of what I accomplished and my journey so far. I don't think me pumping and giving him a bottle every now and then takes any of it away.

@Rana I thought that too! Exclusively BF - baby has breastmilk Formula feeding - baby has formula Combo feeding - baby has both breastmilk+formula

When my daughter was in neonatal and only receiving my breast milk they would write EBF in the notes. Considering the effort that I went to expressing day and night whilst my baby was in hospital for 10 weeks without me I’ll say I exclusively breast fed her thanks

@Grainne It’s not a shaming situation at all. There’s truly nothing wrong with bottle feeding. I just want to understand the diction most commonly used when it comes to this conversation. Is “exclusively breastfeeding” the same thing as giving breastmilk via bottle? In a conversation, what words should be used to differentiate between the 2 forms of feeding without sounding disrespectful? I thought that using the word “exclusively” was appropriate but I guess not ?

@Becky I totally agree that it can be difficult to feed a baby in any form/ situation. This isn’t about comparing one mother’s hard to another, but rather the words used to differentiate how we feed. Like I mentioned in the post, people should bottle feed if they want to, same with supplementing with formula. I’ll never use a bottle for my family unless it’s medically necessary for my own beliefs. I just didn’t realize that sharing that I exclusively breastfeed would make people think that I bottle feed too. I guess this is a similar conversation as “natural birth vs medicated birth vs cesarean birth.” None is above the other, just words used to accurately share our experience.

Both my babies have been EBF directly at the breastaraunt, but I do think if a baby is only fed breastmilk, whether it’s direct nursing or pumped milk they’re still EBF. Exclusively pumping would indicate not having any milk straight from the breast. It’s all hard, nursing, pumping, sterilising bottles. Looking after a baby is hard work! I guess you could call it exclusively nursing if you were really so inclined, but does it matter that much?

@Rana I respect your opinion, and thank you for sharing a bit about your journey. I just want to ask what you know about the nutrition aspect. I thought that the mother’s nipple can use the baby’s saliva to detect certain things the baby needs (if baby is sick mother’s milk will provide antibodies/ if baby is deficient in vitamins mother’s milk will provide more of it/ etc). Freezing and heating any food will also cause some nutrient loss. I can only assume doing so in plastic can affect it as well. While breastmilk is still very nutritious at any stage, does it really carry equal nutritional value regardless of these things? I’m still somewhat new to breastfeeding and am so confused now, after so many care providers and lactation consultants have made it clear that breast is best, and after my personal research regarding food.

Source of nutrition is solely from breast in any form is my notion, because you're still technically breast feeding just choosing to express.

I’m exclusively breastfeeding on the boob never express as don’t feel confident or comfortable pumping and I don’t mind it

I regard EBF just having breastmilk. I only give my babe the breast, but after I returned to work at 9 months, I pumped. At 12 months, I stopped because it was more difficult and time consuming that just putting her on the boob. Both methods are exhausting. Both methods deserve credit for the mothers dedication & efforts. Just like formula feeding does, cos waiting around with a hungry baby while the milk cools, stood in the cold kitchen seems much harder than just rolling over and putting a nipple in her mouth! Basically, people can label what they do however they want, and it certainly doesn't take away any efforts from others.

@incognito(trying to reply but not sure if it will work) it depends on how you store the milk, for how long, how to freeze/ reheat properly. My baby drinks cold milk. He can drink freshly expressed or milk from the fridge without reheating. Frozen breastmilk also retains most of its nutrients. Even with reheating, it is nutritious to the baby. There are glass bottles as well. Whenever I got asked about how my baby is fed by a doctor/midwife, I used to say breastfed and takes a bottle from time to time. They didn't care about the bottle part, I stopped even mentioning it. I respect your decision not to give bottles, of course. It's all about doing the research and making an informed decision based on our situation.

If baby is getting breastmilk and not formula then they are ebf. I don’t think anyone assumes whether that comes from a bottle I would imagine that isn’t what comes to mind for most but really it means breastmilk. Also your sense of smell is where you get a lot of the hormones etc that change the milk. So if baby was ill they would still get extra boost from mums milk and immune system whether being fed that milk in a bottle or directly.

I would use exclusively breastfeeding for nursing and bottle feeding. To get your point of not pumping you could use exclusively nursing

Exclusively breastfeeding is feeding baby milk from the breasts whether nursing, pumping or combo of breasts and bottle. It does NOT include combo feeding with formula. Otherwise it wouldn’t be exclusive. How a mom decides to exclusively breastfeed, whether that strictly pumping or nursing is a personal choice and it’s all exclusively breastfeeding as long as it’s breastmilk Pumping is hard and challenging, just like nursing around the clock can be. One isn’t Better than the other or harder than the other. It depends on the person, situation. Generally when people hear EBF they think nursing from the breast. I don’t think you should feel anyway. You EBF the way do for your situation and she EBF the way she does based on hers.

@Claire agree with you👏🏻👏🏻

When I read or hear exclusively breast fed, my mind automatically thinks only from the breast, not pumped milk. I don’t know why, that’s just the connection my brain makes.

To me exclusively breastfed is straight boob-juice however that may be (bottle or boob) I had to pump in the beginning due to my baby being in the NICU and then I ended up with an over supply that I had to pump or it would hurt, I would give my baby a bottle of pumped milk to get him used to the bottle incase it was needed. Let me tell you- the work that goes into pumping- sizing, all the little pieces, cleaning, bottles, it’s tough. Now I don’t really pump or give him bottles (its way easier just feeding him from the boob in my opinion!) It feels quite icky to me that you are so bothered by her using the term “exclusively breastfeeding” because both take effort, you have to either pump or feed you baby the same amount. Be proud of yourself but find space to also be proud of all the other mothers for keeping their babies fed too!

It sounds like you wanted her to say, ‘yeah I find it hard enough and I express sometimes so I can leave my baby at home, not like you, the REAL hero, wow.’ Exclusively breast fed can mean different things to different people. It seems like you’re setting a lot of stock in people knowing that you refuse to choose some options that you perceive to be ‘easy’ because of your beliefs. So much so, that the idea that people might think you occasionally express/give a bottle means you are 'discredited’. If it’s that important to you, just make sure to state that you don’t pump or supplement with formula when you’re explaining how exhausting and difficult you find it to someone else. What you can’t do is control other people’s perception of what breastfeeding exclusively is, so be prepared for them to have a perspective ready about how involved washing, drying and sterilising pump parts is, as well as finding the time to express AND then separately feed the baby.

It’s seems a little unfair that you are suggesting feeding exclusively from the boob is harder than boob and bottle. Expressing and bottle feeding is also exhausting, having to wash and sterilise pump stuff/bottles what seems like every 5 minutes. If your friend wants to express and leave the baby with someone to have some well earned time off then good for her, you shouldn’t look down on her for it just because you are doing things differently. I had a horrible birth and struggled with feeding at the start so had to express and bottle feed along with breastfeeding. My baby now exclusively feeds off of me but I would say for me it was more tiring when bottle feeding. But it’s not a competition of who’s more tired. And It’s not about getting credit for not being separated from your baby. The credit comes from giving the baby breastmilk in whatever form that may be

Exclusively breastfeeding means your baby is only fed from breastmilk (not supplemented with formula). I'd say this includes expressed breastmilk. It doesn't mean you shouldn't be proud of your breastfeeding situation... x

Ngl this post is weird. I exclusively breastfed both my kids 15mo and 2.5 years respectively, no bottles amd I’m not comfortable leaving them with anyone so I haven’t been away for more than an hour or two to this day. However, this situation wouldn’t bother me at all. It comes off as superiority. You can be proud of your journey without comparing to anyone else’s. You’re judging her and the whole thing sounds childish, honestly.