Skip to content

Lactation Journey — New Mom Research Survey

Hi — I'm Ashley, a mom and product researcher. I'm trying to understand what real moms experienced during early breastfeeding — what worked, what didn't, and what you wish had existed. This is not a sales pitch. There's nothing to buy at the end.
A few notes before you start:
  1. It takes about 15–20 minutes.
  2. All responses are confidential. Don't include your full name or your baby's name anywhere.
  3. There are no right answers. If you stopped early, switched to formula, combo-fed, or never tried breastfeeding at all — your experience is exactly what I want to hear. I am not looking for a "success story."
  4. Skip anything that feels too personal.
Thank you. The honest, messy answers help me the most.
Section 1 — About you and your baby
1.Did you have a baby (single, not multiples) in the last 12 months?
2.Is this your first baby?
3.How far along was your pregnancy when your baby was born?
4.What type of birth did you have?
5.Anything notable about your birth experience you want to share?
6.Did your baby spend any time in the NICU or special-care nursery?
7.Did you have any of the following before pregnancy? *(check all that apply)*
Section 2 — What you wanted
8.What was your original feeding goal?
9.If your goal was to breastfeed in any form, did you have a duration goal?
10.Did your feeding goals change after the baby arrived?
## Section 3 — What actually happened
11.Tell me about the first 6 weeks of feeding your baby. What was hard? What surprised you?
12.Are you still breastfeeding (any amount, including pumped milk) right now?
13.Did you ever feel like you weren't making enough milk?
14.Anything else you want to say about why you stopped?
15.If you DID hit your goals so far, what do you think made the difference?
Section 4 — Services and support you actually used
16.On a scale of 1–10, how supported did you feel overall during your breastfeeding journey?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
17.How convenient was the support you received?
Very convenient — I received support any time I needed it most
Somewhat convenient
Neutral
Somewhat inconvenient
Very inconvenient — It was difficult to receive support when I needed it most
Section 5 — What worked and what didn't
18.Of everything you used, what was the SINGLE MOST helpful thing? Why?
19.What was the LEAST helpful or most frustrating? Why?
20.Were there questions you had that you couldn't get answered — or that took forever to get answered? Give an example if you can remember one.
21.After using the services you used, did you feel more confident about breastfeeding — or were you still confused and stressed?
22.When you were breastfeeding or pumping, what were you usually doing on your phone?
Section 6 — The hard moments
23.Think back to a moment in the first 6 weeks when you were panicked, exhausted, or really struggling with feeding — maybe in the middle of the night, maybe right after a feed gone wrong. Tell me what happened.
24.What did you wish was available in that moment?
Section 7 — Knowledge and concepts
25.How did you eventually learn the things you didn't know?
26.Looking back, what is the ONE thing you wish someone had taught you about breastfeeding before or right after birth?
Section 8 — What you wish existed
27.If you had a magic wand and could create the perfect breastfeeding support experience, what would it look like?
28.Is there anything else you want me to know about your breastfeeding journey?
Optional follow-up
29.Would you be open to a 20-minute follow-up phone or Zoom conversation if I have more questions? If yes, what's the best email to reach you?