Understanding breastfeeding duration trends can shed light on why there’s a demand for donor milk in the first place. Many moms start out breastfeeding, but a lot stop earlier than they intended, creating potential needs for alternatives like formula or donated breast milk. Let’s look at what research and surveys tell us about when mothers stop breastfeeding and how that relates to demand:
Breastfeeding initiation and drop-off: The good news is most mothers in the U.S. start breastfeeding. In fact, about 84% of babies born in 2018 were initially breastfed. However, by 6 months of age, only 56-57% of those babies were still getting any breast milk. And at 12 months, only 35% were still breastfeeding. (Exclusive breastfeeding rates drop even faster – only ~25% of babies are exclusively breastfed to 6 months, as recommended.)
So there’s a big decline in the first year. This means a lot of mothers who started breastfeeding end up weaning or supplementing within 6-12 months.
When is the most common time to stop? There isn’t a single “magic” cutoff, but data and experience show a few vulnerable points:
- •Early weeks (by 2 months): Some moms stop very early, often due to latch difficulties, pain, or low milk supply concerns. If breastfeeding gets off to a rocky start, a subset of moms switch to formula within the first month or two. However, any amount of breast milk is beneficial, and many who stop this early cite lack of support as a factor.
- •Around 3-4 months: This is a known hurdle point. Many moms return to work around 3 months postpartum in the U.S., and the transition can lead to reduced supply or difficulties pumping at work. This is often when formula supplementation starts if it hasn’t already, and some mothers wean entirely around this time due to the challenges of juggling work and pumping (especially if workplace support is lacking).
- •Around 6 months: This is another notable point. By 6 months, as noted, about 44% of U.S. babies are no longer receiving breast milk. Some moms set 6 months as a personal goal and stop then. Others struggle with decreasing supply or fatigue by this point. Additionally, babies start solids around 6 months, and some moms use that opportunity to transition off breastfeeding. However, health organizations recommend continuing breastfeeding through 12 months and beyond, so there’s still a gap between recommendations and reality here.
- •Around 12 months: Many mothers who made it this far choose to wean at one year. Sometimes it’s societal (it’s more culturally “normalized” to breastfeed an infant but not a toddler in some communities), or the mom might feel ready to have her body back, or perhaps another pregnancy comes into play. That’s why only ~35% are still breastfeeding at 12 months. Interestingly, globally and historically, breastfeeding often continues 2+ years, but in the U.S., one year is a common stopping point.
Why do mothers stop earlier than planned? A CDC survey found about 60% of mothers do not breastfeed as long as they intended. The major reasons include:
- •Perceived insufficient milk supply. This is by far the most common concern. Many moms worry baby isn’t getting enough, even if they are. Some truly have low supply due to various factors. Without good guidance, they may supplement “just in case,” which can start a weaning cycle.
- •Breastfeeding problems: Latch issues, nipple pain, mastitis, or baby having trouble feeding (perhaps due to tongue-tie or prematurity) can frustrate and exhaust mothers, leading to earlier weaning if support/interventions aren’t in place.
- •Work and logistics: Going back to work with inadequate maternity leave and workplace accommodations is a huge barrier. If a mom can’t pump often or comfortably at work, her supply might drop and she may gradually wean earlier than planned. Night shifts, travel, or lack of childcare support also play roles.
- •Lack of support: If family members or healthcare providers are not supportive or knowledgeable, a mom may be encouraged to stop breastfeeding after a certain point or when facing challenges, rather than receiving help to continue.
- •Fatigue and mental health: Breastfeeding (especially exclusive and on-demand) is a big time and energy commitment. Lack of sleep and postpartum depression or anxiety can make continuing very hard. Some mothers stop to protect their own mental health, which is a valid choice – a healthy mom is critical for a healthy baby.
- •Next pregnancy or medical reasons: Some moms get pregnant again and decide to wean (nursing while pregnant is possible but can be challenging). Others might have medical issues or medications incompatible with breastfeeding.
Now, how does this create demand for donor milk? Consider a scenario: A mom planned to breastfeed for 12 months, but around 4 months her supply tanked despite her best efforts. She doesn’t want to go to formula yet because she strongly believes in breast milk’s benefits. If she’s aware of milk donation, she might seek out donor milk to bridge the gap – either to supplement her own supply or to feed her baby entirely breast milk from other moms. Another scenario: Some moms medically can’t breastfeed (due to mastectomy, certain medications, etc.) or adoptive parents with no milk supply. They may want breast milk for their baby and thus turn to donors.
We also have to mention preterm infants and illness: Many donor milk recipients are preemie or ill babies whose mothers may not have enough milk supply in NICU. Milk banks supply those babies first, but once those moms go home, if their supply is low, they might seek donor milk if they want to avoid or minimize formula.
Breastfeeding duration vs. donor milk interest: Research shows many moms wish they could breastfeed longer. When 60% stop earlier than intended, that’s a large group of parents who might, if given the option, use donor milk to meet their original goal. For example, a mom who wanted to exclusively breastfeed 6 months but her milk dried up at 3 months may look for donor milk to feed her baby human milk for those remaining 3 months (some do just that). Another common timeframe: the first few weeks – if mom’s own milk is delayed or baby lost weight, they might use donor milk from a milk bank or friend to avoid formula in the hospital. So short-term, immediate postpartum donor milk use is also in demand for moms whose milk is late coming in or for supplementation.
Additionally, cultural and personal preferences play a role. Some families want to avoid formula for various reasons (belief in the immunological benefits of breast milk, baby has better tolerance for breast milk, etc.). So if breastfeeding stops early, these families are particularly likely to seek donor milk as an alternative.
Let’s not forget induced lactation and surrogacy/adoption – an adoptive mother might not be able to induce a full supply, so she might seek donor milk to augment what she can produce or to feed the baby entirely on breast milk from others. This is another segment of demand.
Statistics & creating demand: The fact that only 1 in 3 babies is getting any breast milk by 12 months means 2 in 3 are weaned by that age. Yet organizations like WHO recommend breastfeeding up to 2 years or beyond. This gap suggests that if more donor milk were accessible and affordable, some of those babies could continue receiving breast milk nutrition longer, even if not from their mother. In reality, donor milk (especially via milk banks) is prioritized for the most vulnerable infants (preemies). But outside the hospital, informal sharing networks have arisen exactly because of this demand from moms who stopped or can’t breastfeed but still want breast milk for their baby.
We should mention that formula is the common solution when moms wean early – and formula is a valid, nutritionally sufficient option that most babies do fine on. But for mothers who strongly prefer breast milk’s unique benefits (antibodies, easier digestion, etc.), donor milk can seem like the next best thing if they can no longer provide their own. For instance, studies have shown breastfed babies have lower rates of certain infections and conditions, and some parents who are aware might want to continue those benefits as long as possible – thus turning to donor milk instead of formula if breastfeeding ended.
Key takeaway: Many mothers stop breastfeeding around 3-6 months (and often earlier than they wanted to) due to supply issues or life factors. This coincides with an age where babies could still greatly benefit from human milk (since the recommendation is exclusive breast milk for 6 months, then continued breast milk alongside foods for 1-2 years). This unmet intention contributes to the interest in donor milk. When breastfeeding doesn’t go as planned, some parents now seek out donor milk – either through milk banks (if they qualify and can afford it) or through peer-to-peer sharing – to “fill the gap.” Essentially, demand for donor milk is a direct reflection of the fact that many families value breast milk but face barriers to providing it themselves for as long as they hoped.
It’s worth noting, the American Academy of Pediatrics officially advises against casual sharing of breast milk due to safety concerns, but they do support use of banked pasteurized donor milk for infants with special needs. As awareness grows, we may see more parents considering donor milk as an option, especially as online communities make connections easier.
In an ideal world, improved breastfeeding support (lactation consultants, longer maternity leave, workplace pumping accommodations) would help more moms meet their goals, reducing the need for donor milk. But until that world exists, donor milk acts as a valuable resource for those who really want their babies to have human milk’s benefits even when direct breastfeeding isn’t possible.
In summary: A large percentage of moms stop breastfeeding by 6-12 months – often earlier than they wanted – which creates a gap in infant feeding that some are filling with donor breast milk. This explains why donor milk services and milk-sharing networks have grown: they cater to moms who hit a breastfeeding roadblock but don’t want to switch entirely to formula. Understanding these breastfeeding drop-off points helps milk-sharing platforms and milk banks anticipate when parents might seek their services (often around the 1-4 month mark, and again at 6+ months). By recognizing that 60% of mothers didn’t breastfeed as long as they intended, we see a clear reason why donor milk demand exists – it’s essentially families trying to reach their original breastfeeding goals with a little help from other moms.