The No. 1 Reason Women Quit Breastfeeding

If you ask most new mothers, they’ll tell you breastfeeding is what they wanted to do, and for as long as their baby needed it. Yet plenty of women stop far earlier than they planned. This isn’t about willpower or not trying hard enough. It’s usually about a mix of physical struggles, poor support, and simply not knowing what’s normal and what isn’t in those early weeks.

A widely cited 2015 survey of over 13,000 mothers across ten countries, carried out by breastfeeding brand Lansinoh, found that almost every mother surveyed believed breastfeeding was the best way to feed a baby, no matter what she chose to do herself. Around half said they considered six to twelve months the ideal length to breastfeed. But only about four in ten actually reached that goal. So what gets in the way? Below are the reasons that came up again and again, along with what you can actually do about each one.

The main reasons mothers stop breastfeeding earlier than planned

1. Baby was older, or self-weaned

Across the whole survey, the most common reason given was simply that the baby had grown into toddlerhood, or had gradually lost interest in the breast on their own. Self-weaning is completely normal and tends to happen more slowly than people expect, often over weeks rather than days. Some toddlers drop feeds one at a time as solid food and other drinks take over, while others carry on wanting a feed or two a day well past their first birthday.

There’s no medical reason to stop breastfeeding at any particular age. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding alongside solid foods up to two years or beyond, for as long as mother and child want to continue. If you’re happy feeding a toddler, you don’t need to justify it to anyone. If you’re ready to stop, that’s your call too. Either way, a good rule of thumb is to let the pace be led by both of you, not by other people’s opinions.

2. Low milk supply, real or perceived

This came up as the number two reason overall, and interestingly, it was the top reason given by mothers in the US and other Western countries specifically. Genuinely low supply does happen, but it’s far less common than mothers are led to believe. A qualified lactation consultant (an IBCLC) will tell you that the vast majority of women can produce enough milk for their baby when feeding is going well.

The tricky part is that supply can look low when it isn’t. Babies cluster feed, especially in the evenings and during growth spurts. A baby who wants to feed constantly for a day or two isn’t necessarily underfed, they’re often just telling your body to make more milk. Pumping output is also a poor way to judge supply, since how much milk you can express has more to do with pump technique and how relaxed you are than with how much milk your baby is actually removing at the breast. The most reliable signs your baby is getting enough are steady weight gain (checked by your midwife, GP or health visitor), regular wet and dirty nappies, and a baby who seems settled and alert between feeds.

Real supply can be knocked down by a handful of everyday things: not eating enough calories, not drinking enough water, poor sleep, stress, and simply not feeding or pumping often enough. For a lot of mothers, these are fixable once someone identifies what’s going on. This is exactly where speaking to an IBCLC, a breastfeeding counsellor through a helpline, or your health visitor early on can make a real difference, rather than waiting until you’re already discouraged.

3. Not enough support

A meaningful chunk of mothers in the survey said they ran into breastfeeding problems, asked for help, and came away disappointed with what they got. This is a common and frustrating experience. GPs and paediatricians are excellent for a baby’s general health, but breastfeeding management is a specialist skill, and it isn’t something most doctors are trained in in any depth during medical school. That’s not a criticism of doctors, it’s just not their area.

The people trained specifically in breastfeeding are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), along with trained breastfeeding counsellors at organisations like La Leche League, the National Childbirth Trust, or your local infant feeding team through the hospital or health visiting service. If your first port of call doesn’t solve the problem, it’s worth asking to be referred on, or looking up an IBCLC directly. A face to face or video assessment of a feed, where someone can actually watch the latch and positioning, sorts out a surprising number of issues that feel impossible over the phone.

Nutrition matters here too. What you eat and drink while breastfeeding affects your energy and mood, and indirectly your supply, so this is worth as much attention postnatally as it was during pregnancy. It doesn’t need to be complicated: regular meals, enough fluids, and not skipping food because you’re exhausted and short on time.

What actually helps if breastfeeding is struggling

If you’re finding things hard, a few practical steps tend to make the biggest difference before you decide to stop altogether:

• Get a feed watched in person by an IBCLC, breastfeeding counsellor or health visitor rather than relying on descriptions alone.
• Track wet and dirty nappies and weight gain rather than judging supply by how full your breasts feel or how much you can pump.
• Feed on demand rather than to a strict schedule in the early weeks, since frequent removal of milk is what tells your body to keep making more.
• Look after your own eating, drinking and rest as much as you realistically can. This isn’t selfish, it directly supports your milk supply.
• Ask specifically for help with positioning and latch if feeding is painful. Pain isn’t something you should just push through, and it’s usually fixable.

It’s also worth saying plainly: fed is what matters most. If breastfeeding isn’t working out despite genuine effort and support, combination feeding or moving to formula is a completely reasonable decision, not a failure. Speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP if you’re ever worried about your baby’s feeding, weight gain or your own wellbeing, they can point you toward the right specialist help quickly.

If you found this useful, you might also like our article on “7 Amazing Facts About Breast Milk Every Mom Needs to Know“.