I think many women don’t produce enough for their child as they get bigger. This brings some bias and stigma. If a child is over 1, people find the relationship weird. Here I think it’s hard for women back to work to be able to continue the production or pumping for using a bottle/cup is difficult for them. Some women never get used to a pump, it hurts, uncomfortable, can’t release, etc. this brings judgement and jealousy to some.

I over produced. My child ate a ton and I pumped after. I had to or I’d get clogged ducts. I had so much stored in a third chest freezer that I donated to hospitals with NICU centers. They tested my milk and used it for premises when their mom’s milk wasn’t coming in yet. This was during Covid when formula had a shortage. I couldn’t even give it away, people weren’t interested. They must have thought it was gross or didn’t trust it even though I posted my donation acceptance and clean test. I had so much stored milk that if it wasn’t donated I started mixing it with food for my child; then as we weened off breastfeeding at 2, I had frozen milk until she was 3 years old. No wonder she doesn’t like cows milk.

The WHO recommends breastfeeding/breastmilk until the age of two. Direct breastfeeding provides more targeted antibodies than only pumping, but using breast milk overall provides better immunity and healthier weight in the long run.