- Breastfeeding is difficult: 59 percent of moms say nursing is harder than they thought it would be, and 12 percent say they tried to breastfeed but couldn’t.
- Moms need more support: 97 percent seek breastfeeding support, and 23 percent say they might have been able to breastfeed for longer if they’d gotten more of it.
- Most moms use a breast pump: Nearly 3 in 4 moms are currently or have previously pumped, and 11 percent pump exclusively.
- Formula usage has risen since pre-pandemic levels: More families are using formula, either exclusively or in combination with breast milk, than they were in 2019, our study found.
- The formula shortage has caused families stress: The majority of moms, even those who are exclusively breastfeeding, say the shortage has caused them stress, and they’ve navigated the shortage by visiting multiple stores to find formula, enlisting the help of family and friends, and breastfeeding or pumping more often.
At the end of June, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released an updated policy statement about breastfeeding, recommending exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life and up to two years or more — an update from the previous recommendation of up to one year or more — if mutually beneficial for both mother and baby.
The AAP’s recommendation came with a call for additional support from providers and policymakers to help families successfully breastfeed if they choose. It also brought the United States’ guidelines around breastfeeding up to par with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) suggestions — and will hopefully help do away with the stigma that sometimes surrounds breastfeeding through toddlerhood.
But the update also elicited criticism from some who argued it felt a little tone deaf. A lack of federal paid leave in the U.S., a crucial societal structure to support breastfeeding, means many moms are unable to hit specific feeding goals. What’s more, the Senate recently failed to pass the PUMP Bill, which would have extended breastfeeding protections to at least nine million people in the U.S. And, of course, the new recommendation came during the ongoing formula shortage in the U.S., which has left many parents scrambling and stressed.
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All in all, the update is a stark reminder of the mismatch between health guidelines and the current reality of parenting in the U.S.
That’s why we wanted to take a more nuanced look at feeding infants in America right now: What does it look like? What are parents feeling? What are the biggest struggles?
The majority of moms want to — and try to — breastfeed, a What to Expect survey found, but the reality is that it can be incredibly challenging to do so. Regardless of how families choose to feed their babies, there is an urgent need for more support.
Read on for more about our survey results, including a look at breastfeeding rates, how moms view formula and some of the biggest infant feeding challenges families are experiencing right now.
Most moms try to breastfeed
When deciding how they want to feed their babies, the majority of moms we surveyed say they chose breastfeeding, at least initially. Our survey found that approximately 83 percent of moms breastfeed for some period of time. More moms than that give it a go, too: An additional 12 percent said they tried to breastfeed but couldn’t.
In fact, only 5 percent of the moms we surveyed said they had no plans of breastfeeding (and as a reminder, you don’t need a reason to not breastfeed). These numbers remain the same as pre-pandemic responses, recorded last in 2019.
On average, the moms we surveyed who breastfeed spend about 6.8 months nursing their babies. For most, the breastfeeding journey ends sometime between 0 to 6 months: 44 percent say they weaned between 0 and 3 months, and 62 percent report stopping between 0 and 6 months.
However, many families feel unprepared for the challenges of breastfeeding
If breastfeeding feels hard, you’re certainly not alone. Breastfeeding remains a challenge for many families, our survey found. More than half of moms (59 percent) say they thought breastfeeding would be easier than it turned out to be.
And while there are all kinds of struggles nursing moms may face — from breast issues like mastitis or clogged ducts to supply issues — breastfeeding in public is a particular challenge, according to the moms we surveyed: The majority (60 percent) agree that it's difficult to breastfeed in public.
Despite the fact that public breastfeeding is legal in all 50 states and that breast milk is the encouraged form of nutrition for babies under 2, it’s not always easy to nurse on the go: 45 percent of mothers in our survey say they feel judgment from others when they breastfeed in public. Only 21 percent say they feel judgment from bottle-feeding in public.
Moms say they need more support
Although breastfeeding requires a lot from mothers, successful breastfeeding often requires support from others. And the good news is that many moms realize this. Nearly all breastfeeding moms (97 percent) have sought support to help with breastfeeding success.
Support around lactation can mean many different things, from professional resources like a lactation consultant to family help to products like pumps. When seeking support, lots of moms (67 percent) turn to the internet, looking up information about breastfeeding online; more than half (65 percent) pumped to increase milk production; another 60 percent spoke to a health care provider about breastfeeding; and 58 percent utilized the services of a lactation consultant.
Less than half (49 percent) of moms sought advice and recommendations from friends and family, and even fewer, 39 percent, changed their diet — eating a certain way to potentially increase milk production.
Of course, there’s not nearly enough support out there for moms in general, and much more support is needed in order to help new parents in their feeding journeys. The AAP recognizes that support around breastfeeding — whether that’s through workplace programs for breastfeeding or words of encouragement from a health care provider — play a role in breastfeeding continuation.
In fact, many moms say they might have breastfed for longer if they’d had more support. Specifically, 23 percent of moms say professional assistance (such as a postpartum doula, nanny or baby nurse) would have helped them; 23 percent suspect that access to a lactation consultant would have lengthened their time nursing; and 20 percent say they could have continued breastfeeding if they had more paid leave from work. Fifteen percent of moms reported that support from a partner would have helped them continue, while another 15 percent said that they needed that kind of support from family and friends.
Pumping is a popular way to share feeding responsibilities
With the advent of all kinds of breast pumps — from medical-grade gear to double-electric or hands-free options — most mothers (73 percent) currently or have previously pumped breast milk.
There are many types and brands of pumps to choose from, but most moms (75 percent) opt for a traditional electric pump, like the popular Medela and Spectra models. A little more than one in three (34 percent) of moms use a manual (non-electric) pump, such as Lansinoh’s. Fewer people (29 percent) aim for a hospital-grade pump with stronger suction, and even fewer (23 percent) opt for a wearable hands-free pump, like the Willow or the Elvie.
Fortunately, through the Affordable Care Act, most breast pumps are covered by insurance — and 55 percent of moms got their breast pump through insurance, while 34 percent paid for their pump out of pocket.
There are many reasons why moms choose to pump, including returning to work and needing to have others feed their baby, or simply wanting help. Interestingly, though, many moms (62 percent) told us that they pump to increase milk supply or build up a stash (61 percent). More than half of mothers (53 percent) also pump so that a partner can help take on some of the workload by bottle-feeding.
Some moms (21 percent) pump daily, while a smaller number (11 percent) say they exclusively pump, meaning their baby receives expressed milk that they pumped via a bottle at every feeding.
Many families use formula, either on its own or as part of their breastfeeding journey
As is true with most aspects of motherhood, feeding journeys are often not either/or; they’re both/and.
Our survey found that more families are using formula these days: 66 percent of mothers surveyed say they plan to or have formula-fed their baby — a 22 percent increase compared to the results of BabyCenter’s survey in 2019.
Combination feeding — feeding a baby both breast milk and formula — has also risen since pre-pandemic levels; 21 percent more moms said they have chosen to combo feed in 2022 than in 2019.
Why? In part, it may be because the brunt of the feeding journey often tends to land on mothers. Feeding can be tiring, and combination-feeding enables others to easily pitch in.
Per our survey, two of the top five reasons for formula feeding were (1) wanting to share the responsibility of feeding with a partner (26 percent of moms said this — a figure that’s up 35 percent from the 2019 BabyCenter survey) and (2) feeling that breastfeeding was exhausting (23 percent said this — a figure that’s up 71 percent compared to the 2019 BabyCenter survey data).
But stigma around formula-feeding still exists
Any way you feed your baby is a valid choice (read that line again!). But some moms still feel conflicted about using formula.
Most moms (62 percent) agree that formula feeding makes life easier for parents in many ways (a number that’s up 40 percent from 2019), but 52 percent of those who supplement with formula say they feel just “okay” or “not great” about their formula-feeding decision.
Less than half of combination feeders (about 47 percent) say they feel positive about their decision to use formula.
Most families have been affected by the formula shortage
No parent should have to struggle to find food for their baby. But the ongoing formula shortage in the U.S. isn’t helping the stigma around formula use, and it certainly isn’t helping mothers’ stress levels.
Yet, it’s a reality for millions of families right now. The majority of formula feeders (77 percent) say they have been impacted by recent formula shortages, including out-of-stock notices, recalled formulas and the rising cost of formula.
While a national emergency should not be on parents to solve, formula-feeding moms have been forced to navigate the shortage in many different ways. A few examples:
- 46 percent of formula-feeding moms have visited multiple stores in search of formula
- 41 percent have enlisted the help of family or friends to find formula
- 37 percent have had to visit stores they don’t usually shop at
- 27 percent have bought what’s available rather than what their baby usually eats
Due to the formula shortage, some moms have also been forced to consider other options, like starting solids earlier (15 percent), switching from powder formula to liquid formula (14 percent), posting to local community groups to find formula (11 percent), using donated milk (10 percent) or introducing cow’s milk early (8 percent).
A small number of mothers (3 percent) have made their own formula (a practice not recommended by the AAP due to risk of infection or worse) and 1 percent have switched to a European formula such as Hipp or Holle.
Others have considered breastfeeding or pumping more often (28 percent) or plan to breastfeed longer and limit formula use (24 percent) because of the shortage.
A small number (7 percent) of moms who have stopped breastfeeding are considering relactating. And 5 percent of mothers report that they have had to skip feedings or extend the time between feedings because of the formula shortage.
Regardless of how they feed their babies, the majority of moms (52 percent) say the formula shortage has caused them stress. Parents who formula feed are most impacted by the empty shelves, but 1 in 4 exclusive breastfeeding moms say they have also been stressed out by the shortage.
Bottom line
Between the pandemic, the ongoing formula shortage and a lack of systemic support structures such as federal paid leave, it’s a hard time to be a parent to young children in the U.S.
Our survey suggests that while many mothers do want to breastfeed — and recognize the benefits of breastfeeding — they need more support in order to meet their goals, feel less alone and share the work of feeding.
We discovered that while the formula shortage has greatly impacted formula-feeding mothers, it’s also impacted mothers who exclusively breastfeed, suggesting that stress levels for new parents are high.
Ultimately, many mothers in our survey seek help when it comes to their feeding journeys. It’s clear, however, that more support — from professionals, from workplaces, or from friends, families and neighbors — is needed for mothers to feel their best and feed their babies however they want to feed them.
Our methodology
2022 Formula and Breastfeeding Trends Survey was fielded by Everyday Health Group, Pregnancy and Parenting in May-June, 2022. The study was administered online using a random intercept methodology. Respondents were U.S. women, age 18-55 who were pregnant or mom to a child 0 to 2 years old, totaling unweighted 1,363 responses. A data quality check was conducted to ensure high quality data that was reflective of a nationally representative audience. Trending data compared BabyCenter's 2019 Mindset of Moms: Breastfeeding and Formula Survey. Percent difference reported at a 95 percent confidence interval.
