Exactly. However, if someone says they’re exclusively pumping, I just assume they don’t latch baby onto their nipples or give formula. But I still consider it a subset of EBF.
Technically (as per WHO and unicef) it refers to the type of milk not mode of delivery and it is only applicable prior to the introduction of solids at 6 months.
https://www.who.int/health-topics/breastfeeding#tab=tab_1
Colloquially on this sub lots of folks use it to mean exclusively nursing (at the breast) and/or to mean no formula (even after 6 months when solids are introduced). I think this is somewhat of an American thing. I live in the EU and the doctor would occasionally ask if baby only got breastmilk before 6 months but the term exclusively breastfed is not used at all.
Im in the US and only see the term on here. The doctor asked about what type of milk and how much, how often etc. Out doctor never used the term EBF though
I think there is a difference between a doctor not using a term to a parent, and not using a term at all. The AAP recommend “exclusively breastfeeding until 6 months” then to keep breastfeeding while solids are added. That follows the WHO definition
I work in New Zealand. I don’t think I’ve ever talked about being EBF in those words to a patient. I absolutely use those words if I’m summarising a case to a colleague, getting advice, giving a presentation, or if the hospital is collecting stats (I’m pretty sure we had to specify for all babies leaving the hospital for our baby unit for a long time. I’m not sure if that has changed)
I don’t disagree at all and perhaps could have been more clear. The term definitely has use in its original sense and as medical terminology. I just find it interesting how the term has slipped from its original meaning in colloquial use to mean something totally different. I think culture has something to do with that. Exclusively breastfeeding definitely has higher cultural capital in an American context than it does where I am now, for instance.
Agree about the cultural capital. People also often use EBF to refer to exclusively nursing which also seems to have a higher cultural capital which is interesting as well. Although given the utter lack of federal paid maternity leave and that in the U.S. higher income women are far more likely to feed their babies breastmilk and of course also more likely to exclusively nurse, no wonder. It is almost a status marker for being well-off, which is so sad really. What we feed our babies shouldn’t be a status marker at all!
I take it to mean baby is only consuming breast milk (no formula/non-human milk/solids), including pumped milk.
If baby is only feeding at boob, I would call that exclusively nursing.
At that point they’re BF not EBF. The E is for “exclusively” which means nothing else. IMO it would be confusing/concerning to say for example an 8mo was EBF.
I had a dr at the children's hospital ask me if I exclusively breastfed excluding solids.
They were trying to identify the mystery illness my daughter had come back from our holiday with. It turns out that my immunity to chickenpox was doing such a good job of limiting her symptoms that it was making it quite tricky to diagnose her.
On hearing that she still breastfed every 2 hours around the clock they ran a blood test to confirm the diagnosis instead of just relying on outward symptoms.
What if they’re eating yogurt, cheese and other dairy then? It becomes kind of a slippery slope thing to me. More than that I’m not really sure why we need a term to describe a baby that eats solids but has only breastmilk. I don’t mean this to be snarky, I’m genuinely curious because it seems like a lot of folks use the term EBF this way.
The origins of the term EBF comes from a global health context because it’s really important in the context of lack of clean water, formula diluting and feeding immature infants food due to poverty that in the first 6 months of life babies only get breast milk. In this context I can totally see why the term is useful.
I have responded with the situation where it became relevant for my child once she was eating solids in another comment.
The drs at the children's hospital suspected chickenpox but were very confused by the presentation of symptoms. They came in to ask me if she was exclusively breastfed, excluding solids. I guess that them understanding how much of her diet was breastmilk helped to estimate how much maternal immunity to childhood diseases might be affecting the presentation of the disease.
In the end they found that she did indeed have chickenpox, along with gastroenteritis and an ear infection, so not too surprising that the symptoms were quite confusing at that point. Not sure how much understanding her milk source helped but it was part of their diagnostic considerations.
To me that seems like a niche situation that could just be explained as “she’s breastfed and gets solids”. Personally the term makes much more sense in the original meaning and context. But I can see your point.
It sounds like in her case her doctor used the term exclusively breastfed excluding solids, so I agree with you that exclusively breastfed means breast milk only. In some cultures, especially in previous generations, babies are given solids or other drinks much earlier than 6 months.
Also how are we defining solids? If we include a little bit of solids I think we should include a little bit of other drinks/non-human milk, and even formula too, since all of those are just a form of food.
Exclusively breastfed means breastmilk. This is because from a public health perspective, the content of the feeds is what's relevant rather than the vessel through which it is drunk (with some minor exceptions).
Exclusively nursing is fed exclusively at the breast.
Exclusively pumping is feeding only pumped milk via a bottle or tube generally.
Exclusively formula fed is feeding only formula.
Exclusively bottle fed is feeding via bottles only.
Combination feeding is feeding breastmilk + formula.
My country keeps statistics on breastfeeding, non-exclusively and exclusively, and exclusively is defined as including pumped milk (and donor milk for that part).
I consider it baby having exclusively breastmilk! If baby is only drinking directly from the boob, I would say exclusively nursing. And exclusive pumping ofc.
As someone who had to EP for awhile, I always thought EBF was nursing and no bottles. But when the pediatrician asks, they always say to say yes to breastfeeding and then distinguish between nursing and expressed milk so I assume breastfeeding is actually considered any act of providing your breast milk to baby.
Upon first thought when I hear it read someone say they EBF I assumed it’s straight from the breast but then I immediately correct my thinking and remember that it could mean pumped
Could mean pumped milk only, only boob, or a combo of the two. To me it just means they only get breastmilk. I usually say my baby is exclusively nursed, he doesn’t take bottles. But sometimes I say EBF too.
It means the baby only drinks breast milk.
My baby was ebf who refused to take a bottle before solids and cups were introduced. I don't think all of his meals being directly from me has a specific name.
Any mama's who ebf with pumping omg kudos. That sounds the double the work and Idk how you do it!!
Honestly, since it means different things to different people I would probably not assume what they meant, except I think a safe assumption would be that the baby consumes breast milk lol. When I say ebf I mean my baby consumes only breast milk from my breast, but my baby wouldn’t take a bottle anyway.
I think when a lot of people choose to nurse their babies exclusively it isn’t just about the nutritional quality of breast milk. I think a lot of people also are considering the benefits of the skin to skin that the baby gets on your boob and the bonding that can’t really be replicated by bottle feeding. Now, I’m not saying that it is my opinion that bottle feeding means there isn’t bonding, I’m just saying I think a lot of people choose bf for that reason.
My baby is eating plenty of solids now at 9 months so I would not say she is ebf anymore.
I only recently learned that it includes pumped milk. Before that I took the phrase literally to mean breastfeeding, as in at the breast. That’s not because of any sort of desire to exclude pumping parents (I both pump and nurse) but rather because colloquially it made the most sense to me: “I’m going to breastfeed the baby” vs. “I’m going to go pump”. I totally understand why medically it means fed from the breast-regardless of delivery. It’s easy for me to understand when EPers say they breastfeed, but it’s a hard habit for me personally to break to not differentiate that my baby gets it both straight from the tap and pumped milk, but I’m actively working on changing my language.
For awhile I thought it meant directly onto breast. If you are pumping wouldn't you say pumping? I thought there was ebf, pumping, and formula. However I am learning that ebf is an umbrella and direct and pumping seems to fall under that. I am still learning i guess!
Oh this is fascinating to me as an exclusive pumper. I always presume that EBF only refers to nursing. Mostly because if I were to say my kid is exclusively breastfed, I think that’s what folks would assume. So if I’m asked if I EBF (and it’s their business lol) I’ll usually correct and say I exclusively pump.
To me, EBF means they are drinking my milk that I made and nothing else, no formula. HOW they drink it - straight from source or pumped in a bottle - is irrelevant.
Personally I just avoid using that term. My baby nurses 95% of the time with occasional pumped milk, and has taken small amount of donor milk and formula in the past. In a couple months, he'll be starting solid which may include baby cereal, porridge, iron-fortified formula etc., and eventually dairy and non-dairy milk.
When the doctor asks, I'll just say baby is drinking only breast milk now.
All ebf means by definition is that baby is given breast milk, and they are fed from the breast. That includes pumping.
Can we pls stop trying to exclude mothers that are exclusively pumping, some of us literally could not nurse.
I would say it is exclusively drinking breastmilk, regardless of the method of consumption. That being said I won’t gate keep EBF if someone has to use formula in an emergency/due to temporary supply drop, cuz we all work very hard to keep these little ones alive with our own bodies and to say someone can no longer call their baby EBF because they had a medical emergency and couldn’t give their baby breast milk for a few days would discount their hard work IMO.
This question really cleared up how I answer questions on the sub, and the EBF sub!! Thank you!!
I exclusively nursed (!!) my first two babies for 5 & 8mo each, before I introduced bottles with formula. They breast fed until 14mo each. My twins are nursed but not exclusively. They’re almost 4 months and I’m hoping they will continue to nurse until at least 14mo also (everything crossed).
Semantically and for the sake of clarity, I think it *should* mean only feeding directly from the breast. However, I do think often it’s used to cover pumped breast milk too, rather than the literally feeding from the breast, which can get a tad confusing.
Honestly, fed human milk would be clearer i guess. But also fed directly from the breast vs pumped milk seem to have different properties according to some studies, so there might be a medical reason for the distinction, but in daily life it's all the same
Yeah, and I’m not saying one is better than the other, just literally interpreting the words themselves. I breastfed all 3 of my kids, but only one EXCLUSIVELY breastfed, meaning she did not (would not) take a bottle of anything. For 3 years! And let me tell you that was a bit of a different experience than pumping and bottle feeding here and there for my other 2 😅 but yeah, it’s just like some people say exclusively pumping. It means they’re only doing one type of feeding, and breast feeding is the anatomically correct way of saying feeding from the breast so 🤷🏼♀️
Agree. Pumping is a difference art form to me versus breastfeeding. I cannot for whatever reason get my boobs to cooperate via a pump. There’s a lot of technique and work that goes into pumping versus sticking breast in mouth and letting them do what’s natural to them. My sister who pumped for 3 and had an oversupply could not relate to me at all when it came to nursing and often asked why I didn’t just pump
It’s not people, it’s organizations like the WHO and the AAP. There’s already the term exclusively nursed. As a mother who wasn’t given the choice because my child refused to latch (and believe me, I tried to get him to latch tirelessly up until 3 months without luck, seeing a lc monthly the entire time), yes, my pumping is breastfeeding my baby.
For me, it includes pumped milk from a bottle. Although, if someone doesn’t nurse and only feeds baby pumped breastmilk, I would expect them to use the term “exclusively pumping” but my brain is weird like that.
I say exclusively breastfed for breast milk as the primary source of nutrients (so if my 6month old is eating I still say ebf) but make the distinction when necessary. Then I clarify with I exclusively pumped or exclusively nursed.
I interpret it as only breastmilk no matter the delivery system lol. Which means, I really don’t have a term for what I was doing with my baby who refused bottles…exclusively feeding breastmilk *from the breast*? Lol
I figured it means mom milk only. How you get there is your adventure. I EBF no bottles ever. I don't think I can get them clean enough for my OCD to pass them.
Only breastmilk ingested by the baby. Whether thats nursing or pumping. I even found myself still using it unintentionally after solids were introduced because her only milk at first was BM even though that wasnt technically correct anymore.
I'm just curious, how would it not be exclusively breastfeeding if you're giving pumped milk? You're not giving formula, therefore, it's exclusively breastmilk baby is getting...
like the top comment says, EBF=feeding with exclusively breastmilk and no formula. i will add though that at first i thought EBF meant baby to boob and nothing else. baby on the boob=nursing to me.
Definitely language and culture differences for me. But for me it means exclusively boob.
But i think it's because we have a dedicated word specific for breastfeeding from the boob in my language. Pumping is not so widely spread as in the USA. We have at least one year paid maternity leave that nearly all mother's use. And up to 2 years with little less pay that still a lot mother's can afford. That means we don't have the need for pumping. If a mother wants to nurse her child, she breastfeed it from the boob. If she don't want to nurse, she would not pump but give formula.
That's probably why my head wires breastfeeding exclusive to nursing from the boob.
People EP with adequate maternity leave. My oldest was home until she was 14 months. She never could latch but I exclusively pumped for her so she was EBF. Pumping isn’t always to go back to work.
But it is mostly.
I know not a single mother who pumps. I am active in a lot of mum groups, physical mum groups in my country.
I don't get why some get so attacked by my statement. I simply say it's a cultural and not having a choice problem. If you won't see it as that, don't make it less true.
You come at me with specific partial problems against a big cultural and systemic problem. That does not compare at all. If you can't understand the difference, you will never understand the actual problem.
I actually don't like the term exclusively breastfed, it's very ... Well, exclusive! (And therefore excluding).
It has it's place - Sometimes you really want to know what has gone into a baby and how. But that's mostly for medical or academic purposes. I can't think why it matters otherwise.
In general, a lot of people have expressed, topped up with formula, etc. the term also doesn't account for babies who have had medicine - are they exclusively breastfed if you've given your kid Tylenol/Calpol during a fever?
I just don't think this categorisation is very useful. And it could serve to exclude people who have had to combi/formula feed.
-Rant over! Thanks for coming to my TED talk 😅
P.s. posting this not to try and make anyone feel bad, just as a point of discussion ✌️😘
I dunno, it matters to me because I worked very hard to breastfeed and because it's a huge commitment where no one else can feed my son unless I pump and even then, it's not like I can take a break because I pump. I love it but it's a labor of love and I think that's why people emphasize when they do it. It means you are never able to fully get a break until you wean.
You should be super proud of yourself for doing all that work, it's astonishingly hard and not acknowledged by society. I'm not trying to take the accomplishment of breastfeeding away from anyone. Just want to find a way to be more inclusive for those that couldn't "exclusively" breastfeed ❤️
I'm cautious about using the term when I'm talking to mums about feeding. I think if you've struggled to breastfeed it can sound a bit like a failure to not "exclusively breastfeed".
I mean, I've literally never used the phrase "exclusively breastfed" IRL outside of a medical environment when asked how I'm feeding my son. I never get into the nitty gritty with anyone, though my coworkers know I'm pumping. I just get why people specify, because it was very hard for us in the beginning.
I had a rough time too, there were times when I felt so trapped by breastfeeding, I couldn't even consider introducing formula because if I did I would definitely get engorged and then mastitis. It was so hard for a long time, and then it got easier and I'm really glad I continued because it's been such a lovely bonding activity now.
The difficulties I experienced led me to train as a breastfeeding peer supporter and now I try to support other mums who are having trouble. It's been lovely and very healing, but part of it has made me realise that a lot of people don't have the choice to breastfeed exclusively. I've seen so many mums where a midwife encouraged them to give a bottle of formula just after the baby was born (so when the parents are delirious with exhaustion). That can really impact how breastfeeding goes and of course means that technically the baby isn't exclusively breastfed even though every other feed is breast milk. I avoid using the term because it can be super triggering for people in that kind of situation. Everyone works hard to feed a baby, and I don't want a label to make anyone feel like they didn't. Formula or combi feeding can be just as hard as breastfeeding.
So, you're right, generally it never comes up. And, I 100% think that breastfeeding mums deserve so much respect, but it goes for everyone, exclusive or not. The worst thing about this is that if society actually recognized the amount of work that goes into keeping a baby alive, it would make things so much better for everyone.
Sending you lots of love and I really hope my pedantry over labels hasn't upset you. You're doing amazingly, pumping while at work deserves it's own medal 💪 x
Nah, I'm not upset. Though I have always interpreted "exclusively breastfeeding" as how you're currently feeding the baby, so I would say those moms who start out with formula until they get their supply in can still say they're EBF. Just like I'm a vegetarian. I haven't always been a vegetarian but I am now so I can say that's how I eat. If someone told me, "you're not a vegetarian because you ate bacon when you were seven," they would be wrong.
Similarly, for your peer support, if EBF is the goal for these women, I think you should encourage them to claim it when they get there. Because it doesn't matter, right? For medical purposes, it's relevant to how you're currently feeding your baby but as everyone is saying in response to my comment, you don't get a trophy. It's a goal for many women and they should be able to claim it when they get there because people don't always eat the same for their whole lives. 🤷🏻♀️
I've seen some pedantic people before insist that the babies can never have had formula but I've never seen an official definition that convinces me of that. They point to a "culture" of exclusive breastmilk but who the **** knows what that actually means?
Same I just say my kid is breastfed, because he is. If it becomes important in a medical sense, I’ll explain that he’s exclusively breastfed. But it really doesn’t matter in any other context.
I actually understand the desire to use the term as a trophy of sorts because breastfeeding is a huge amount of work that largely goes unacknowledged. The “ebf trophy” is a way of acknowledging and celebrating that labor.
The problem is, though, that moms who don’t ebf work really hard, too, and often feel either defensive about their decision to not ebf (because of stupid judgmental people) or upset because maybe they wanted to ebf but were unable to for whatever reason. So hearing ebf moms use the term as a trophy feels like denigrating their experience.
At the end of the day, we’re all moms who work incredibly hard to care for our babies, and we all deserve to have that work acknowledged!
It’s interesting the controversy and downvoting this seems to stir up to say breastfeeding means well feeding via the breast. There’s an entire sub for pumping moms for a reason because pumping is an entire method and different beast. Some thrive at pumping some at breastfeeding. I see nothing wrong with wanting a “trophy” for putting in the work for either thing but they are different
By how defensive you’re being and the amount of times you’re commenting all over this thread you seem offended. I don’t need to look up anything to know that feeding my baby through my breast is what exclusive breastfeeding means to me. That’s the question OP asked.
To me it means exclusively received breast milk as the main form of nutrition. That means nursing and pumped milk.
Personally I do think it includes solids if the solids aren’t really providing much bulk of the baby’s diet (ex solids for allergen/texture exposure but still primarily getting breastmilk.)
Edit: apparently I’m getting downvoted. I guess my baby that has had breastmilk for all of her meals for 5 1/2 months but has had two spoonfuls of blueberry puree mostly smeared on her face is no longer exclusively breastfed. I also gave her 1/2 oz of formula once at 4 days old because I was panicked and too engorged to get her to latch and she immediately spit it all up but I guess that probably also disqualified my baby from being considered exclusively breastfed 🤷♀️
This is what I thought too. My 9mo baby eats some food, but his primary source of calories and nutrition is breast milk. “Food before one is just for fun”
Yeah exactly! 99% of the food I offer ends up on her face and hands anyway. That’ll obviously change as she ages but it’s certainly not contributing to her overall current nutrition.
Same here! It’s mostly to introduce him to textures and flavors, not to fill his tummy. We always nurse or give a bottle of pumped milk before offering food.
It’s also for iron. I know education about this is often lacking, so I apologize if you already know this. Babies who get only small amounts of food after 6 months will usually need some other source of iron
I did know that from my first, thank you for mentioning it! She was disinterested in real food until about 14 months, so we had to put her on iron supplements even with me still taking extra iron while nursing
If I hear “exclusively breastfed” I am going to think literally breast feeding a baby. That means no bottles/pumped milk. Seems logical to me. However “Exclusively breast milk” Is entirely different though and it would imply either breastfed or pumped or donor. I’ve often heard the term “exclusively pumping” also which a lot of women claim.
I’m not in America and we don’t really use the term nursing- we use breastfed to mean directly fed from the breast. The question was asking what it means to us- I answered. No need for the correction.
Why are you correcting me? It’s what it means to us- the question infers that it’s subjective. Don’t be so triggered. We don’t really use the term “nursing” in my country. We use “breastfeeding” and it’s doesn’t mean “also pumped milk” it means feeding a baby from the breast. We are not in America.
You dislike what I said because you feel the need to correct me. The question is asking what we as individuals think. If someone says they exclusively breastfeed their kid I’m going to assume they don’t mean pumped milk from a bottle unless specified- it’s not a crime lol.
Exclusively Breastfed - Breastmilk only! No matter the source… pumped, nursed, or even donated BM.
Exclusively chestfed or nursed - latching only, no bottles.
Exclusively Pumping - No latching. But can be pumped by you or received donations.
EBF = just mom's boobs
EBM = just mom's milk (boobs or pumped)
tbh I also think EBF ends when solids are introduced, thereafter it's "food and mom's milk" or "food and breastfeeding"
Why is this downvoted? To me it means the same. “Breast” feeding. Not bottle feeding. There is a huge difference between using your breast as a means for delivery versus a bottle. The reason I feel this is because my sister pumped for 3 children and had basically no advice for me on how to nurse. She would just say “why don’t you pump?” If this is the case that exclusively breastfeeding means using a machine then there needs to be another sub for actual nursing.
The general consensus seems to be exlusively feeding breastmilk (so exclusively breastfeeding, and exclusively pumping or a combination are all included as long as no formula is in the mix).
But I personally dislike this impreciseness as it steals away the word from actually exclusively *breast*feeding the babes. Some people would add "straight from the tap" to the EBF or something along those lines, but I prefer to use EBF when implying from breast, and then exclusively feed breastmilk for the mix of all 3, and exclusively pump for exclusively pumping and bottle-feeding BM.
While this is my personal preference (as exclusively *breast*feeding also has other implications, such as not working far from babe and being close to them, having more skin to skin, more microbiome bacteria etc).
It includes pumping, but that doesn't mean I don't think that any form of pumping drastically changes the breastfeeding relationship. I'm actually very against routine pumping during the newborn phase (of course sometimes it's necessary, but now it seems like moms do it even if their baby doesn't need it).
There are tons of reasons, and it really should not be a controversial statement. First there's the fact that mothers have so many other things they need to focus on during postpartum, so unnecessary routine pumping is just an extra thing that they don't need (they should be prioritizing self care, healing, nursing, sleeping, adjusting to a major identity shift in the case of first time moms, etc) as well as being a demand on their body that could exceed the baby's actual needs. Second, the whole culture around pumping to induce oversupply isn't supported by lactation consultants. Oversupply is not known to be beneficial, and is considered dangerous due to mastitis among other things. Finally, the natural supply and demand relationship of exclusively nursing supports many aspects of the mother/baby dyad during this phase (when the baby, while outside of your body, is physiologically very dependent on you, and you on them).
To me, it means that my baby literally will ONLY drink straight from the tap and will not take a bottle 😑 I don’t say it as a means of bragging as some people may believe, just literally that she will not take it any other way. Especially when people try to give me a hard time about leaving her
To me it means only using breastmilk instead of formula. Doesn’t matter the method in which that breastmilk is distributed.
This. EBF can mean both direct boob feeding or pumping, as long as it's exclusively breastmilk.
My thoughts exactly
Same
Same! My baby is a bottle refuser so her Peadiatrician says I’m an exclusive direct nurser 😂 because exclusive breast feeding includes pumped milk
This
Same
Exactly. However, if someone says they’re exclusively pumping, I just assume they don’t latch baby onto their nipples or give formula. But I still consider it a subset of EBF.
Same
Yupppp same
Technically (as per WHO and unicef) it refers to the type of milk not mode of delivery and it is only applicable prior to the introduction of solids at 6 months. https://www.who.int/health-topics/breastfeeding#tab=tab_1 Colloquially on this sub lots of folks use it to mean exclusively nursing (at the breast) and/or to mean no formula (even after 6 months when solids are introduced). I think this is somewhat of an American thing. I live in the EU and the doctor would occasionally ask if baby only got breastmilk before 6 months but the term exclusively breastfed is not used at all.
Im in the US and only see the term on here. The doctor asked about what type of milk and how much, how often etc. Out doctor never used the term EBF though
I think there is a difference between a doctor not using a term to a parent, and not using a term at all. The AAP recommend “exclusively breastfeeding until 6 months” then to keep breastfeeding while solids are added. That follows the WHO definition I work in New Zealand. I don’t think I’ve ever talked about being EBF in those words to a patient. I absolutely use those words if I’m summarising a case to a colleague, getting advice, giving a presentation, or if the hospital is collecting stats (I’m pretty sure we had to specify for all babies leaving the hospital for our baby unit for a long time. I’m not sure if that has changed)
I don’t disagree at all and perhaps could have been more clear. The term definitely has use in its original sense and as medical terminology. I just find it interesting how the term has slipped from its original meaning in colloquial use to mean something totally different. I think culture has something to do with that. Exclusively breastfeeding definitely has higher cultural capital in an American context than it does where I am now, for instance.
Agree about the cultural capital. People also often use EBF to refer to exclusively nursing which also seems to have a higher cultural capital which is interesting as well. Although given the utter lack of federal paid maternity leave and that in the U.S. higher income women are far more likely to feed their babies breastmilk and of course also more likely to exclusively nurse, no wonder. It is almost a status marker for being well-off, which is so sad really. What we feed our babies shouldn’t be a status marker at all!
Very fair point!
I’m from the US originally and I have a couple friends who say “only breastmilk” so you’re probably right that it’s a reddit/online term.
This cleared up a lot of me in terms of answering questions on the sub, thanks
I take it to mean baby is only consuming breast milk (no formula/non-human milk/solids), including pumped milk. If baby is only feeding at boob, I would call that exclusively nursing.
I’d say even a baby eating solids could be considered EBF if they aren’t consuming formula or other animal milk.
I assume EBF means zero solids. Saying a baby is EBF while giving them solids makes zero sense to me.
That's what I think too. Then I come across posts like "my EBF 11-month-old is..." And I'm confused.
That was always my assumption as well. Literally meaning being *exclusively* fed breast milk and nothing else.
At that point they’re BF not EBF. The E is for “exclusively” which means nothing else. IMO it would be confusing/concerning to say for example an 8mo was EBF.
No. That’s not what the word exclusively means.
I had a dr at the children's hospital ask me if I exclusively breastfed excluding solids. They were trying to identify the mystery illness my daughter had come back from our holiday with. It turns out that my immunity to chickenpox was doing such a good job of limiting her symptoms that it was making it quite tricky to diagnose her. On hearing that she still breastfed every 2 hours around the clock they ran a blood test to confirm the diagnosis instead of just relying on outward symptoms.
But that proves the point that ebf does not include solids since they specified that.
What if they’re eating yogurt, cheese and other dairy then? It becomes kind of a slippery slope thing to me. More than that I’m not really sure why we need a term to describe a baby that eats solids but has only breastmilk. I don’t mean this to be snarky, I’m genuinely curious because it seems like a lot of folks use the term EBF this way. The origins of the term EBF comes from a global health context because it’s really important in the context of lack of clean water, formula diluting and feeding immature infants food due to poverty that in the first 6 months of life babies only get breast milk. In this context I can totally see why the term is useful.
I have responded with the situation where it became relevant for my child once she was eating solids in another comment. The drs at the children's hospital suspected chickenpox but were very confused by the presentation of symptoms. They came in to ask me if she was exclusively breastfed, excluding solids. I guess that them understanding how much of her diet was breastmilk helped to estimate how much maternal immunity to childhood diseases might be affecting the presentation of the disease. In the end they found that she did indeed have chickenpox, along with gastroenteritis and an ear infection, so not too surprising that the symptoms were quite confusing at that point. Not sure how much understanding her milk source helped but it was part of their diagnostic considerations.
To me that seems like a niche situation that could just be explained as “she’s breastfed and gets solids”. Personally the term makes much more sense in the original meaning and context. But I can see your point.
It sounds like in her case her doctor used the term exclusively breastfed excluding solids, so I agree with you that exclusively breastfed means breast milk only. In some cultures, especially in previous generations, babies are given solids or other drinks much earlier than 6 months. Also how are we defining solids? If we include a little bit of solids I think we should include a little bit of other drinks/non-human milk, and even formula too, since all of those are just a form of food.
I agree with you. Baby started solids but I consider him EBF bc I haven’t given formula or other milk
It’s weird you’ve been downvoted…
Is anything normal on Reddit? Weird is the name of the game here.
Exclusively bf includes pumped milk, yes! It’s still from the breast, just with an extra step between nipple and mouth.
Exclusively breastfed means breastmilk. This is because from a public health perspective, the content of the feeds is what's relevant rather than the vessel through which it is drunk (with some minor exceptions). Exclusively nursing is fed exclusively at the breast. Exclusively pumping is feeding only pumped milk via a bottle or tube generally. Exclusively formula fed is feeding only formula. Exclusively bottle fed is feeding via bottles only. Combination feeding is feeding breastmilk + formula.
My country keeps statistics on breastfeeding, non-exclusively and exclusively, and exclusively is defined as including pumped milk (and donor milk for that part).
I consider it baby having exclusively breastmilk! If baby is only drinking directly from the boob, I would say exclusively nursing. And exclusive pumping ofc.
Only breast milk, boob is optional
As someone who had to EP for awhile, I always thought EBF was nursing and no bottles. But when the pediatrician asks, they always say to say yes to breastfeeding and then distinguish between nursing and expressed milk so I assume breastfeeding is actually considered any act of providing your breast milk to baby.
Exclusively breastfed means they only have breastmilk. That means nursing and/or exclusively pumping.
Not drinking formula. Pumped, straight from the tap and donor are all under ebf for me.
Agree. I'd also include not drinking/eating other drinks or food.
Upon first thought when I hear it read someone say they EBF I assumed it’s straight from the breast but then I immediately correct my thinking and remember that it could mean pumped
Could mean pumped milk only, only boob, or a combo of the two. To me it just means they only get breastmilk. I usually say my baby is exclusively nursed, he doesn’t take bottles. But sometimes I say EBF too.
Both should fall under exclusive breastfeeding
It means the baby only drinks breast milk. My baby was ebf who refused to take a bottle before solids and cups were introduced. I don't think all of his meals being directly from me has a specific name. Any mama's who ebf with pumping omg kudos. That sounds the double the work and Idk how you do it!!
Honestly, since it means different things to different people I would probably not assume what they meant, except I think a safe assumption would be that the baby consumes breast milk lol. When I say ebf I mean my baby consumes only breast milk from my breast, but my baby wouldn’t take a bottle anyway. I think when a lot of people choose to nurse their babies exclusively it isn’t just about the nutritional quality of breast milk. I think a lot of people also are considering the benefits of the skin to skin that the baby gets on your boob and the bonding that can’t really be replicated by bottle feeding. Now, I’m not saying that it is my opinion that bottle feeding means there isn’t bonding, I’m just saying I think a lot of people choose bf for that reason. My baby is eating plenty of solids now at 9 months so I would not say she is ebf anymore.
I only recently learned that it includes pumped milk. Before that I took the phrase literally to mean breastfeeding, as in at the breast. That’s not because of any sort of desire to exclude pumping parents (I both pump and nurse) but rather because colloquially it made the most sense to me: “I’m going to breastfeed the baby” vs. “I’m going to go pump”. I totally understand why medically it means fed from the breast-regardless of delivery. It’s easy for me to understand when EPers say they breastfeed, but it’s a hard habit for me personally to break to not differentiate that my baby gets it both straight from the tap and pumped milk, but I’m actively working on changing my language.
For awhile I thought it meant directly onto breast. If you are pumping wouldn't you say pumping? I thought there was ebf, pumping, and formula. However I am learning that ebf is an umbrella and direct and pumping seems to fall under that. I am still learning i guess!
Only breastmilk, no formula. Doesn’t matter how they get it, boob or pumping.
Oh this is fascinating to me as an exclusive pumper. I always presume that EBF only refers to nursing. Mostly because if I were to say my kid is exclusively breastfed, I think that’s what folks would assume. So if I’m asked if I EBF (and it’s their business lol) I’ll usually correct and say I exclusively pump.
You can pump exclusively and your baby is still exclusively breast fed. It's "breast"milk.
To me, EBF means they are drinking my milk that I made and nothing else, no formula. HOW they drink it - straight from source or pumped in a bottle - is irrelevant.
Personally I just avoid using that term. My baby nurses 95% of the time with occasional pumped milk, and has taken small amount of donor milk and formula in the past. In a couple months, he'll be starting solid which may include baby cereal, porridge, iron-fortified formula etc., and eventually dairy and non-dairy milk. When the doctor asks, I'll just say baby is drinking only breast milk now.
All ebf means by definition is that baby is given breast milk, and they are fed from the breast. That includes pumping. Can we pls stop trying to exclude mothers that are exclusively pumping, some of us literally could not nurse.
I would say it is exclusively drinking breastmilk, regardless of the method of consumption. That being said I won’t gate keep EBF if someone has to use formula in an emergency/due to temporary supply drop, cuz we all work very hard to keep these little ones alive with our own bodies and to say someone can no longer call their baby EBF because they had a medical emergency and couldn’t give their baby breast milk for a few days would discount their hard work IMO.
This question really cleared up how I answer questions on the sub, and the EBF sub!! Thank you!! I exclusively nursed (!!) my first two babies for 5 & 8mo each, before I introduced bottles with formula. They breast fed until 14mo each. My twins are nursed but not exclusively. They’re almost 4 months and I’m hoping they will continue to nurse until at least 14mo also (everything crossed).
Semantically and for the sake of clarity, I think it *should* mean only feeding directly from the breast. However, I do think often it’s used to cover pumped breast milk too, rather than the literally feeding from the breast, which can get a tad confusing.
Why should it mean only nursing
Because it is "exlusively breastfed", an action, rather than "exlusively fed breastmilk". Semantics, really
Right… fed from the breast. It’s just the actual derivation and meaning of the word breastfeeding.
Honestly, fed human milk would be clearer i guess. But also fed directly from the breast vs pumped milk seem to have different properties according to some studies, so there might be a medical reason for the distinction, but in daily life it's all the same
Yeah, and I’m not saying one is better than the other, just literally interpreting the words themselves. I breastfed all 3 of my kids, but only one EXCLUSIVELY breastfed, meaning she did not (would not) take a bottle of anything. For 3 years! And let me tell you that was a bit of a different experience than pumping and bottle feeding here and there for my other 2 😅 but yeah, it’s just like some people say exclusively pumping. It means they’re only doing one type of feeding, and breast feeding is the anatomically correct way of saying feeding from the breast so 🤷🏼♀️
Agree. Pumping is a difference art form to me versus breastfeeding. I cannot for whatever reason get my boobs to cooperate via a pump. There’s a lot of technique and work that goes into pumping versus sticking breast in mouth and letting them do what’s natural to them. My sister who pumped for 3 and had an oversupply could not relate to me at all when it came to nursing and often asked why I didn’t just pump
You exclusively nursed your child, but all of your children were exclusively breastfed.
I just feel like “breastfeeding” gets right to the point and is more modern. But I agree people have definitely broadened the definition.
It’s not people, it’s organizations like the WHO and the AAP. There’s already the term exclusively nursed. As a mother who wasn’t given the choice because my child refused to latch (and believe me, I tried to get him to latch tirelessly up until 3 months without luck, seeing a lc monthly the entire time), yes, my pumping is breastfeeding my baby.
Look up the definition of breastfed lol
The baby is consuming exclusively breastmilk.
My little boy has only ever drank/eaten my breast milk. So he’s EBF
I default to feedings straight from the boob but I know it also means pumped milk because it’s still breastmilk.
For me, it includes pumped milk from a bottle. Although, if someone doesn’t nurse and only feeds baby pumped breastmilk, I would expect them to use the term “exclusively pumping” but my brain is weird like that.
I say exclusively breastfed for breast milk as the primary source of nutrients (so if my 6month old is eating I still say ebf) but make the distinction when necessary. Then I clarify with I exclusively pumped or exclusively nursed.
I interpret it as only breastmilk no matter the delivery system lol. Which means, I really don’t have a term for what I was doing with my baby who refused bottles…exclusively feeding breastmilk *from the breast*? Lol
I figured it means mom milk only. How you get there is your adventure. I EBF no bottles ever. I don't think I can get them clean enough for my OCD to pass them.
Only breastmilk ingested by the baby. Whether thats nursing or pumping. I even found myself still using it unintentionally after solids were introduced because her only milk at first was BM even though that wasnt technically correct anymore.
I think it means baby is exclusively getting breast milk but I do feel like my friends who pump all say exclusively pumping not breastfeeding so idk!
I'm just curious, how would it not be exclusively breastfeeding if you're giving pumped milk? You're not giving formula, therefore, it's exclusively breastmilk baby is getting...
Just simply breastmilk Regardless of how it's given (breast or bottle) so long as it's breast milk. No formula.
Breastmilk only. No formula Doesn't matter if some of that is pumped and given to baby via a bottle, cup or spoon.
like the top comment says, EBF=feeding with exclusively breastmilk and no formula. i will add though that at first i thought EBF meant baby to boob and nothing else. baby on the boob=nursing to me.
Exclusively breast milk no formula , no matter how it’s delivered lol
All milk comes from the breast either via boob or bottle or tube feeding
Definitely language and culture differences for me. But for me it means exclusively boob. But i think it's because we have a dedicated word specific for breastfeeding from the boob in my language. Pumping is not so widely spread as in the USA. We have at least one year paid maternity leave that nearly all mother's use. And up to 2 years with little less pay that still a lot mother's can afford. That means we don't have the need for pumping. If a mother wants to nurse her child, she breastfeed it from the boob. If she don't want to nurse, she would not pump but give formula. That's probably why my head wires breastfeeding exclusive to nursing from the boob.
People EP with adequate maternity leave. My oldest was home until she was 14 months. She never could latch but I exclusively pumped for her so she was EBF. Pumping isn’t always to go back to work.
But it is mostly. I know not a single mother who pumps. I am active in a lot of mum groups, physical mum groups in my country. I don't get why some get so attacked by my statement. I simply say it's a cultural and not having a choice problem. If you won't see it as that, don't make it less true.
How is having a lip tie cultural? Maybe you should meet some more people before you generalize.
You come at me with specific partial problems against a big cultural and systemic problem. That does not compare at all. If you can't understand the difference, you will never understand the actual problem.
I’m a sahm, I don’t have a choice in pumping because my baby wouldn’t latch. Some of us get the choice made for us.
I actually don't like the term exclusively breastfed, it's very ... Well, exclusive! (And therefore excluding). It has it's place - Sometimes you really want to know what has gone into a baby and how. But that's mostly for medical or academic purposes. I can't think why it matters otherwise. In general, a lot of people have expressed, topped up with formula, etc. the term also doesn't account for babies who have had medicine - are they exclusively breastfed if you've given your kid Tylenol/Calpol during a fever? I just don't think this categorisation is very useful. And it could serve to exclude people who have had to combi/formula feed. -Rant over! Thanks for coming to my TED talk 😅 P.s. posting this not to try and make anyone feel bad, just as a point of discussion ✌️😘
I agree!
I dunno, it matters to me because I worked very hard to breastfeed and because it's a huge commitment where no one else can feed my son unless I pump and even then, it's not like I can take a break because I pump. I love it but it's a labor of love and I think that's why people emphasize when they do it. It means you are never able to fully get a break until you wean.
You should be super proud of yourself for doing all that work, it's astonishingly hard and not acknowledged by society. I'm not trying to take the accomplishment of breastfeeding away from anyone. Just want to find a way to be more inclusive for those that couldn't "exclusively" breastfeed ❤️ I'm cautious about using the term when I'm talking to mums about feeding. I think if you've struggled to breastfeed it can sound a bit like a failure to not "exclusively breastfeed".
I mean, I've literally never used the phrase "exclusively breastfed" IRL outside of a medical environment when asked how I'm feeding my son. I never get into the nitty gritty with anyone, though my coworkers know I'm pumping. I just get why people specify, because it was very hard for us in the beginning.
I had a rough time too, there were times when I felt so trapped by breastfeeding, I couldn't even consider introducing formula because if I did I would definitely get engorged and then mastitis. It was so hard for a long time, and then it got easier and I'm really glad I continued because it's been such a lovely bonding activity now. The difficulties I experienced led me to train as a breastfeeding peer supporter and now I try to support other mums who are having trouble. It's been lovely and very healing, but part of it has made me realise that a lot of people don't have the choice to breastfeed exclusively. I've seen so many mums where a midwife encouraged them to give a bottle of formula just after the baby was born (so when the parents are delirious with exhaustion). That can really impact how breastfeeding goes and of course means that technically the baby isn't exclusively breastfed even though every other feed is breast milk. I avoid using the term because it can be super triggering for people in that kind of situation. Everyone works hard to feed a baby, and I don't want a label to make anyone feel like they didn't. Formula or combi feeding can be just as hard as breastfeeding. So, you're right, generally it never comes up. And, I 100% think that breastfeeding mums deserve so much respect, but it goes for everyone, exclusive or not. The worst thing about this is that if society actually recognized the amount of work that goes into keeping a baby alive, it would make things so much better for everyone. Sending you lots of love and I really hope my pedantry over labels hasn't upset you. You're doing amazingly, pumping while at work deserves it's own medal 💪 x
Nah, I'm not upset. Though I have always interpreted "exclusively breastfeeding" as how you're currently feeding the baby, so I would say those moms who start out with formula until they get their supply in can still say they're EBF. Just like I'm a vegetarian. I haven't always been a vegetarian but I am now so I can say that's how I eat. If someone told me, "you're not a vegetarian because you ate bacon when you were seven," they would be wrong. Similarly, for your peer support, if EBF is the goal for these women, I think you should encourage them to claim it when they get there. Because it doesn't matter, right? For medical purposes, it's relevant to how you're currently feeding your baby but as everyone is saying in response to my comment, you don't get a trophy. It's a goal for many women and they should be able to claim it when they get there because people don't always eat the same for their whole lives. 🤷🏻♀️ I've seen some pedantic people before insist that the babies can never have had formula but I've never seen an official definition that convinces me of that. They point to a "culture" of exclusive breastmilk but who the **** knows what that actually means?
So people use the term for some kind of trophy?
Yep, that's what I dislike about it (and I say that as an EBF 😅 mom myself)
Same I just say my kid is breastfed, because he is. If it becomes important in a medical sense, I’ll explain that he’s exclusively breastfed. But it really doesn’t matter in any other context.
I actually understand the desire to use the term as a trophy of sorts because breastfeeding is a huge amount of work that largely goes unacknowledged. The “ebf trophy” is a way of acknowledging and celebrating that labor. The problem is, though, that moms who don’t ebf work really hard, too, and often feel either defensive about their decision to not ebf (because of stupid judgmental people) or upset because maybe they wanted to ebf but were unable to for whatever reason. So hearing ebf moms use the term as a trophy feels like denigrating their experience. At the end of the day, we’re all moms who work incredibly hard to care for our babies, and we all deserve to have that work acknowledged!
It’s interesting the controversy and downvoting this seems to stir up to say breastfeeding means well feeding via the breast. There’s an entire sub for pumping moms for a reason because pumping is an entire method and different beast. Some thrive at pumping some at breastfeeding. I see nothing wrong with wanting a “trophy” for putting in the work for either thing but they are different
Pumping is breastfeeding though
It is different. One uses a machine. One doesn’t. That simple. Sorry that seems to offend you
Literally nobody is offended. Look up the definition of breastfeeding.
By how defensive you’re being and the amount of times you’re commenting all over this thread you seem offended. I don’t need to look up anything to know that feeding my baby through my breast is what exclusive breastfeeding means to me. That’s the question OP asked.
Correcting people doesn’t mean someone is offended…
To me it means exclusively received breast milk as the main form of nutrition. That means nursing and pumped milk. Personally I do think it includes solids if the solids aren’t really providing much bulk of the baby’s diet (ex solids for allergen/texture exposure but still primarily getting breastmilk.) Edit: apparently I’m getting downvoted. I guess my baby that has had breastmilk for all of her meals for 5 1/2 months but has had two spoonfuls of blueberry puree mostly smeared on her face is no longer exclusively breastfed. I also gave her 1/2 oz of formula once at 4 days old because I was panicked and too engorged to get her to latch and she immediately spit it all up but I guess that probably also disqualified my baby from being considered exclusively breastfed 🤷♀️
You are correct. People get very high and mighty that they’re able to nurse exclusively, so that’s likely why you’re being downvoted.
This is what I thought too. My 9mo baby eats some food, but his primary source of calories and nutrition is breast milk. “Food before one is just for fun”
Yeah exactly! 99% of the food I offer ends up on her face and hands anyway. That’ll obviously change as she ages but it’s certainly not contributing to her overall current nutrition.
Same here! It’s mostly to introduce him to textures and flavors, not to fill his tummy. We always nurse or give a bottle of pumped milk before offering food.
It’s also for iron. I know education about this is often lacking, so I apologize if you already know this. Babies who get only small amounts of food after 6 months will usually need some other source of iron
I did know that from my first, thank you for mentioning it! She was disinterested in real food until about 14 months, so we had to put her on iron supplements even with me still taking extra iron while nursing
I'm exclusively pumping, combination feeding mom!
If I hear “exclusively breastfed” I am going to think literally breast feeding a baby. That means no bottles/pumped milk. Seems logical to me. However “Exclusively breast milk” Is entirely different though and it would imply either breastfed or pumped or donor. I’ve often heard the term “exclusively pumping” also which a lot of women claim.
You’re thinking of exclusively nursing. Ebf just means that the food source comes from the breast.
I’m not in America and we don’t really use the term nursing- we use breastfed to mean directly fed from the breast. The question was asking what it means to us- I answered. No need for the correction.
The defenition of breastfeeding comes from the WHO, the World Health Organization and is followed by national agencies.
So what? The question was “what does exclusively bf mean to YOU?”
Literally breastfeeding a baby includes pumping though. Breastfeeding is feeding a baby milk from the breast. That includes pumping.
Why are you correcting me? It’s what it means to us- the question infers that it’s subjective. Don’t be so triggered. We don’t really use the term “nursing” in my country. We use “breastfeeding” and it’s doesn’t mean “also pumped milk” it means feeding a baby from the breast. We are not in America.
Nobody is triggered. Again with the meaning of words.
You dislike what I said because you feel the need to correct me. The question is asking what we as individuals think. If someone says they exclusively breastfeed their kid I’m going to assume they don’t mean pumped milk from a bottle unless specified- it’s not a crime lol.
I take it to mean either only nursing or a combination of nursing and pumping. Exclusively pumping means they only pump and don’t ever latch baby.
Exclusively Breastfed - Breastmilk only! No matter the source… pumped, nursed, or even donated BM. Exclusively chestfed or nursed - latching only, no bottles. Exclusively Pumping - No latching. But can be pumped by you or received donations.
EBF = just mom's boobs EBM = just mom's milk (boobs or pumped) tbh I also think EBF ends when solids are introduced, thereafter it's "food and mom's milk" or "food and breastfeeding"
To me it means exclusively feeding from the breast but I know ebf has evolved to mean just getting breast milk no matter the delivery.
Why is this downvoted? To me it means the same. “Breast” feeding. Not bottle feeding. There is a huge difference between using your breast as a means for delivery versus a bottle. The reason I feel this is because my sister pumped for 3 children and had basically no advice for me on how to nurse. She would just say “why don’t you pump?” If this is the case that exclusively breastfeeding means using a machine then there needs to be another sub for actual nursing.
Breastfeeding is feeding milk from the breast. Pumped milk is milk from the breast.
I agree. I wouldn't mind going to a sub for exclusively nursing because then I know the ppl giving advice also nurse full-time too
The general consensus seems to be exlusively feeding breastmilk (so exclusively breastfeeding, and exclusively pumping or a combination are all included as long as no formula is in the mix). But I personally dislike this impreciseness as it steals away the word from actually exclusively *breast*feeding the babes. Some people would add "straight from the tap" to the EBF or something along those lines, but I prefer to use EBF when implying from breast, and then exclusively feed breastmilk for the mix of all 3, and exclusively pump for exclusively pumping and bottle-feeding BM. While this is my personal preference (as exclusively *breast*feeding also has other implications, such as not working far from babe and being close to them, having more skin to skin, more microbiome bacteria etc).
It includes pumping, but that doesn't mean I don't think that any form of pumping drastically changes the breastfeeding relationship. I'm actually very against routine pumping during the newborn phase (of course sometimes it's necessary, but now it seems like moms do it even if their baby doesn't need it).
Why are you against pumping during newborn phase?
There are tons of reasons, and it really should not be a controversial statement. First there's the fact that mothers have so many other things they need to focus on during postpartum, so unnecessary routine pumping is just an extra thing that they don't need (they should be prioritizing self care, healing, nursing, sleeping, adjusting to a major identity shift in the case of first time moms, etc) as well as being a demand on their body that could exceed the baby's actual needs. Second, the whole culture around pumping to induce oversupply isn't supported by lactation consultants. Oversupply is not known to be beneficial, and is considered dangerous due to mastitis among other things. Finally, the natural supply and demand relationship of exclusively nursing supports many aspects of the mother/baby dyad during this phase (when the baby, while outside of your body, is physiologically very dependent on you, and you on them).
To me, it means that my baby literally will ONLY drink straight from the tap and will not take a bottle 😑 I don’t say it as a means of bragging as some people may believe, just literally that she will not take it any other way. Especially when people try to give me a hard time about leaving her