x

[MoonLove]

x

 

[FleurDeMai]

It is very doable. My mother breastfed for a total of 6 years (3 children) and never pumped. Lots of women at the breastfeeding group do not pump. It's useful to have some milk in the freezer but it is not essential!
Btw, I understand your hatred for pumping. Personally if I absolutely need to express milk, I prefer to do so manually... I can get more milk that way anyway.

Good luck with breastfeeding baby #2!

 

[lisa1980]

It's definitely doable.

In fact my OH was just saying to me today that this time round he doesn't think I should pump so much....last time I got a bit obsessed with having a freezer stash and ended up throwing most of it away unused (I can't donate due to health issues or I'd have done that). A couple of bags in the freezer would've been sufficient really as I wasn't really ever away from LO anyway.

This time I'm not really going to bother unless it's for a specific purpose.

 

[Snufflepop]

Yep totally fine! DD is EBF and I don't pump.

Reasons for this are: I am not generally away from her for more than an hour or two so it is easier just to feed her straight from the source,
I don't have time to pump and if I do manage to get ten minutes to myself it's the last thing I want to do!
Also when we did try to give DD a bottle she refused it anyway!

As long as you are happy to accept that it slightly restricts you in being able to leave LO for more than a few hours for the first few months (assuming you don't want to give formula) then no reason not to go for it!

 

[misspriss]

If I didn't work, I would never pump. My mom breastfed 3 kids and never pumped!

It is nice to have the occasional bottle if needed, but manual pumps are cheap if you want to go that route for every now and then and you can always hand express. No reason to pump all the time or anything!

 

[armywife11]

It's totally doable. My best friend did this with her first two and with her third up until recently when a medical issue resulted in her having to supplement.

I basically did this with my first. I did pump a little at first because I wanted to have a small stash for long car trips so we wouldn't have to stop but my daughter refused a bottle so it never happened. She only took breastmilk from the source. I expect my son to be the same way. In fact I didn't even buy bottles or bags this time around.

 

[Sarah lo]

I don't pump regularly. I get barely an ounce from each breast whenever I try so I find it a bit pointless. I'm with LO 24/7 so I don't really need to and if I do plan to go somewhere I will either get there and back before he needs a feed, or if I need to be away longer I spend all week pumping an ounce or two a day till I have a bottle's worth for him

 

[Quartz]

Yep it is perfectly doable managed with both DD and DS (neither ever needed to have a bottle). I tried once when DD was 3 months old and it was awkward and difficult. Did not find it particularly exhausting but was not apart from either much.

 

[luna_19]

Yes! I don't pump at all

 

[MoonLove]

x

 

[SarahBear]

Why couldn't it be done? It's not exhausting; it's a lot easier than pumping! Pumping is the a pain... I'm a working mom, so I did have to pump when Violet was a baby, but I never stored up milk and only really pumped a day ahead for the days I'd be away. When I was on leave or had time off, didn't pump. If you're not working, pumping is just a lot of extra work that has the potential to interfere with nursing.

 

[BigAl]

I am honestly amazed when I hear that people exclusively pump. That is dedication of the highest order!

I only pumped with a manual pump to relieve engorgement easily, and to help clear blocked ducts. Feeding directly is way easier, especially if you don't have much support anyway.

 

[Rachie004]

I don't pump at all. Didn't bother buying a pump, sterilser or bottles as I reasoned that they are easy enough to buy if I ever needed one further down the line. Seems like too much effort for me.

 

[wifey29]

I don't pump at all, I bought an electric pump with DS1 and haven't even got it out of the loft this time. I hand express a little for DS1 from time to time, normally if he's coming down with something. I figure the extra antibodies from me might help.

 

[CupcakeBaby]

Yes I do. I pumped a few times but DD always refused the bottle so just gave up in the end as it was time & milk wasted.

Still going strong and she's only ever had milk straight from the boob. X

 

[LoveMyBaby786]

I dont pump only ebf pumped a few times with my son but not to store/stash away these were just used when he was a couple of months old and if I went on long car journeys etc..

 

[Pearls18]

Of course, I only expressed a few times when I needed to be away from DS2 briefly, but if that's not needed there's no need to pump, I hate expressing. You have more chances of succeeding without the introduction of any kind of pump or artificial nipple.

 

[Willo]

It is totally doable. I bottlefed my first (long story) but was determined to breastfeed number 2. I was told to pump and give him bottles from about 6 weeks as otherwise he may never take a bottle. So I did and tbh pumping and bottling was just a big pain in the bum and totally unneeded. So with baby number 3, I half heartedly tried him with a bottle once and he was not impressed so I said why am I doing this. He never had a bottle again. Fed him for 18 months.
Now on baby number 4 and he is now 10 weeks old. I've not pumped once.
The only down side to this is if anything unexpected happens. For instance ds2 was in hospital recently. Baby was not allowed on ward so dh had to stay overnight and during the day my Mum camped out with baby near the ward and would text when baby needed feeding. We got through it but it was a bit awkward.

 

[Mrs HM]

Yes, it's totally fine to feed from the source. I tried to pump with DS and I just didn't get very much so never bothered again and as I'm with DD all of the time I just feed her when she needs fed!

 

[ssjad]

Definitely. I have breastfed 5 babies and only pumped for one ( and only because she had health issues and was too weak to breastfeed initially).
I hate pumping!