Tyler Hubbard’s Wife Hayley Shares Her Decision Not to Breastfeed Newborn Son Atlas Roy

Tyler Hubbard and wife Hayley welcomed their third child, son Atlas Roy, in September, and Hayley revealed in an interview with PEOPLE that she has decided not to breastfeed her newborn, sharing that it was the best choice for her this time around.

“I’m not breastfeeding this time around because, now looking back, breastfeeding really amplified symptoms of postpartum depression for me,” Hayley shared. “It was never something that came easy to me or something that I honestly enjoyed, no matter how many specialists we talked to or how well I was producing milk.” Along with Atlas, Tyler and Hayley are also parents to daughter Olivia Rose, 2, and son Luca Reed, 1.

After breastfeeding Olivia, Hayley supplemented Luca’s feedings with formula because she wasn’t producing enough milk. With Atlas, the mom of three shared that the decision to stop breastfeeding entirely was the one she knew was best for her.

“Knowing that I would be coming home to two busy toddlers that needed my attention, and a husband that was injured, breastfeeding and pumping around-the-clock seemed even more daunting,” she said. “I encourage anyone else feeling this way to do the same and to not feel any shame about it. It has been significantly life-changing in the best way for my mental health and postpartum.”

Tyler also weighed in on how his wife’s decision has impacted their family. “We’re getting more sleep with Atlas than we did with the other babies since Hayley isn’t breastfeeding this time around,” he shared. “We can now share the responsibility of feeding, which is really nice and allows me to have more bonding time with Atlas.”

On Instagram, Hayley wrote that she feels “so thankful to have a supportive husband + ‘village’ who encouraged me to follow my instincts this time around to stop breastfeeding and bottle feed instead – this has allowed me to be in such a better place mentally & to enjoy this newborn period even more than before!”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Tyler has been able to be home with his family rather than on the road with his Florida Georgia Line bandmate Brian Kelley, which Hayley called “a blessing in disguise.”

“We’ve been able to really soak up this newborn phase at home without having to travel the week after delivery, and that’s something new for us,” the couple shared. “Since we’re all in the recovery process, it’s been extra nice to settle in at home as a family of five, instead of touring.”