Perhaps you’ve been exclusively pumping for your baby for a bit and you’re wondering if nursing will ever be an option. Let me tell you - I’ve been in your shoes and it is possible! Maybe you’ve been pumping because of medical reasons, NICU stays, a lazy or incorrect latch, or just because it was the best option for your family in those early days. But now, you’re over the endless pump sessions, extra pump parts, and washing flanges at all hours. I’ve been both an exclusive pumper and a combination feeding mom, though pumping has always been my number one.
I’m not here to tell you that one way is better than the other.
I just want to inform you that if you’re ready to ditch the electric breast pump (even just sometimes) and try nursing at breast, there is good news: it’s totally feasible! But let’s set some realistic expectations—this is probably going to be a gradual process, not an overnight switch. Here's all the information about how to transition from exclusive pumping to direct breastfeeding.
Why You Might Not be Able to Nurse at Breast from the Start
Many moms desire to feed at the breast but are unable to get right into it after birth for a variety of reasons. If you have yet to give birth, consider that the following things may prevent you from nursing right away. So, if you want to feed your baby breast milk, pumping may be your best option for building a good milk supply at the start, even if only for a short time.
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NICU stays and medical reasons - Maybe your baby spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit and was unable to latch directly. At this time, they may have been given bottles of your breast milk or donor breast milk, or perhaps received their nutrition through a feeding tube. If you started exclusively pumping because of a NICU stay, you might also find my podcast on pumping in the NICU helpful: Episode 6 - How I Got Baby Back to Boob.
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Medical Reasons - Maybe you experienced excess blood loss following birth, or an unfortunate infection requiring medicine that made your breast milk unsafe for your baby temporarily. Though rare, moms in this situation would have to “pump and dump” in order to start building their supply. It’s effective in the long run because you’ll need to remove milk from your breasts to tell your body that you need milk for your baby after your round of meds is completed. But, it means that your baby will not be nursing at breast until future notice.
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Latch issues – There are a few reasons baby might have a hard time latching, including but not limited to: a tongue tie, a lip tie, incorrect positioning, a shallow latch, inverted nipples, flat nipples, large nipples, sleepiness following a c-section or surgical procedure for baby, etc. Any of these can make nursing hard in the early days, so you relied on exclusive pumping.
- Nipple Pain - Though nipple pain is common in the first few weeks of breastfeeding, it can be especially intense for moms with sensitive skin. Or, if your baby’s latch was incorrect and you didn’t realize it, you could have temporary damage to your nipples that needs time to resolve. So, you pump while you are healing.
Why You Might Want to Transition to Nursing at Breast
Now that we’ve discussed why exclusive pumping may have been your best fit for a while, let’s talk about why transitioning to nursing at breast could be helpful. In many of my seasons of life with littles, exclusive pumping was a game-changer for my sanity. I was able to pump even when I was on the go, and then bottle feed seamlessly. I could rely on others to feed my babies too, which was particularly helpful with multiples. And, when I had older kids to manage, bottle feeding was often more convenient than having to sit down and nurse a baby. For example, I could cook dinner while pumping - something I couldn’t while nursing.
For a while, I didn’t think nursing at breast was an option for me. But, with my more recent babes, incorporating nursing into our routine has actually been a great experience!
Here are some reasons you may want to consider transitioning to nursing at breast, even if only for certain times throughout the day:
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You’re tired of pumping through the night – Having to pump in addition to feeding your baby is a lot of work, especially when it’s the middle of the night. Wouldn’t it be nice to just latch the baby, feed, and go back to sleep? I like the side lying position for this. With my most recent addition, we pretty much only nurse during the night and when we’re feeling extra snuggly. It's nice to take a break from my pumping schedule when I can.
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Less washing, more snuggling – Nursing at breast means fewer parts to wash and more skin contact, which is great for your milk production. Nursing is such an intimate experience, and once you get past the initial challenges of it, it can be a beautiful thing!
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You’d like to leave the house without all the “things” - I will be the first to tell you that no matter the fancy, portable/mobile pump setup and milk storage system you have when you’re on-the-go, it is still quite a hassle to take it all with you every time you leave the house. If you can get confident nursing in public, it is quite nice to just grab the baby and GO with your milk on tap!
- Personal choice - You've just always dreamed of nursing your little bundle of joy!
Whatever your reason, how to transition from exclusive pumping to nursing at breast is quite a complicated question. It can be tough, but it’s doable with some patience, persistence, and maybe a few good quality nipple creams.
How to Start the Transition
1. Expect That This May Take Time
Your baby has probably grown accustomed to a different feeding method—whether it’s a bottle, nasogastric tube, or expressed milk in a cup at the hospital—so expect a learning curve. Even if you’ve breastfed another child before, this is a new skill for both you and your baby this time around. Take it slow.
2. Pick the Right Time to Try
The best way to encourage a proper latch is to offer the breast when your baby is interested but not HANGRY. If they’re screaming for milk, they may not have the patience to figure out this new way of eating. But if they’re completely full, they won’t have the motivation to figure out their way around a nipple for extra calories. Try nursing when they’re sleepy (but not overtired) or just starting to show hunger cues.
3. Experiment with Positions
Some babies who are used to bottle feeding are also used to a specific type of flow that’s either faster or slower than your letdown. Some might do better in a laid-back position while others might need a football hold or cross-cradle position. Try different positions to find what works best for your baby’s comfort and latch. If one position isn’t working, try another. If that one isn’t working either, it may be best to call it quits for that time and try again later. I can’t say it enough - don’t rush it! It’ll just stress out you and your baby.
4. Encourage a Wide Mouth
One of the biggest struggles with transitioning to nursing is getting a deep latch. With most bottles, baby doesn’t have to put in much effort to get milk to come out just how they like it. And your bottle nipple doesn’t care what kind of latch they have. Unfortunately, your nipples do. Make sure your baby opens wide—too much areola in their mouth is better than too little. We are looking for an asymmetrical latch, tissue and nipple, you don’t want the tip of your nipple to be the only thing in baby’s mouth. Also, be on the look out for flanged lips creating a seal on the breast, you should not hear clicking sounds. You may experience what feels like a “bee sting” pain for the first 30 seconds to a minute EVEN if the latch is correct just because your nipples aren’t used to the process. If you're experiencing any discomfort, it may become more mild and tolerable after your letdown. Eventually (for most women, it's after the first few weeks), nursing will be pain free. If it’s painful to the point of tears for over 30 seconds to a minute, unlatch and try again. Incorrect positioning for an extended period of time can cause nipple trauma like bleeding and cracking, which obviously will make any future sessions even more painful. It’s a terrible cycle to get into! So WATCH that latch! Whether you are experiencing nipple trauma or not, I highly recommend using silverette cups and nipple creams! Check out my list for all things NIPPLE PAIN RELIEF!
5. Parallel Pumping Can Help
Nursing on one side while pumping on the other (also known as parallel pumping) can help encourage letdown, which can get baby more interested in the breast. This can be tricky for a few reasons. First, having a the flange awkwardly hanging off of your boob at the same time as your baby is draped across your lap can be an annoyance. You may want to try cups that attach to your double electric pump and fit in your bra. Didn’t know those exist? Check out my favorite WEARABLE COLLECTION CUPS! Secondly and more importantly, you do not want to drain both of your breasts if baby requires two breast for one feeding. My recommendation would be to trigger the first let down with the pump and then power off while allowing baby to continue to get their fill. If they need the other breast, it should not be empty if you did not continue to run the pump.
6. Try Triple Feeding
Triple feeding is when you're nursing, pumping, and bottle feeding all for one feeding session—basically, the Olympic triathlon of breastfeeding. It is an intense but sometimes necessary approach to ensure a baby is getting enough milk while also working to establish or increase milk supply. It involves three steps: nursing at the breast, immediately following up with a bottle of expressed milk (or formula if needed), and then pumping to maintain or boost supply. This cycle may be repeated every few hours, making it a lot of work for new moms, but it can be a helpful short-term strategy for babies with latch issues or medical conditions affecting feeding.
7. Find a Good Bra
If you’re doing both nursing and pumping, a multi-functional bra is key. I’ve reviewed a bunch of them here: NURSING & PUMPING BRA REVIEWS.
8. Slowly Decrease Pumping Sessions
If your goal is to eventually nurse exclusively, you’ll want to slowly transition. Instead of dropping all pump sessions at once, gradually decrease them so your body has time to adjust and your milk supply adapts appropriately to baby’s needs. Some moms who are exclusively pumping can have a bit of an oversupply. So, hypothetically, if you switched to nursing without weaning your pump sessions at all, you would probably feel engorged and even put yourself at risk for a clogged duct or mastitis. But, realistically, the transition from exclusively pumping to solely nursing at breast doesn’t happen overnight, so you’ll probably drop pump sessions naturally.
9. Scheduling the Transition
Consider slowly replacing a pumping session with a nursing session as you continue to find your pumping to nursing ratio. Eventually you should be in a position where pumping will now be a thing of the past. If baby is taking eight bottles a day, consider the more convenient sessions to start with while replacing pumping with nursing. Your hectic pumping session should probably be saved for last, those late night pumping sessions should be one of the first to attempt baby to latch and feed. Remember, getting baby when they're a little drowsier, not going mad for a feeding and just overall a more calm atmosphere will be the perfect trifecta while you and baby learn together.
What If It’s Not Working?
If your baby is struggling to latch and eat well directly from the breast, don’t panic. Here are some things to try:
Try again later:
If baby gets frustrated, take a break and try again at the next feeding. Make it a point to try feeding directly at the breast at least 2-3 times per day. If it works out one of those times, great. If not, you know you’ll try again later. It’s good to have this goal in mind before you start trying so as to not overwhelm yourself or expect perfection.
Use hand expression:
Hand express some milk from your nipple before a feeding to entice baby. P.S. this is exactly what I would do with colostrum when first attempting to latch my newborn babies.
Seek lactation support:
Sometimes, an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) can be the best friend you didn’t know you needed. Many moms don’t realize that lactation professionals are there to service the exclusively pumping mom just as much as the nursing mom.
When to Throw in the Towel (Temporarily)
If it’s just not happening, take a step back (maybe for a few days or a few weeks). It doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Some babies take longer than others to transition, and some might never make the full switch. If that’s the case, it’s okay. Exclusive pumping is still an incredible way to feed your baby.
On the flip side, if you’re considering the opposite transition—going from Exclusively Nursing at Breast to Exclusively Pumping —check out my podcast (Episode 23) on that process!
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been wondering how to transition from exclusive pumping to nursing at breast, you’re not alone. It’s a gradual process that some babies take to easily, while others need more time. Be patient with yourself and your baby. Keep your breastfeeding goals in mind, but also remember that feeding your baby—however that happens—is what matters most.
