Creating Space for More Honest Breastfeeding Conversations
Breastfeeding conversations often begin with what mothers should do. But what happens when breastfeeding becomes difficult? When a mother returns to work? When physical discomfort, exhaustion or self-doubt become part of the experience?
These were some of the conversations at the heart of Breathe & Breastfeed, as Momcozy partnered with Grow and Glow Mama to bring mothers and experts together in Kuala Lumpur during World Breastfeeding Month.
The panel brought breastfeeding and maternal mental wellbeing into the same conversation, recognising that the two are often deeply connected in a mother's everyday experience.
Moderated by Sofea Mastan, Founder of Grow and Glow Mama, the discussion featured Simran Kaur, Lactation Consultant and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), alongside Bella Burhanuddin, Lead Clinical Psychologist at Sage Centre.
Together, they explored what breastfeeding support looks like beyond recommendations and milestones — from finding credible information and navigating the return to work to managing expectations, asking for help and protecting a mother's emotional wellbeing.
Breastfeeding Isn't Just a Feeding Conversation
One of the central themes to emerge from the discussion was that breastfeeding cannot be viewed separately from the mother experiencing it.
A mother's feeding journey takes place alongside postpartum recovery, disrupted sleep, changing family dynamics, work responsibilities and the emotional adjustment to motherhood.
For some mothers, breastfeeding itself can become another source of pressure.
Questions around whether a baby is feeding enough, whether milk supply is sufficient, whether pumping is being done “correctly” or whether a mother is meeting breastfeeding recommendations can add to an already demanding period of life.
This is why supporting breastfeeding also means creating space to talk about how mothers are coping.
Bella Burhanuddin, Lead Clinical Psychologist at Sage Centre, highlighted the importance of moving away from unrealistic expectations of motherhood.
“Your child doesn’t need a perfect mother, they need a mother who is supported, emotionally well, and present,” she shared. “Be kind to yourself, embrace the journey, and remember that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.”
Her message reflected a wider theme throughout the panel: successful motherhood should not be defined by perfection.
What Does Meaningful Breastfeeding Support Look Like?
From a lactation perspective, having access to credible guidance can make an important difference when breastfeeding does not go according to plan.
Mothers may encounter questions around latch, milk supply, pumping, discomfort and feeding patterns at different stages of their journey — including managing fidgety or squirmy behaviour during feeds.
At the same time, advice can come from many directions — healthcare professionals, family members, friends, social media and online parenting communities.
For mothers already navigating a major life transition, separating credible guidance from conflicting information can become another challenge.
“Breastfeeding is a deeply personal journey, and every mother deserves to feel informed, supported and confident in the choices she makes,” said Simran Kaur, Lactation Consultant and IBCLC.
“What I value about initiatives like this is the opportunity to create a stronger support ecosystem around mothers, where breastfeeding conversations are normalised, challenges are addressed openly, and women are reminded that they do not have to navigate the journey alone.”
The discussion reinforced the importance of making professional guidance more accessible while creating environments where mothers feel comfortable asking questions — including questions they may feel they “should” already know the answers to.
Returning to Work Changes the Breastfeeding Conversation
Another important topic raised during the session was the transition back to work.
Returning to work can significantly change a mother's breastfeeding routine. Direct breastfeeding may need to be combined with pumping, feeding schedules may change and mothers may suddenly need to navigate pumping around meetings, commuting and workplace responsibilities.
This can make what was previously a manageable routine feel unfamiliar again.
For working mothers, practical support therefore becomes just as important as encouragement.
Access to appropriate pumping spaces, sufficient breaks, supportive employers and partners, reliable pumping solutions — including guidance on troubleshooting common breast pump issues — and professional guidance can all influence how manageable the transition feels.
These practical realities are an important part of the conversation Momcozy hopes to bring forward through Breathe & Breastfeed.
Rather than focusing only on encouraging mothers to breastfeed, the initiative asks a different question:
What does a mother actually need in order to continue?
There Is No “Perfect” Breastfeeding Journey
Perhaps the clearest message of the day was that there is no universal definition of a successful breastfeeding journey.
Some mothers breastfeed directly. Others pump. Many combine both.
Some journeys last longer than expected. Others change because of work, health, milk supply, personal circumstances or simply what works best for mother and baby.
Sofea Mastan, Founder of Grow and Glow Mama, captured this sentiment during the event:
“Today isn’t about telling you what the ‘perfect’ breastfeeding journey looks like. It’s about having an honest conversation. Because behind every breastfeeding story is a mother who’s learning, adapting, questioning herself, and doing the very best she can.”
That perspective also reflects the theme behind Momcozy's regional Breathe & Breastfeed initiative:
“Support for Every Latch, Letdown and Little Win.”
A little win might be achieving a comfortable latch.
It could be finding a pumping schedule that works after returning to work.
It could be finally receiving an answer to a question that has been causing worry — such as understanding typical pumping volumes.
Or sometimes, it is simply getting through a difficult day and trying again tomorrow.
From Conversation to Practical Support
The panel formed part of Momcozy's wider Breathe & Breastfeed initiative across Southeast Asia, which brings together expert education, community engagement and practical innovation throughout World Breastfeeding Month.
For Momcozy, creating a stronger breastfeeding support ecosystem means recognising that no single intervention can address every challenge mothers experience.
Professional expertise helps mothers access credible information.
Communities create spaces where experiences and challenges can be discussed openly.
Families and workplaces influence whether mothers feel practically supported.
And innovation can help address some of the everyday physical and logistical realities surrounding breastfeeding and pumping — from maintaining pump hygiene and sterilisation to finding comfortable and efficient ways to express milk.
“At Momcozy, our goal isn't simply to encourage breastfeeding. It's to help mothers feel supported throughout the journey through innovation, trusted education and a community that understands the realities of modern motherhood,” said Ellen Zhou, APAC Marketing Director at Momcozy.
“When mothers have the space to breathe, they can breastfeed with greater confidence.”
Bringing Comfort Into the Pumping Experience
The event also marked the Malaysian introduction of the Momcozy Wellness 1 Warm-Massage Wearable Breast Pump, bringing the innovation behind the Breathe & Breastfeed campaign into a practical breastfeeding setting.
Following its debut in the United States, Wellness 1 combines wearable pumping with integrated warmth and massage.
The pump features an industry-first 5-Zone Circular Massage System, HugWave™ full-coverage warmth, Baby-like SoftPulse™ Technology and smart app connectivity, designed around both pumping performance and maternal comfort.
The introduction of Wellness 1 complemented the wider conversation taking place during the panel: that how a mother feels throughout her breastfeeding and pumping experience matters.
Rather than approaching breast-pump innovation through output and convenience alone, Wellness 1 reflects Momcozy's growing focus on maternal wellness as part of the pumping experience.
Guests were also able to experience Momcozy's broader ecosystem of motherhood solutions spanning pregnancy, breastfeeding, pumping, feeding, postpartum recovery, baby care and everyday parenting.
Bringing Malaysia's Parenting Community Together
Beyond the panel itself, Breathe & Breastfeed brought together different parts of Malaysia's parenting and maternal-care community.
Healthcare professionals, mothers, parenting creators, KOLs, KOCs, community advocates, distributor partners and parenting media attended the event.
Media representatives included Motherhood Malaysia, Parenthood Media, Majalah Pa&Ma and Makchic, helping extend the conversation around breastfeeding and maternal wellbeing beyond the room.
The diversity of voices was intentional.
Breastfeeding support does not come from one person or organisation. It is shaped by healthcare professionals, families, communities, employers, educators and the wider systems surrounding mothers.
By bringing these groups together, Momcozy and Grow and Glow Mama aimed to encourage a more connected conversation around what supporting mothers can look like in practice.
Opening the Conversation Beyond World Breastfeeding Month
The Malaysia panel forms part of Momcozy's wider Breathe & Breastfeed initiative across Southeast Asia during World Breastfeeding Month.
But the issues discussed — maternal wellbeing, breastfeeding confidence, returning to work, access to credible guidance and the pressure to be a “perfect” mother — extend far beyond a single month.
For Momcozy, Breathe & Breastfeed represents an opportunity to continue shifting the conversation from simply telling mothers why breastfeeding matters towards understanding what mothers need while they are actually doing it.
That begins with listening.
It means making professional knowledge more accessible, creating communities where mothers can talk honestly about their experiences and continuing to develop solutions around the realities of modern motherhood.
Because behind every breastfeeding journey is more than a feeding milestone.
There is a mother learning, adjusting, questioning, recovering and finding her own way forward.
And sometimes, the most meaningful form of support begins by giving her the space to talk about it.
