"If You’re Not Going to Give Me Breast Milk Instead, Then Shh" Choi Yeon-soo Explains Why She Stopped Breastfeeding After a Month

[Financial News] Choi Yeon-soo, the daughter of celebrity chef Choi Hyun-seok and a model, has explained why she stopped breastfeeding after just one month. She said she felt guilty because of what people around her said, but chose to wean after considering her physical condition and self-esteem.
Choi Yeon-soo held a Q&A session with fans on her Instagram on Aug. 30.
One fan said, "Didn’t you get pressured by the postpartum center or older people into breastfeeding? I want to switch to formula now, but I was pressured into breastfeeding and feel sorry for my baby."
In response, Choi Yeon-soo said, "I heard so many times that 'breast milk is plentiful and good for the baby' that I even thought about regretting it and resuming breastfeeding because of guilt during weaning, but my body was really falling apart."
She also described the physical strain she experienced during breastfeeding. Choi Yeon-soo said, "The feeding posture gave me a forward head posture, and my wrist hurts because I have to hold the baby in a way that makes it easy for them to feed," adding, "Even if I pump and tell my husband to feed the baby, it still all ends up being the mother’s responsibility."
She went on to say, "There is no time to rest. On top of that, breastfeeding makes your stomach go down faster," describing the burden she felt during the process.
Choi Yeon-soo also spoke about the psychological burden caused by changes in her appearance. She said, "Above all, after a month my breast line changed and I felt a little deflated, so my self-esteem dropped." She added, "I really respect mothers who breastfeed. I did it for just one month and stopped."
She took a firm stance against criticism of formula feeding. Choi Yeon-soo said, "If you say formula feeding means I have no maternal love, or make comments about breast milk, then unless you are going to give me breast milk instead, you have no right to speak." She added, "I love my child, whom I gave birth to with my own body, even more. Unless you are going to take my place in childbirth and provide breast milk, shh. Everything should be according to the mother’s wishes."
Choi Yeon-soo married Kim Tae-hyun, the vocalist of the band DickPunks, who is 12 years older than her, last year. The couple welcomed a son in May.
[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter