I had to quit breastfeeding my youngest (of four) at six months due to a variety of reasons beyond my control. It was an awful grieving process for me, because I'd really planned to breastfeed for at least a year and it took ages for me to come around to being okay with formula, but I got there.

Fast forward, he's 10 months old now and I recently had an appointment with my GP. I read the notes on the visit, and after a conversation about why I started formula feeding, her takeaway that she put into writing for all eternity was, "She tried breastfeeding for a while, then pumping, and then just gave up."

I re-read that like a dozen times.

"...JUST gave up."

I had horrific postpartum depression after my last pregnancy, and such bad dysphoria with letdowns that I'd oscillate between nausea and hysterics every time. Finally my body stopped responding to the pump, and my son stopped taking the breast even at night. I literally tried until I was knocking on the door of toaster-bath level depression. I didn't "just give up". I know this.

And yet seeing that sentence has my husband talking me out not pulling out the pump again, something he was so relieved to see me stop trying to do.

Why are they like this?