A mother has spoken of her decision to stop breastfeeding to take the weight-loss drug Ozempic, saying she regrets not doing it sooner. The woman, who has two children, described feeling 'lost' after gaining weight during pregnancy and struggling to lose it postpartum.
Despite breastfeeding being promoted as a way to shed pregnancy pounds, she found it did not work for her. She experienced painful breastfeeding with her first child and low supply with her second, leading to feelings of failure and shame. After years of disrupted sleep and self-care, she turned to semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic.
Health experts have warned new mothers against using such injectables while breastfeeding, citing unknown risks to the infant. However, the mother said she prioritised her mental health over breastfeeding, noting that some women join so-called 'sema-mums' WhatsApp groups to share advice on obtaining the drug.
She criticised the social pressure on women to 'bounce back' after pregnancy, which she said is reinforced by media coverage of celebrity mothers. The woman argued that while remaining overweight is seen as negligent, using medication to lose weight is also judged harshly.
