https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 04 May 2026 09:10:46 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-pumping-regularly-long-term-increases-your-supply#post-231398 Mon, 23 Jul 2012 15:24:50 +0000 purrpletulips 231398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I struggled with supply the entire time I BF/pumped so I am not really sure. I BF the entire time I was on maternity leave and didn't start pumping until 2w before I went back to work when DD was 8w. I pumped 3x during the work day but BF before work and at least twice in the evening and at least 2x a night before DD started sleeping through the night at about 12w. I tried to get up and pump in the middle of the night but couldn't manage it (kept sleeping through the alarm). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-pumping-regularly-long-term-increases-your-supply#post-231386 Mon, 23 Jul 2012 15:13:54 +0000 banana 231386@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Same as @rachiecakes. I think BFing helped increase it and pumping only maintained it. I'm hoping to BF as long as I can with baby #2! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-pumping-regularly-long-term-increases-your-supply#post-231365 Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:58:15 +0000 rachiecakes 231365@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel that pumping maintained my supply but didn't increase it. I feel if I were able to breastfeed all day without using the pump it would be more. I went back to work at 7 weeks and when DS hit a growth spurt we had to use formula because what I could pump during the day wasn't enough. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-pumping-regularly-long-term-increases-your-supply#post-230869 Mon, 23 Jul 2012 09:01:33 +0000 mrsjazz 230869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't been at it for as long as you, but I feel like breastfeeding increases my supply. I pump 3x a day during the work week, twice at work and once at home. LO has been reverse cycling, only drinking two 4oz bottles when I'm away so she's at the breast when I get home from work almost every hour until 9 p.m. And a lot on the weekends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-pumping-regularly-long-term-increases-your-supply#post-230866 Mon, 23 Jul 2012 08:56:57 +0000 mamimami 230866@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I felt like breastfeeding was what affected my supply the most. When I went away for just a few days and was just pumping, it went down quite a bit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-pumping-regularly-long-term-increases-your-supply#post-230859 Mon, 23 Jul 2012 08:49:37 +0000 Mrs. Bee 230859@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have been pumping pretty much every day since Olive was born, except on the weekends. I think doing a combination of pumping (4x/day during the week) plus nursing (nights and all weekend) has really helped me maintain my supply. If I were exclusively breastfeeding without pumping, I feel like my supply would be lower, but I have been able to maintain a pretty consistent level at almost 10 months. Right now I am even giving Charlie a couple of ounces of breastmilk every day in his bottle because I've built up a bit of surplus.</p> <p>For mamas who pump and breastfeed -- do you feel like pumping long term helped you maintain/increase your supply? </p>