Elsie Hewitt on Why She Didn’t Breastfeed Baby with Pete Davidson
Model Elsie Hewitt, partner to Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson, has publicly detailed the reasoning behind her decision not to breastfeed their daughter, Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson. The choice, often met with judgment, was a deeply personal one informed by a complex medical history and a desire to prioritize her mental wellbeing.
Hewitt and Davidson welcomed Scottie Rose on . In a recently published essay for Elle magazine, titled “My Decision Not to Breastfeed,” Hewitt opened up about the challenges she faced leading up to and following the birth of her child.
The pregnancy itself was described as unplanned, occurring after years of feeling disconnected from her body. Hewitt’s career as a model, where her physical appearance is central to her livelihood, contributed to this disconnect. Adding to the complexity, she was also navigating a diagnosis of stage 4 endometriosis, a chronic and often painful condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it.
“For years, my body has felt like it doesn’t belong to me,” Hewitt wrote. “It belonged to an industry. To the gaze. To weeks spent barely able to get out of bed. To an illness. And then to pregnancy.” She underwent laparoscopic excision surgery for the endometriosis, but became pregnant shortly after, before fully recovering.
Hewitt explained that she had been anticipating a period of recovery and reconnection with her body, but pregnancy “completely derailed that.” She described feeling deeply uncomfortable, constantly sick, exhausted, and in pain throughout the pregnancy.
While breastfeeding is often presented as the “gold standard” for infant nutrition, offering antibodies and a unique bonding experience, Hewitt acknowledged the physical toll it takes on a woman’s body during postpartum recovery. She also noted the societal pressure and, as she described it, “quiet shame” attached to choosing formula feeding.
“I was aware, even before pregnancy, of the quiet shame attached to formula feeding,” she wrote. “There is inherent guilt in choosing not to breastfeed… That guilt doesn’t disappear simply because formula is safe, healthy, and nutritionally complete.”
Hewitt’s decision wasn’t made lightly. She weighed the benefits and drawbacks of both options, ultimately prioritizing her mental health and recovery. She also expressed a desire for shared responsibility in feeding their daughter with Davidson.
“Once she arrived, I didn’t want to remain her sole lifeline in a way that would further deplete me, hinder my recovery, and leave little room for feeding to be shared between my partner and me,” she explained.
Complicating matters further, Hewitt developed mastitis shortly after giving birth, an inflammation of breast tissue that can cause pain, swelling, and infection. Despite attempts to express milk, she was unable to produce any, and was prescribed antibiotics to treat the mastitis.
“I spent hours icing my boobs, watching my body produce something I couldn’t give my baby even if I had decided I was going to breastfeed,” she wrote, describing the conflicting emotions she experienced. “I had decided not to breastfeed—which I was already feeling guilty about—but my body was producing milk. I was grieving an experience that I chose not to have.”
Hewitt emphasized that she felt fortunate to have a supportive partner who did not pressure her to breastfeed. She ultimately concluded that a nourished baby and a mentally healthy mother are both essential, and that choosing formula was the right decision for her and her family.
“The most important thing to me was doing what is best for my baby. I will always do what is best for her,” she wrote. “Feeding choices deserve more nuance and less moral hierarchy.”
“You do not have to sacrifice your well-being to prove your love,” she concluded, offering a message of self-compassion to other mothers navigating similar decisions.