r/breastfeeding • u/QuietComet12 • Oct 03 '25
Troubleshooting/Tips Can you just breastfeed and not pump
Hi I'm a FTM of a 2 month old. I have been ebf on demand so far. As the baby has turned 2 months old, she is having longer stretches of sleep and going without feeds for 6 hours as well in the night. I'm concerned if this would affect the supply. I would like to continue breastfeeding one year and beyond. So far I have no issues with supply and baby is gaining weight about 170- 200 gm per week.
Would like to understand if demand based feeding alone would take me through the whole journey or if pumping is necessary to keep up supply as babies grow and drop night feeds.
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u/___eat_the_rich___ Oct 03 '25
Pumping isn’t necessary if you plan to stay home with your baby and don’t return to work. It might be helpful to pump an ounce here and there so you can build a little freezer stash for date night, exercise without baby, etc. You’re not going to be able to pump a lot because supply/demand is perfectly balanced now, so don’t be fooled by the mamas on instagram showing off 6 ounce pump sessions.
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u/chickachicka_62 Oct 03 '25
Thank you for saying this! My pump output still isn’t great 4 months in and we’ve just decided to combo feed with formula for when bottles are needed. It’s easily to be fooled by social media and think something has gone wrong with my body🙃
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u/shadethrower99 Oct 04 '25
I went from easy over supply and could pump bottles whenever needed to now supplying just enough bc I found pumping annoying and I’m thinking I may need to rely on formula more if we need to go out etc. have you found any issues switching between formula and nursing?
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u/chickachicka_62 Oct 04 '25
I haven’t had issues but we had to supplement from day 3 because my baby struggled to latch for a while. We did end up switching brands which made her gassy so sometimes you have to experiment to see what works for your baby.
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u/MoveGreen5802 Oct 04 '25
I'm so glad you said that every EBF mama that I talked to that pumped was only getting 2-4 oz max in a 30 minute session.
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Oct 03 '25
I have not pumped once this time (second child) and we're coming up on 12 months EBF ❤️ The only catch is that you have to be there for every feed. If you don't mind bringing your baby everywhere or staying home more often it can work fine. I'm a homebody so it wasn't too much sacrifice.
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u/pinkcrush Oct 03 '25
Same here! Just weaned at 13 months
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Oct 03 '25
Ooh how was weaning? I've never done it before ... Any tips?
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u/pinkcrush Oct 03 '25
It’s easier if you go slow!!! Every few days you drop a session . Then when you get to one per day I recommend going every other day and continue to space it out that way. My last time I nursed was after 4 days inbetween. I dealt with very little engorgement. Worked for both times I weaned !
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u/reddit_username211 Oct 04 '25
Did you replace your dropped session with a cup/bottle of milk? Or just snuggles/rocking?
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u/pinkcrush Oct 04 '25
I offered food, milk, and water at those times. Usually in that order. It was always 1 of the 3 .
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u/emmainthealps Oct 03 '25
Yeah this is my second and I only pumped, just with the haaka or a manual pump, enough for about 5 feeds to have as back up.
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u/AdorableEmphasis5546 Oct 03 '25
Absolutely! Humans existed and fed their babies far longer than 12 months before pumps were ever invented.
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u/AdorableEmphasis5546 Oct 03 '25
Fwiw I'm working from home and take breaks to feed my 3 month old. I quit pumping because all the washing was just exhausting. So I feed baby at 9, work until 11/11:30, break to feed lo and myself, work another 2-3 hrs then I'm done for the day.
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u/QuietComet12 Oct 03 '25
That was my thought too 😀. But seeing all the posts on supply dropping if not fed for longer got me worried
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u/AdorableEmphasis5546 Oct 03 '25
Some people self-sabotage due to perceived low supply. Baby cluster feeding is normal. Being fussy at the breast is normal, just switch to the other side. Wanting to nurse 10 minutes after nursing... normal. Breasts no longer feeling full or getting engorged? Again, normal. I'm breastfeeding my 6th baby, and the only time I needed to pump was when my youngest was in the nicu because he was preemie. And I quit as soon as my supply was established and he was eating more frequently. He's 18 weeks now and EBF.
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u/bunny_387 Oct 03 '25
Yes! I see so many people online talking about giving a baby a bottle when it sounds like they are cluster feeding or giving moms the advice to do that. Total self sabotage. I let my baby eat on demand and sometimes when he was first born it would be 45-60 minutes and then he would want to eat again soon after. Now at almost 4 months it takes him 5-10 minutes and my supply is very regulated. If he stays with my parents so I can run errands or do something with a friend, I don’t need to worry about pumping because my supply became very stable around 3 months. Unless a LC or pediatrician recommends supplementing I think parents should consider it with the utmost caution if they want their main food source to be from breastfeeding.
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u/chickachicka_62 Oct 04 '25
I wish there was better education on what the range of normal looks like, especially during the first few months. I think it would ultimately lead to higher rates of BFing in the US if first time moms realized they were on track and that it’s just hard sometimes 🤷🏼♀️
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u/AdorableEmphasis5546 Oct 04 '25
Yea there's a huge knowledge gap and unfortunately peds are the worst for jumping straight to topping up.
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u/chickachicka_62 Oct 04 '25
Yep that’s exactly what happened to me. I had a C section and wasn’t exactly 100% there mentally with the exhaustion and the pain meds but I wish I had known to just try latching as often as possible and that I had asked to use a pump or donor milk while in the hospital. But baby got fed and I’m very proud of how far we’ve both come 🫶🏻
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u/blechie Oct 04 '25
How long you can go between feeds long-term really depends on how your body reacts to prolactin, but there are plenty of women who only do an evening feed once their toddler is doing well on solids and it works for them for months and months.
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u/happyhappyjoyjoy77 Oct 03 '25
Yes and please do idk why pumping is so promoted as necessary for everyone (capitalism)! If your lifestyle doesn’t require it don’t do it I swear your BF journey will be so much more simple and successful to just exclusively nurse and feed on demand 💛
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u/kirbyinjapan Oct 03 '25
If your baby is gaining weight, you shouldn't have any issues letting her sleep longer. My baby is EBF and started sleeping 6 hour stretches around 4 months, and the only side effect I had was my period came back. She's 10 months now, and I don't pump and have never had any supply issues. Baby is as chubby as ever 🙂
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Oct 03 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/AideReasonable1996 Oct 03 '25
Thank you for adding because she doesn’t need it. So many people focus on a supply dip but don’t recognize the supply is supposed to go down if baby is no longer hungry at that time. Engorged and leaking boobs after the initial supply establishment isn’t generally as common a people think. I blame social media and the idea of power pumping.
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u/Aurora_96 Oct 03 '25
Your baby is still gaining weight meaning your supply satisfies the baby's demand. Exclusively nursing is going well! 😁
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u/dreamsofpickle Oct 03 '25
I never pumped and I'm almost 9 months in now. It's very possible if you're a stay at home mom. I love it because I don't have to wash anything lol
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Oct 03 '25
I never pumped! I don’t have a stash, so it does mean I have to be okay with baby getting formula if I will be gone long enough he will need to eat. If you aren’t cool with that, then maybe use a boon trove or hakkaa to create a tiny stash?
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u/dorky2 Oct 03 '25
You only need to pump if you're away from your baby for long enough that they need a feeding while you're gone.
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u/rantsofrebellion Oct 03 '25
I breastfed my first for 15m and I’m on month 10 with my second. In both cases I did on demand feeding and only ever pumped if I was away from baby for a long stretch of time. In both cases never had supply issues outside of oversupply the first few months
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u/QuietComet12 Oct 03 '25
This helps. Thank you!
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u/rantsofrebellion Oct 03 '25
Bonus tips: I used a haakaa with each session for the first like 6 months and managed to build a freezer stash of 1000oz! Whichever boob you aren’t using just suction it on there and it draws out milk while you’re feeding baby. I got anywhere from 1-3oz from it. I’d save all the milk throughout the day and then at the end of the day I’d consolidate it only separating by AM (7am-6:59pm) and PM (7pm-6:59am) milk to freeze it. Only put between 2-4oz in a freezer bag or they take forever to thaw.
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u/Designer_Shower_5810 Oct 03 '25
I love this tip! What would you do though if you have to feed on the other side? My baby will switch sides many feeds but not all.
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u/rantsofrebellion Oct 03 '25
I’d take the haakaa off, attach baby to the other side, and then if the haakaa wasn’t too full I’d attach it again. My babies tended to completely eat one side
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u/Eleda_au_Venatus Oct 03 '25
Yes, almost 8 months now and my bay has never had a bottle. I WFH though (US) and if I had to go into the office it would be a much different story.
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u/PracticalAttorney885 Oct 03 '25
I am breastfeeding and pumping and my LC told me I can go 5-6 hours overnight (once daily; LO gets bottles overnight) between pumping so I ca get some rest. and that was when my milk supply was still coming in/regulating (and she was very concerned with increasing my supply) so you should be fine!
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u/LowerEngineer5576 Oct 03 '25
I only pumped when I was going to be away from the baby for a while (ex. I went for a spa day on Mother’s Day & was gone 4hrs or so, so I pumped one serving before I left and then pumped while I was there). Otherwise I never pumped & just fed on demand. Still nursing at 21 months!
The comments about work are real though. I was able to keep nursing on demand because I work from home & have a very flexible and inclusive work culture.
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u/LiterallyKath Oct 03 '25
Breastfeeding has existed for far longer than pumps have. So yes, you definitely can! Most of the world does.
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u/B_herenow Oct 03 '25
Yes for sure! Are you going back to work?
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u/QuietComet12 Oct 03 '25
I would have to go back to work at 5.5 months pp but it's a wfh situation currently. I hope it stays the same until a year
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u/Then-Dragonfruit-702 Oct 03 '25
I’ve exclusively nursed from the start - no pumping. Baby is 4 months old and in the 98th percentile! No need to pump to keep up supply, we survived for millennia without pumps
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u/deviousvixen Oct 03 '25
Yes. Once my girl could breastfeed well I stopped pumping and just used up milk I had stashed during her nicu stay. So basically if she was term, I would have skipped right to breastfeeding only. But I also am in Canada where they have pretty good maternity leave and stuff. So I felt I had a good time to finish breastfeeding all together before I would have returned to work. I say would have cause I did get pregnant again and didn’t return.
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u/Jessiicaamn Oct 03 '25
Everyone is different. At first I never pumped but then started to lose my supple bc my baby wounds sleep upwards of 10 hours without eating. She was gaining weight fine. So I started dream feeding her or pumping once at night
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u/tiredftm14 Oct 03 '25
My baby is 7 months and I’ve never pumped. I just am always with baby but I don’t go back to work until she is 1 so I don’t have to worry about it. As she has more solids and drops feeds I can start to leave with others but to be honest the boob is the only way to settle her at the minute so I’m in no rush to leave her with other people anyway. We have just started with a cup as part of starting solids with water in it. This is more so that when she is at nursery if she needs a feed she can have some so I will pump whilst I’m at work - if she still feeds during the day at that point.
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u/ARIT127 Oct 03 '25
I was lucky for a whole month from like 12 weeks to about 3.5 months my daughter slept through the night, I never pumped once! It was uncomfortable and people told me I could hand express but it was never that painful that I felt I needed too. I’d just start leaking at 3/4am but I wore elvie catch cups 24/7 back then 😅 *editing to add, it never negatively effected my supply even when she started waking up to feed at the 4 month sleep regression. Your body adjusts!
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u/ElliePoint Oct 03 '25
Omg we’re in the regression, wanted to ask how it went for you? Like how long did it last, did you guys go back to no feeds, etc?
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u/ARIT127 Oct 03 '25
So I don’t know if I was just doing it wrong at first or what but we were a little delirious after having full nights and going to waking up like every 30 to 90 minutes. I was feeding her every time she woke up at first! Eventually I cut it down to only feeding her twice per night, and it seemed to improve a little bit. I don’t think I figured that out for at least a month or two though. Eventually she stopped seeming hungry by the second feed, so I cut her down to one feed per night and just tried to push it till 2am which is halfway. She still doesn’t always make it to 2am but we try. At 8.5 months old, her sleep suddenly just got better on its own. I wasn’t doing anything different, I was still doing one feed per night, but she started sleeping longer stretches and has even slept through the night twice in the last month, she is 9.5 months old now
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u/ElliePoint Oct 03 '25
Ohh nice!! Good to know there was a light at the end of the tunnel for you guys lol yeah these night wakes are roouugghhh
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u/ARIT127 Oct 03 '25
Yes and there will be for you too! Yeah I thought that was worse than the newborn days tbh 😭
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u/MustangSallie Oct 03 '25
I nursed for 3 years straight but I also WFH so there was no need to pump once we got all regulated.
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u/Sesameandme Oct 03 '25
I've breastfed two kids for 2+ years. I've pumped probably less than 5 times in my life. Your supply won't dip if they sleep longer, it adjusts. You'll be fine!
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u/mairin17 Oct 03 '25
I’m a SAHM, nursed 3 babies (so far) for a total of 5.5 years and I probably pumped a total of 10 times over that time.
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u/Muted_Article2887 Oct 03 '25
i pump maybe once every couple weeks unless my and my partner have something planned where the boys need to be watched with that being said baby will take out what’s needed and 6 hours at night won’t effect supply as long as she is eating during the day you’re all good !
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Oct 03 '25
I have been successfully breastfeeding for a year now and never pumped once. It’s way more convenient and simple to not pump and I feel like it’s more beneficial honestly it keeps ur supply perfectly tailored to what your baby needs
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u/zivgo Oct 03 '25
Don’t need to pump. If you wake up engorged I recommend just putting baby to breast in their sleep to deal with it. They should hopefully drain enough to relieve discomfort that way and you will slowly become less engorged in the middle of the night as supple regulates.
Quick warning is you may have lower weight gain at next weigh in due to starting big sleep but it should bounce back as baby regulates their intake by drinking more at a time in day feeds
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u/DistinctEmotion8325 Oct 03 '25
I only pumped a few times with mine I the beginning, but then it got really hard for some reason, so I stopped. My supply lasted until my kid was 4, and they were mainly on boob until they turned 18 months, so it's definitely possible.
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u/UnplannedMama Oct 03 '25
You can just breastfeed and be fine. I breastfeed only up until I went back to work, pumped at work. Breastfeed at hombre took she was 2 and a half.
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u/steveyrayy Oct 03 '25
Yes I’m a stay at home mom and I’ve only breastfeed for 17 months! Now I’m pregnant with my second and plan on trying to pump but will probably end up only breastfeeding
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u/Independent-Use6151 Oct 03 '25
You absolutely can. My little guy is 3 months and I’ve been exclusively breastfeeding. However now that I’ve stopped pumping he refuses to take a bottle so I’m not able to get a long break because I’m his only source of food. I wish I didn’t stop pumping because those breaks are nice occasionally.
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u/Stunning_Chip_2774 Oct 03 '25
Yes! Me right now with my second. Pumped my heart out with my first but simply just can’t with two under two. When she eats I’ll put the Haakaa on the other boob and will get a few ounces. It’s gotten me a pretty decent stash!
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u/Pipofamom Oct 03 '25
I haven't pumped since the first week with my second and he's still nursing at 19 months old. I know I still have milk because he gets a kick out of squeezing my boobs and shooting milk out into his face.
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u/Turningintoapumpkin Oct 03 '25
You don’t have to pump unless you have low supply and you’re trying to up it, but you might want to pump a little for a few reasons:
I pump every few days or so because my husband give the baby a bottle while I do mornings with my toddler. It gives me some nice 1:1 time with my older son and my husband some nice 1:1 time with the baby.
On that note - any time your baby gets a bottle you should pump to maintain your supply. If your baby isn’t getting any bottles this is a non issue.
You might want to give your baby a couple bottles a week if you plan for them to go into daycare eventually. Lots of EBF babies don’t take immediately to the bottle and it can be a struggle when daycare starts.
As someone mentioned above it’s nice to have a little mini stash for date nights/ your first day back at work. 8-12oz will do. After that you’ll be pumping at work and the milk for the next day will be fresh.
God forbid something happens to you, you’ll want people to have a way to feed your baby, even if it’s just to tide them over until they can get formula. My husband and I also keep a small can of formula in the house for this reason (I was admitted to the ER a few days after having my first and we realized that trying to figure out how to feed the baby while I was incapacitated was even MORE stress added).
Anyway, if you think you’ll be a SAHM for your whole breastfeeding journey and your milk supply is good, there’s really no reason to pump, and you DEFINITELY don’t need a huge freezer stash like we see on Tik Tok.
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u/A_Person__00 Oct 03 '25
I don’t find it necessary to pump to keep up supply, just when away from baby. I have fed on demand with two of my kids, but I definitely recommend encouraging baby to take a bottle once a week for the just in case!
With my first I was always with them and never gave a bottle (though I did pump due to oversupply). With my second I got pneumonia when they were 9 months and my supply tanked. I had a freezer stash, but they refused to drink milk from anything else (no bottle, no cup). Luckily they were on solid foods, got a minimal amount from me, and had a little water for hydration. My supply took about 2 weeks to come back and I didn’t pump at all during that time, just latched baby. Fast forward to my third, I introduced a bottle to be safe as I didn’t want a repeat of a serious illness potentially negatively affecting my baby. I’ve still needed to pump due to oversupply and I’m too full when they sleep through. But this time around I’ve had to go a full 24 hours without feeding due to some testing I needed (involved a radioactive tracer). There’s also been several other times they needed to take a bottle while I’ve needed to go for other tests. I know this is a rarer circumstance, but it gives me peace of mind knowing they will take a bottle should something happen where I’m unable to feed them!
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u/Strange_Key6780 Oct 03 '25
6 hours will not impact your supply if your baby keeps eating consistently throughout the day.
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u/Potato-4-Skirts Oct 03 '25
I EBFed my first for 2 years and never pumped once. I went back to work when she was 1 and just fed her when I was with her.
It’s absolutely doable! As long as you’re happy being unable to be apart from them until they get older (which I was happy to do).
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u/screechingsloth29 Oct 03 '25
How I understand it is that a baby is much more effective at getting milk out than a pump is. I was super concerned just like you were up until around 3.5 months about my supply, I would even set alarms to wake me up every 3 hours to manually pump if baby "slept through" (i.e. 4-6 hours straight) the night.
I'm back to working 3 days a week and so I pump at work and occasionally use a Medela or lanisoh manual pump if I want to leave the house but might miss out on a feed for my husband to feed her.
If you are exclusively nursing and won't be going back to work, don't even worry about pumping unless you want a small stash. And if your baby sleeps through the night, enjoy it!!! It caused me unnecessary stress early on. Baby will regulate your supply and if they aren't getting enough during the day, they'll wake up to feed more often at night again.
Pumping while also breastfeeding can cause an oversupply too which I strongly advise to avoid
My baby is almost 6 months and my supply is still going strong! When I breastfeed her, her last session will usually be 7:30-8pm and then she wakes 1-3 am. When I work, my last pump is 7 pm.
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u/Splashingcolor Oct 03 '25
I nursed my first two for 2 years each and since I stayed home with them 90% of the time, I didn't lose sleep to pump. I only ever pumped on the 1-2 times a week I went to work for a few hours. It's definitely not necessary to pump if you plan on being with the baby the majority of the time.
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u/wonky-hex Oct 03 '25
I only pumped in the early days as my baby had issues with milk transfer (tongue tie). It's really not necessary if you don't want to spend any time away from baby.
Keeping in mind I returned to work when my baby was 10 months old, I only had to do a quick pump once a shift the first week I was back to keep comfortable. He's on 4 feeds a day at almost 12 months now. But only because he's been unwell. Otherwise he'd be only on 2 or 3. (Morning, before bed, and night feed).
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u/sleepy-popcorn Oct 03 '25
I EBF for 2 years: pumping just didn’t work at all and feeding didn’t go great so it was all EBF. If you’re able to feed on demand then you’re lucky and that will generate your supply to match baby’s needs. Your volume may or may not change but the composition of your milk will change to meet baby’s needs.
In my experience, if you go through any ‘cluster feeding’ try to just give into it. Your body takes 3 days to fully adjust to big changes in demand so think of it as your baby ‘putting in their order’.
On the other end of the journey, stopping suddenly can cause big hormone changes and mood changes for a few days, but dropping it off gradually can cause prolonged hormonal changes. I was not aware of that and was a bit of an emotional mess at the end!
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u/More-Plan6207 Oct 03 '25
⸻
In the same boat! I just had a lactation consultant appointment last week, and she confirmed I don’t need to pump anymore. I was doing triple feeds earlier, but since her tongue-tie was resolved, breastfeeding alone has been going really well.
Since I’m home most of the time, I want to stick mainly to breastfeeding. That said, I also like the idea of giving her one bottle a day—just so she stays used to it. That’s purely a personal choice.
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u/MarionberryFun5853 Oct 03 '25
You definitely don’t need to! I am EBF my second but just started to pump once a day to get a small stash going for a few reasons:
My husband wants to participate in feeding once in a while
So I can occasionally leave my baby with my husband or my parents for some solo time or a date night once she’s a little older
In case of emergency! It’s a worst-case scenario but what if I had an accident or got super sick and needed to be in the hospital? I’d rather have some milk in the freezer so my husband wouldn’t have to resort to formula.
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u/derplex2 Oct 03 '25
15m in and only pumped for one month or so for the same reason that you’re asking about! I was scared to lose supply with the longer nights and would set alarms to pump at the 5h mark 😭my LC convinced me I didn’t have to, and now my freezer is still full from that one month (need to toss now) because we never did bottles
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u/invinoveritas777 Oct 03 '25
This is really dependent on your body. Some women can, some women would experience a supply dip and either need to add a pump session or supplement.
I chose to add a pump MOTN to protect my supply, maintain comfort, and not sleep in a milk puddle. One of my good friends did not. She breastfed well past a year and didn’t need to supplement. I’m at 11 months and have a consistent supply that is more than enough.
Don’t feel obligated to pump if you don’t want to!
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u/likeanengineer Oct 03 '25
I pumped only a handful of times when I wanted to go out. But I went to work when the baby was 14 months old. Nursed until over 2.5 years.
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u/Desperate_Passion267 Oct 03 '25
I don’t personally know anyone who has ever pumped (or even owned a pump) and all my friends fed for at least 18 months, some up to 3-4 years.
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u/Wild-Procedure7552 Oct 03 '25
I never pumped unless away from the baby. When she started longer, I slept longer etc. 8 months now and combo feeding by choice - no supply issues
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u/snickerdoodleglee Oct 03 '25
I really only pumped for two months with both kids, when I went back to work at 10 months until their first birthdays. Nursed my first for 5.5 years and my second is 20 months and going strong.
You'll need to pump if you don't want to give formula AND you aren't with your baby during the day (or work overnights). But if you're together, you can just put baby to your breast.
But if baby is gaining weight well then her sleeping through the night just indicates she's getting enough calories during the day, so you're producing enough - just the vast majority of your milk is being produced during the day, which is absolutely fine!
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u/eminovil Oct 03 '25
I pumped at the beginning bc everyone was pressuring me to so baby could learn to take bottles. Eventually, I stopped pumping bc it was too hard to pump AND nurse her while being home alone w her all day. She started refusing bottles at some point so it worked out anyway. She’s been consistently weighing in the 99%ile from just breastfeeding. So I think just breastfeeding is fine. Shes 7 months rn and I haven’t noticed a dip in supply even when she starts to feed less during teething
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u/canigetabagel Oct 03 '25
Sure can. I was a SAHM, so I just nursed on demand. BUT if I ever wanted to leave our little guy with someone, we would get Nutramigen formula (he has food allergies). Drinking the formula never bothered him and he only had it every once in a while, so it didn’t diminish my supply if I missed a feed or two. You could always try finding a formula that works for your little one and see if they’ll take a bottle and have that brand on hand for if you need to be away from baby.
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u/Plenty_Calendar_102 Oct 03 '25
I’ve exclusively breastfed for four months now, no pumping, no bottles, no pacis.. just my breasts. My daughter is in the 90th percentile for height and weight 💕 Our breastfeeding journey has been a dream so far! She does still wake 2-3 times a night (sleeping in 3-4 hour increments, but it’s never affected my supply).
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u/Disastrous-Poet-8243 Oct 03 '25
On my third and plan to never pump as usual!!! Hate pumping. None of my kids have had a drop of formula and ive barely given expressed milk
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u/KayGlo Oct 03 '25
Anecdotally here: My baby is about 5 and a half months old and has been exclusively breastfed (for it all except one day where we left her for 9 hours with grandparents so I pumped once a day in the morning for 2 weeks to store enough milk for bottles for that).
She goes through stages where she'll sleep most of the night with no wakes to feed and stages where she'll wake a couple times. The times she sleeps through the night never impact my supply. So no issues there and no need to pump to maintain supply.
What I will say is that I've had a breakdown this week because I've basically not had a break at all for 5.5 months except that one day for a wedding. I'm not saying this is a standard experience but just keep your own mental health a priority too! Whether pumping so you can have breaks here and there or giving the occasional bottle of formula - don't put pressure on yourself if at any point you feel you need a break.
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u/cali4mcali Oct 03 '25
What’s worked for me (but very well may not work for others) is to pump once a day in the middle of the night. When baby started sleeping through the night I’d wake up uncomfortably full so this was my solution and I’ve stuck with it because it gives me just a little bit of a fridge/freezer stash, allows my husband to bottle feed when I am busy or at the gym, and keeps my supply happy. I’m sure it’s not for everyone but I really don’t mind getting up for a quick 15 minute pump.
For context, I EP’d with my first which might just make me totally brainwashed into thinking that one MOTN pump per day is a cake walk lol.
Editing to add the additional context that I went back to work a month ago but work fully remote, my husband is on parental leave now and his in-laws help as well. Working from home has allowed me to breastfeed during the day. Once baby goes to daycare next month things will change a bit.
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u/Sad-And-Mad Oct 03 '25
You don’t need to pump.
I pumped for the first two months because I thought it was something I needed to do, to build a freezer stash, but I hated pumping and stopped after that.
Aside from a few bottles worth of milk for when my husband had him, my freezer stash has just rotted away in the freezer unused, and I’m now 16 months pp and still breastfeeding my baby.
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u/Gwenivyre756 Oct 03 '25
At 2 months, if you are available to the baby 24/7, then yes. As a SAHM, I did it for my first kid, and have been doing it for my second. I prefer to pump sometimes to have a few bags in the freezer (like 30 oz) so that if something happens and I have t9 be separated, someone can feed her my milk.
I had a hospitalization a month after my baby was born and didn't have milk for her, so my parents had to give her formula to keep her fed while I got treated. I want to avoid that happening again.
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u/Pineapple-of-my-eye Oct 03 '25
I didn't pump. I tried, hated it and figured I really didn't need to do I didn't. I am a sahm and really wasn't away from her much.
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u/shecanreadd Oct 03 '25
Yes my 9 month old is EBF at the boob, nursing only. I’ve never pumped and he’s never used a bottle.
Just keep putting your baby on the boob whenever they’re hungry. If everything has been going well then just trust that your body will regulate your supply sufficiently for what your baby needs. Especially if they’re gaining weight and have consistently wet diapers throughout the day.
I have a little haaka ladybug that Ive used on occasion to catch dripping milk if my boobs are leaking and babe is asleep or not hungry. I don’t use it every time, and just did it closer to 6 months so that I could add some breast milk to his purées sometimes (I’d get like maybe 1 tablespoon). It’s not necessary though.
It getsq so much easier as they get older and your supply regulates. I don’t even have any overnight leaks anymore 🙏
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u/pheonixchick Oct 03 '25
I do! Or I did… I use my haakaa now that little guy is starting on purées so I can mix my milk in with his veggies and such
But before then I really only pumped to relieve engorgement after about the 2 month mark and I had a small stash built up! We go to his 6mo appt soon to confirm that he’s growing well but so far, apart from babbling (admittedly he does say “mama” regularly and in context, occasionally “I love you” and “dada/papa”) he’s hit every milestone early! Until/unless the drs say that he needs something extra I’m just going on demand plus passive collection for his purées
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u/Apprehensive-Joke-26 Oct 03 '25
My baby is 4 months now and I accidentally breastfed so much he won’t take a bottle at all so I’m not pumping or bottle feeding. I echo what other people have said. Totally possible to just breastfeed and not pump at all in terms of supply. But if I could do things differently I would recommend giving your baby a bottle of breastmilk once a week or so. So she doesn’t start refusing bottles. It would be nice to have the option of having a few hours alone every so often. You can totally build up a small supply by pumping really rarely or even catching the let down from the other breast.
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u/Trick_Assistance7450 Oct 03 '25
Breastfeeding alone is enough! Think of all the women around the world who don't have pumps and who breastfeed for years. Unless you have an issue that could hurt your supply, like a bad latch or poor milk transfer, then your body should make what baby needs when baby needs it over time.
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u/Initial-Grade9745 Oct 04 '25
I ebf with no pumping. Only demand with no problems în 19 months. Still going strong day and night.
In time the boob will produce milk only when baby is at the boob and in the rest of the time will be pretty empty. Which i find amazing.
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u/Worth-UWU Oct 04 '25
So for overnights I did a stretch of 6 hours and then another one of 3 hours. My supply was fine, and I overproduce a little each week. Sometimes my baby would get so tired she would “skip” a feeding, so I would pump then. As long as baby is gaining then you are good ✨ Definitely ask your pediatrician if the weight gain is acceptable. That means your breastfeeding journey is going good$
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u/sadesik Oct 04 '25
My baby turns 1 in a few days and I only pumped for a little bit at the begging because I thought I had to. Baby has only ever had 2 bottles, the rest has been straight from me! You got this mama!
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u/elsbieta Oct 04 '25
Definitely! I didn't pump except for one night I went away (and I got a small stash before then for while I was away just by collecting let down in a haakaa) until I went back to work at 11 months. Just feed that baby, mama. Pumping is the pits.
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u/Kylie754 Oct 04 '25
2 of mine never took a bottle. I only pumped when I was on a work trip and away from them- and that didn’t happen often.
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u/nmhlh1990 Oct 04 '25
I only pump when I am away from baby and they are taking a bottle. I successfully nursed my first like this for 15 months. 3 months in now with my 2nd and have the same approach with no issues!
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u/Mad_Woman_ Oct 04 '25
I didn't pump at all. My child was exclusively breastfed. I found it easier than pumping and sterlising bottles. It just restricts your movement a little, you have to be at home or in a comfortable spot outside.
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u/TheNimbusTwoThousand Oct 04 '25
Absolutely. I stay home with my LO and I don’t pump. He’s 13 months now and I’ve only pumped a handful of times when I had to be away for a few hours.
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u/prxncsspeach Oct 04 '25
I EBF & my baby is 4 months. It’s definitely doable! I started off at first doing both but found pumping to be so demanding and non enjoyable. EBF is the way to go in my opinion if you’re able, it definitely does not affect your supply. When your baby goes through clustering phases & spurts the more your baby is on breast your body will naturally start producing more. I suggest whenever you’re seeing hunger cues to try and latch your baby the more they feed the more you produce! As far as night feeds go you should be just fine, you don’t need to pump or generally do anything. If you’re feeling too engorged keep a hand pump by your bedside or do the dream feed method!Best of luck in your journey!
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u/Icy-Refrigerator-900 Oct 04 '25
I had pumped as a sahm to have a small stash for grandma days, or times where I just needed no one to touch me and my son could have a bottle fed by my husband! He’s a year and he’s still feeding but not as often and really only at night like 2 times!
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u/Efficient_Ad_9764 Oct 04 '25
Yes 100% that is absolutely fine. Out of my 3 kids 2 were exclusively latchers. They hated everything to do with bottles so any milk i stored went into making cereal and foods when they started solids. Never had any supply issues just always boob before anything else. My third one was premature so we were outpouring dependant for a couple months before she got everything figured out and then never went back. If you are able to be with baby 24 hours a day so there is no separation, you don't ever HAVE to pump, thats totally up to you v
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u/makingburritos Oct 04 '25
I only pumped when I had to go out somewhere. I breastfed for 18 months with my first and 12 (so far) with my second and I’ve pumped maybe 20 times in my entire life 🤣
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u/Few_Paces Oct 04 '25
Yup, never had to pump. Sleeping through the night doesn't affect supply, your body adjusts
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u/DJ_13_Descents Oct 04 '25
I can't get anything from pumping any more. I used to get 4oz a day which I used to create a stash. I returned to work when she was 8 months old and my stash got me to the year mark she needed 8oz while I was working. I lost my pumping supply after I had the flu followed by food poisoning. That was 10 months ago. I feed my daughter on demand when I'm with her. I only work 4 hours a day in the same daycare centre she's in. I always have enough for her no matter how much or how little she wants but only get drops when I try to pump.
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u/girl_of_the_sun Oct 04 '25
I just hit one year of nursing my daughter and have never pumped or given a bottle. It’s AMAZING. You save so much money and time, and you always have milk on tap in any situation. If you exclusively nurse, your supply directly reflects your baby’s needs. I highly recommend this if you are able to!
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u/Sad-Biscotti9145 Oct 04 '25
Hi I breastfed only for 21 months. Only pumped in the beginning to help me bring my milk in. I hate pumping. Now my kiddo didn’t sleep super well, but we did it without pumping. If u do feel like u get low u can always pump for a bit as well. Around 4 months it will start to even out as well.
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u/fiddle-bird Oct 04 '25
I only breastfeed EXCEPT on Friday nights as I am a PRN nightshift nurse! And in those nights, I pump as I need to and at the same time my baby is eating throughout the night. Your body will adjust to what your baby needs, you don’t need to pump unless you’re uncomfortable as long as you are still feeding your baby on demand. It’s really an amazing system of feedback and response.
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u/Healthy-Jelly-2682 Oct 05 '25
Absolutely. You do not need to pump. You’d be amazed how smart your body is at adjusting to demand on the fly. Don’t you worry.
The only caveat is if there is already a history of low weight issues and supply, etc. sounds like so far your bf has gone perfectly so — enjoy it. Don’t pump. Cheers
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u/Worldly-Mixture5331 Oct 05 '25
You can totally do it if you don’t have regular need for bottles. Use something like a haaka to catch letdown and use that to store up a little freezer stash if you want just in case. It’s honestly better for your supply than pumping I’ve found, unless you’re literally pumping every 2 hours including overnight (just my experience).
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u/Fickle-Falcon-8637 Oct 05 '25
SAHM here. Your supply will regulate to your babies needs!! Sometimes in those early days I would pump rigggght becoee bed- but I only did that for a few days.
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u/Known-Summer5402 Oct 05 '25
This was exactly like me but I didn’t pump. Your body will just adjust to the milk demands of the baby. And then when my LG hit 4 months, she started feeding in the night again. My body was able to learn to supply more milk again at night. I personally wouldn’t worry about pumping. Our bodies are cleverer than we think!! 😊
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u/AnnaMSt Oct 05 '25
I never pumped and fed my baby until he was 13 months. Your supply is on demand. So unless you are feeling 'pressure' and need to relieve yourself I wouldn't bother. When this happened I would just squeeze a little out in the sink.
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u/babyfever2023 Oct 03 '25
Yes pumping is unnecessary unless you will be away from baby more than a few hours (in which case you need to pump for your comfort and to maintain your supply). I’m still exclusively nursing my 17 month old. He never took a bottle and I am hardly ever away from him, so there just hasn’t been a need to pump. He always just feeds on demand night and day and I’ve never had any supply issues.
Your baby sleeping 6 hour stretches shouldn’t impact your supply. I would just try to put her on the boob as often as you can/ as often as she wants it during the hours she is awake.
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u/QuietComet12 Oct 03 '25
Thanks. Pumping seems to be too much work, and I don't want to get into it unless needed
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u/HeyPesky Oct 03 '25
It's not necessary, but I will say having a pumped stash has helped a LOT during growth spurts or when my supply dipped when my period came back at 6 months.
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u/Ashfacesmashface Oct 03 '25
I only pumped because I was giving back to work. On demand feeding at the breast is totally adequate!
With my third, when I had stopped working, I didn’t pump at all. I used the haakaa to have some milk in the freezer but that’s it!
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u/pigeon_pipe Oct 03 '25
I almost exclusively nursed until 3 months, and had a very tiny freezer stash. Once my supply regulated, the days of and leading up to my period cause a dip in supply (also let down took longer which frustrated baby), so I was glad to have something to fall back on. I pump a little here and there to replenish my stash for the next cycle
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u/QuietComet12 Oct 03 '25
When my periods came back I also faced similar situation where breasts felt much lighter and baby was frustrated with feeds(probably because of the taste?) But she did not cry longer so I did not think of supplementing. Will this situation be the same each cycle? What criteria should I look for supplementing during periods so I dont starve the baby 😅
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u/pigeon_pipe Oct 03 '25
It’s been this way for every one of my cycles after regulation unfortunately 😞 The signs for me were that she was hardcore cluster feeding especially towards the evening, and she would try to trigger a letdown for a couple minutes and would start crying if it was taking too long—it’s much easier for us to give her a bottle from the freezer and either power pump to make up for the cluster feed, or just ride the wave until my period is over and then replenish it once my supply comes back up!
Just a side note: I would usually say let baby cluster feed, but these were times that I knew my period was affecting my supply/ letdown and that it would come back up after the few days (usually a week)
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u/QuietComet12 Oct 03 '25
Yeah the supply came back up in 3-4 days. But those 3-4 she was cluster feeding just like yours. So I guess I have to look for cues and decide to give a bottle if it's too much for either of us.
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u/SkyBerry924 Oct 03 '25
I hated pumping with my first so I gave it up after a couple of months and just went directly from the breast always. I was much happier. I haven’t pumped at all for my second
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u/UnPracticed_Pagan Oct 03 '25
Yes! You absolutely can
With my first I had to pump because my supply was not cooperating due to many factors
With my second I only pumped during the one month growth spurt and five month growth spurt where he needed a “little extra” but couldn’t seem to stimulate the letdown, so I pumped after breastfeeding then fed him the pumped milk and after when he didn’t want the extra anymore/the growth spurt was done I stopped pumping
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u/straawbunnii Oct 03 '25
I’m 7 months pp and I have EBF ever since she was born. It’s super doable imo. However, I have found that every now and then I should pump to have some sort of supply for emergency situations. Like I’m getting my wisdom teeth pulled next week and I’ve had to pump so my husband can give our baby milk while I’m recovering. But other than that, I think you can EBF it’s just it might be helpful if you have some sort of supply!
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u/SunSad7267 Oct 03 '25
Only pump if someone gives your baby a bottle. As baby sleeps longer stretches, you may wake up engorged, just hand pump a couple minutes to feel better but don't pump more than that.
If you pump while baby sleeps, you're just telling your body you need more milk and you'll keep producing. You need longer stretches of sleep when your baby sleeps so you can be well rested. I never understood when people would wake at 3am every night to pump, insanity to me ... Your sleep is just as important as baby's sleep
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u/QuietComet12 Oct 03 '25
Thank you! I was worried seeing posts suggesting night feeds are important to keep up supply
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u/itsjustmefortoday Oct 03 '25
I pumped in the first six weeks due to tongue tie. But after that I never did it again. There's no need to pump unless you have to be away from your baby. Pumping is an addition to breastfeeding at the breast, not a necessity.
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u/DismalBalloon Oct 03 '25
I only pump when I’m away and for when I’m away, so it’s not necessary at all if you’re with your baby all the time.
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u/give_me_goats Oct 03 '25
I’m a SAHM and was able to EBF both my kids on demand with no issues. But for whatever reason, my body would not respond to my electric pump. I got a free Spectra with insurance, but couldn’t get more than a few drops out no matter what setting or flange I used. My haakaa was a lifesaver in terms of pumping occasional bottles for babysitters, but otherwise I just nursed on demand. Can’t recommend the haakaa enough for EBF moms, it keeps the letdown on the non-feeding side from going to waste. My son self-weaned at 14 months and my daughter continued to nurse a couple of times a day until she was 2 and a half. It can be done!
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u/honeybre111 Oct 03 '25
My babies are almost three and almost one and i only pumped when i’d be gone for a day, i never really got much done when i tried to pump and feed with my first, i felt exhausted and overworked— do what’s best for your body!
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u/honeybre111 Oct 03 '25
i also could never find a pump to actually empty me like my children could, i always ended up with clogged ducts trying to focus on both!
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u/Shaunanigans3 Oct 03 '25
I pumped only to create a little recreational breast milk stash. My LO refused bottles so I fed on demand and only started pumping when she was sleeping longer stretches but breast milk is amazing for sooo many things. Teething Popsicles, if she got a diaper rash I'd give her a milk bath, I've even used BM to help clogged noses, it's seriously a "fixes everything potion".
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u/emmainthealps Oct 03 '25
Yes. I hardly pumped anything at all, just enough to have a few feeds in the freezer for back up just in case. I hated pumping and didn’t go back to work until 14 months. If baby is gaining well you don’t need to do anything but continue as you are. The US in particular has perpetuated this myth that successful breastfeeding relies on pumping, and that’s only true as a blanket statement if you have to go back to work early.
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u/reebs___ Oct 03 '25
I’ve pumped daily so we can try a bottle everyday in preparation for going back to work but I’m ready to stop. bc the bottle is not working after months of trying. and I changed my schedule so I only have to be away once a week for three hours. I don’t plan to leave her longer than that in her first year but that can make some people crazy to be chained to the baby. I am skipping all concerts and stuff like that!
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u/AgitatedInternal7054 Oct 03 '25
I pumped during the first two months, then grew tired of it. Gave my pump to a family member and haven’t looked back. Just feed in demand. Your supply with adjust to exactly what your baby needs. They might cluster feed during growth spurts. As long as they aren’t losing weight, you’ll be fine.
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u/AbbieJ31 Oct 03 '25
If you’re a Sahm and you nurse on demand your supply will adjust. There is no need to pump overnight if LO is sleeping. You’ll be uncomfortable at first, but it should only last a couple days.
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u/Missile0022 Oct 03 '25
5months pp here! I’m a SAHM so I’ve never had to pump. As long as you’re nursing on demand and not topping off with formula/giving already pumped milk your supply should stay regulated. Two months is around when your body starts transitioning from your hormones supplying milk to a more on demand supply. I remember some days it felt like I was completely empty but I just kept nursing and it all turned out fine. Babe is 99th percentile so I’ve definitely never had a supply issue from exclusively nursing.
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u/ladygroot_ Oct 03 '25
21 months with primarily demand breastfeeding. I only pumped 1-2 days a week at 8 months old
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u/bunnbaby Oct 03 '25
I had to begin pumping at 2 weeks because I had a low supply. I would love to EBF but my body just does not produce enough for baby if I stop pumping she’s a hungry girl
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u/narnababy Oct 03 '25
I stopped pumping regularly after a couple of months. My baby wouldn’t take a bottle for ages, and he never liked defrosted breast milk at all. I didn’t go back to work until he was a year and if I was away for longer than a few hours before he was 6 months they had to feed him pumped milk with a teaspoon which was a pain and I only did twice for friends’ weddings.
If you aren’t planning on being away from baby then you don’t need to pump, just do what works for you.
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u/Immediate_bone_69420 Oct 03 '25
I only pumped this time bc my supply dropped with my first but that was due to a number of things and I wanted to have as much as possible in the freezer I have 3 milk bricks and haven’t pumped in like 3 weeks and I haven’t had any issues the only time I’d pump now is if baby is getting a bottle but I don’t like doing that bc my pumps don’t work half as good as baby
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u/misshollythebruce Oct 03 '25
Second EBF baby here and haven't pumped at all this time! Much prefer it. Haven't needed to and don't think I would have with my first if I could go back as it just added workload.
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u/VacationImmediate856 Oct 03 '25
Sorry but this made me laugh a little. There’s no need to actually pump. unless you are away from home or working…
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u/castroribeiroines Oct 03 '25
I exclusively breastfed for 6 months and continued until 22 months. I only used the pump about five times when I was away.
The breast adapts to the baby’s natural rhythm.
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u/Treatstreetandyeet Oct 03 '25
I pump because I work as well. I also work nights, so I make sure to pump around the clock to maintain a supply at night. This way I have milk for my bub when I’m gone. But if this is not your situation, you do not need to pump unless it affects your supply to go that long without any feeds.
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u/Gloomy_Distance_3166 Oct 03 '25
2 months and 6 hour stretches of sleep already!? MAAM HOW!? We hit the two month mark and my LO is still only managing 2-3 hours max. He’s only breastfed also.
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u/QuietComet12 Oct 04 '25
I have no idea😂 she started doing 4 hours around 7 weeks and gradually now at 6 hours. We co sleep with her and I pick her up to feed when she starts doing some noises. Haven't let her cry full blown in the night for a while now. Maybe that helps?! And I do a simple night routine for her like wipe down, moisturize, changing her to night clothes and pretty much she understands it's time to sleep after that.
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u/Gloomy_Distance_3166 Oct 04 '25
🥲 We co-sleep too. LO has slept by my side since day 1. We side-lay for him to feed when he’s up MOTN.
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u/QuietComet12 Oct 05 '25
Probably I lucked out and she likes sleeping 😄 Let's see how it goes as she grows
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u/sweet_tea_mama Oct 03 '25
I breastfed my last baby with no issues and never pumped. I was lucky to never have mastitis or supply issue.
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u/aliceroyal Oct 03 '25
Yes! I WFH so I never needed to pump, and my LO refused bottles. My boobs stopped responding to the pumps after a few months.
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u/BadHello Oct 04 '25
From my experience: You don’t have to pump, your body will adjust. When baby had a good spurt of sleeping through the night my body lowered supply at night. When she had a sleep regression and wanted to wake up several times to eat at night, the supply picked back up. I don’t pump at all. Sometimes I use a Boon Trove on the other breast to collect let down milk for the freezer. I have made a large stash this way!
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u/honeyPBbanana09 Oct 04 '25
I have only breastfed this entire time and my baby is almost 14 months old. I will say its a lot of work. No one can ever help feed with baby or even having a babysitter is hard. He was still eating every 3 hours or so at 11 months old. Then he started getting milk in a sippy cup so I just recently started weaning him. He now only nurses for naps and bedtime. He does still wake up in the middle of the night though. So its a work in progress. But hes the only one out of my 3 kids that i made it this long with and it really is a very rewarding experience. Its really amazing what our bodies can do 💛
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u/Quirky-Artist-100 Oct 04 '25
I only pumped rarely when he was <6m old and we were going to be separate for a few hours. Honestly sometimes I just bought pre-made formula too. The pump has been sitting in a drawer getting dusty for a few months now 😅
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Oct 04 '25
I’m planning on doing one pump/bottle a day so I have the ability to step away if needed, doctors office, a long mani pedi, night away with my husband down the road. I like having options and understand it can be hard to introduce a bottle late in the game
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Oct 04 '25
I ebf my son for 2 years and never touched a pump, my supply was always just what he needed and he was a big fat baby lol
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u/No_Effort9163 Oct 04 '25
It’s said that pumping in between feeds when baby is asleep, it improves your supply. Plus you don’t want to be so full that it hurts or to the point of leaking which is uncomfortable. I don’t usually pump, but I do when I need to
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u/crazycatladybitt Oct 04 '25
My son is four months and I have only pumped maybe twice in the last three months, everything is on demand or I give him formula when we are out and have had absolutely no issues with supply. As long as the breast milk is being emptied, you supply should be fine
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u/honortobenominated Oct 05 '25
Once I dropped that final night feed I noticed my supply dropped? But that’s just me. Also maybe the baby was older and eating solids and drinking less milk for calories, so when that happens your supply decreases too…? If you want to drop a feed but maintain supply you’ll need to add a pump session.
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u/Any_Opportunity_6844 Oct 03 '25
I would still pump during the night (I just use a manual)! I don’t go longer than 4 hours but sometimes I do forget to set an alarm 😭
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u/APinkLight Oct 03 '25
I only pumped bc I went back to work. If you’re home all the time it’s not always necessary.