Every new mom expects to lose some sleep after bringing a baby home, late-night feeds, endless nappy changes, the constant checking that their baby’s still breathing. But for those who deliver via C-section or return to work early, exhaustion often hits on another level. And as Cardi B just reminded the internet, there’s a very real reason for that.

“Pumping takes literally your whole f—ing day… There’s women that gotta go to work,”
Cardi B said during a livestream on X Spaces, as reported by PEOPLE. 

Related: 6 things parents should keep in mind while shopping for baby formula

When feeding becomes a full-time job

Cardi’s remarks came as she announced her new role as Chief Confidence Officer for Bobbie, an organic infant-formula brand known for championing parental choice.

The partnership launched alongside a bold campaign video on @bobbie’s Instagram, viewed more than 266,000 times, declaring, “Moms deserve to feel confident they’ll have protected paid family leave and can feed their babies without judgment.”

Cardi B’s candid moment sparks conversation and support online

It’s a sentiment that hit home for thousands of followers who commented to share their stories, some exhausted by pumping schedules, others navigating the shame that can come with choosing formula. The brand even invited parents to “call Cardi” through a dedicated hotline to share how the lack of paid leave and ongoing maternal-health gaps have affected their lives.

  • @chaquitabananaaa — “This is Super Bowl worthy. Well done Bobbie. Who ever agreed give them their raise!”
  • @aleamilabunsi — “I’m not even a mom and ive been watching this on repeat for 5 mins😂 So good.”
  • @capribthomas — “This is literally the best ad. Coming from someone who bought formula overseas. And breast-fed 🙌.”
  • @sabrina.depestre — “As a new mom of a kid who – quite literally – just got off formula, this makes me regret not using Bobbie 🙈 Such a great ad & collab. Well done! 👏🏾.”

But beyond the marketing, Cardi’s message was clear: women shouldn’t have to justify how they feed their babies, especially when the system makes every path harder than it needs to be.

The bigger picture: Postpartum care isn’t built for working moms

Her words echo a larger truth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that, as of March 2023, only 27 percent of civilian workers have access to paid family leave.

With so few parents receiving paid leave, many are returning to work soon after giving birth, often without sufficient time to recover or establish a feeding routine. Combined with workplaces that may lack lactation rooms or flexible schedules, this makes balancing newborn care and employment especially challenging for working parents.

Without enough time to recover, and without dedicated lactation spaces or flexibility to pump, feeding choices become logistical nightmares. It’s not a lack of effort; it’s a lack of infrastructure.

And when you zoom out, the inequity becomes clear: women are told “breast is best,” but are rarely given the time, privacy, or protection needed to make that even possible.

No one should feel guilty for how they feed

Cardi has been open about her own struggles with breastfeeding, telling Vogue that it once took her two hours to produce just two ounces of milk. “It almost made me feel like, ‘Does it make me less of a woman if I can’t produce as much milk as the next woman?’” she said.

Her conclusion? “You’re not a bad mom for giving your baby formula. You know what’s bad? Not feeding your kid.” Cardi B, via PEOPLE.

That honesty, paired with her new platform, reframes the conversation from guilt to grace. Because the truth is, most mothers are choosing between feeding and surviving.

Related: Cardi B opened up about prenatal depression—and she’s helping moms feel less alone

What moms really need

If Cardi’s viral moment teaches us anything, it’s that confidence in motherhood shouldn’t depend on privilege, policy, or perfect supply. Moms deserve time to recover, paid leave to bond, and freedom to feed their babies however they need (without apology)

Because the problem isn’t that women “gotta go to work.” It’s that the world still hasn’t caught up with what that really means.

Source: 

  1.  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “What data does the BLS publish on family leave?”
  2. Vogue. 2025. How Motherhood—And Milk Production—Inspired Cardi B’s Next Act
  3. PEOPLE. 2025. “Cardi B Opens Up About Choosing Formula Over Breastfeeding, Says ‘Women Gotta Go to Work.”