@robinrocks About 15 years ago when I was nursing my first, there was a study that came out that showed that babies who nursed from the breast for either 6 or 12 months (I forget which) had better lung function at 10yrs old than babies who were bottle-fed. As it takes more effort for babies to nurse from the breast than take a bottle, it’s literally a form of exercise for them.
That said, there are a lot of other things that can be done to promote exercise and lung function in the first 10 years besides directly breastfeeding, and I would guess general activity levels from ages 4-9 would have much more impact.
I don’t have a link (15 years ago, people!), but I’m sure it’s out there if someone else wants to google it.
Personally, I had to pump a lot with my first two. My first spent a few days in the NICU and I brought my milk in with pumping, and we used a nipple shield for a few weeks until I was able to get her to latch directly. I’ve pumped in offices, vehicles, hotels, tents, fields, and closets. I’ve flown with my pump and pumped breastmilk. I’ve driven across the state with my pump and pumped breastmilk. I built up a stash to last for 2.5 weeks, where I had to pump and dump for that time, my supply went to zero, and I built it back up upon returning. I have experience with pumping!
With my third I was fortunate to finally be able to stay home. I built a small emergency stash, then put the pump away. My son took a few bottles a few times, but it’s just so much extra work when I could otherwise just feed him! I definitely understand needing to pump for various reasons. Having done it though, I would never in my life
choose to pump if I didn’t have to. Feeding from the tap is so much easier! No pumping, no cleaning, no bottle prep, no storing. It’s just always right there, always the perfect temperature, always available. Nothing to pack or worry about bringing when you leave the house. No need to go to the kitchen for night feeds. Baby is upset? Boob fixes almost everything. It’s still magic at 2yo!
Obviously, whatever works best for you and your family is the right call. That’s just my perspective on why directly nursing is superior to exclusively pumping. While I never exclusively pumped, I did have to exclusively pump for a few days at a time before returning home. It is just so much extra work! I’d rather use that time for something else.