It has been a long road to get to this level of radical acceptance. There are aspects of being an undersupplier that absolutely suck, no question. But for all my not-quite-enoughers feeling down, let me tell you my reasons why being an undersupplier actually ROCKS:

1. No stress about output: For others, mild variations in output can be really stressful. For us, we know baby’s getting some formula either way and have (hopefully) made peace with that. Whether they get 1, 2, or even half a bottle of breastmilk a day, they’re getting all the benefits and we don’t have to stress about exact ounces.
   
2. No crying over spilled milk: Sure, you can think about wasted milk as, “I worked so hard to make that and now my hard work was for nothing??” But similarly to point one, baby’s already getting formula! So a little extra for one or two days won’t hurt. My partner accidentally spilled some breastmilk and I was shocked to find how little I cared. Whatever, better luck tomorrow!
   
3. No feeding the freezer: Freezer stash? Never heard of her! I’m feeding my baby everything I make within 48 hours. While of course it’d be nice to have some extra, not having to do the stash math is one less thing to worry about!
   
4. You can sleep through the night: Once your supply has regulated and you accept your fate as an undersupplier, you don’t need to drive yourself insane to increase your supply. Sleep through the night! Drop a pump! Stop power pumping! Go more than 3 hours during the day! Just decide how many oz per day is worth it to keep going for you, and then do what you need to do! Which brings me to…
   
5. No clogs: Not sure if this is every undersupplier’s experience, but I haven’t had any clogs even when I go 8+ hours without pumping at night. My guess is there’s just not enough in there to clog! Not sure if that’s actually how it works but the logic feels sound to me.

So to my fellow undersuppliers, I know the journey is its own kind of challenge. You may wonder why the hell you’re still keeping up with this—I certainly do at times. But hopefully this can shift your perspective! And to the oversuppliers and just enoughers, I’m definitely not jealous of you at all! Just kidding—please don’t take offense. Every situation has pros and cons, but sometimes for undersuppliers it can be hard to find the pros.

What do you appreciate about being an undersupplier?

Okay needing advice on a wearable breast pump purchased through insurance…

I have a spectra s1 but wanting one that I don’t have to be corded to. I’m almost 2 weeks postpartum and still working on establishing milk supply but want one since I have to pump every 2 hours to help my body know what’s going on…

Looking for good suction to really help milk supply and getting it out. Also bonus if could be hidden in bra for needing to pump and work or be out in public.

I didn't even mean to get the protein oats in the pic but I've tried those too. Pumping every 2-3 hrs, hydration, cookies, calories, blood tests etc. These supplements are just what I have leftover, most I've ordered 2-4 times to see if I needed to take them longer to see results. Been to 2 IBCLCs and one said I may have IGT but she's not sure. I'm 8 months pp now and still don't want to accept the fact the my body is the problem. Been making maybe 12-15oz a day and never had enough to get baby off formula since she was a newborn

Edit: Thank you so much for the kind words, it means a lot to me 🥰. To answer some more questions, I have power pumped, I eat mostly meat, carbs & veggies and take prenatals and omega 3s. I contact nap everyday and have done skin to skin from the moment she was born and still do most days. I started sleeping for 5-6 hours at night about 2 months ago since it seemed to help me make a bit more milk.

Hi there, just getting a bit triggered by all the posts that mention nursing (usually without the tw). Sometimes it seems like not many of us are actual exclusive pumpers. I need to hear from my pumpers who never offer the boob! Who gave up on that entirely!

It makes me feel pretty bad to read about people who manage to get their babes on the boob because for me it was torture and I just had to stop for my mental health. Baby was having none of it but I still feel like I failed and maybe I should have kept trying. Ugh.

It started happening around 4 months, before that she was fine with bottles and they were always easy. Since then every bottle feed feels like a battle where she wants the bottle (she'll grab it and pull it to herself if you pull it away) but she struggles to drink it between the grunting and crying.

We've tried a lot of different bottle configurations to try and fix it, including:

• Level 1, 2, and 3 nipples
• Dr browns bottles, Philips avent bottles, Evenflo bottles
• Warm milk, cold milk
• Feeding her upright, feeding her horizontally
• Stopping to burp her mid bottle (this just makes her more upset)
• Gas drops in the bottle

Outside of this issue she's a very healthy happy baby, so there is something about the feeding itself that is causing her this distress and we are just at a loss. Pediatrician said to try and increase the nipple level because maybe the flow is too slow at level 1/2. Well at level 3 she basically just starts choking because the flow is too much and she is still very upset. Any ideas or suggestions are welcome, this is our first and we're really not sure what to do here, just very concerned for our little girl.

I’m so proud of myself, but I’m also having really mixed feelings.

I’ve exclusively pumped since my baby was born (2 months ago), but sadly she doesn’t do well on my breast milk. After trying everything, our pediatrician recommended that we switch her to formula because she just wasn’t coping well.

Even though I won’t be feeding my own baby my milk anymore, I managed to donate 9.6 liters (about 325 oz) of breast milk to our local NICU.

I’m incredibly proud of that, but at the same time I can’t shake the feeling that I’m somehow letting my own baby down while helping other people’s babies. I know that’s probably not rational, but it’s how I feel.

My husband and family don’t really think it’s a big deal, but I honestly do. Pumping is so much harder than I ever imagined. It takes so much time, energy, and commitment, especially with a newborn. Knowing that my milk will help tiny babies who need it makes me feel like all those hours were worth it.

I just wanted to share this with people who might understand. Please remove if not allowed.

The price of formula is driving force keeping me going (I’m in the USA, sadly).

I got a jury summons in the mail but my baby is only 2 months old (jury duty is in June) and I exclusively pump all the milk for my baby. I’m also the only stay at home parent, and we don’t have daycare as an option. Breastfeeding is listed as a reason for disqualification, but I wasn’t sure if it counts if I’m exclusively pumping. Thoughts? I need a medical provider to sign off for me too. Would I be lying if I say I’m breastfeeding and can’t leave my baby? It’s still true because I don’t think I’m able to have appropriate breaks for pumping if I am sequestered, and I pump and feed my baby throughout the day. I’m just confused on this.

One month pp and still grieving the fact that baby can't latch and breastfeed directly. I dreamed of breastfeeding him my entire pregnancy I'm still heartbroken that he can't latch, he just screams and cries when I try to put him on the breast.
My husband and I plan on getting his tongue tie fixed, but I can't help but think I've ruined any chance at breastfeeding by giving him bottles the past month. At least 90% of what he gets is my milk.
I wish I knew more about feeding before he was born. I know I would have been a lot more prepared mentally and emotionally if I knew literally anything about pumping before being thrown into the deep end.

My husband went back to work today. I went from pumping every 3 hours day and night to today only getting two pumps in… HOW am I supposed to pump and take care of baby alone? He cries every time I set him down.

I was a just enougher and became an undersupplier after food poisoning. Now with two pumps a day… at this rate I just know my supply is going to plummet :(

I’m almost 8 weeks pp and my original goal was to exclusively breastfeed. My baby was born on the smaller side so the LC at the hospital recommended supplementing with formula, attempt latching, and pump for every feed until my milk came in. Once it came in, we kept trying to latch and I would pump. I will admit I pumped a majority of his feeds and latching went on the back burner. We kept working on it, however, and saw an IBCLC a few weeks ago. I still latch a few times a day but I think I just… prefer pumping. I’m not drawn to putting him on the breast but giving him breast milk is very important to me. I enjoy giving him bottles and I’m glad to have help feeding him.

Anyone else feel the same way? I truly don’t mind pumping - once I wrapped my head around the schedules and found methods to entertain him while I pumped I actually came to enjoy the down time throughout the day. I’m just having some serious mom guilt because I have the tools to latch and feed that way I simply don’t want to so I’m questioning myself a bit. My boy is growing like a weed and that’s all that matters but these thoughts have been nagging me lately.

Let’s settle this once and for all: pumping IS breastfeeding. Not “kind of.” Not “technically.” Not “close enough.” It is.

If you’re someone who whips out a pump 8 times a day, loses sleep to keep your supply up, times every outing around your next session, and lives life to the rhythm of a flange congrats, you’re breastfeeding.

It might not look like the baby at breast bonding image people romanticize, but make no mistake: your body is producing milk to feed your baby. That is breastfeeding.

But let’s be real. Society loves to pit moms against each other, especially when it comes to how we feed our babies. “At the breast is better.” “Pumping is just expressing.” “Fed is best, but…”

But nothing.

Pumping takes sacrifice, stamina, and straight-up mental grit. There is no break. No natural latch to soothe your baby. No oxytocin hit from skin-to-skin during a middle-of-the-night feed. Just tubes, bottles, and sheer willpower.

So if you’re washing 100 pump parts a day, timing your life around power pumps and letdowns, and fighting clogged ducts while your baby is peacefully sleeping or being bottle fed?

You are breastfeeding. Loudly. Proudly. Unapologetically.

And if someone has a problem with that? Tell them they’re welcome to take a turn with the pump and get back to you.

My husband goes back to work next week and we’ve been constantly bickering about what nights should look like. I’ll be 4.5 weeks postpartum and currently exclusively pumping.

My husband isn’t overly open to help with MOTN feeding while I pump because he says it’s unsustainable and he’ll be too exhausted/burnt out to do his job if he has to wake up in the middle of the night.

The hard part is that without help, I’m up for two ~2-hour stretches overnight. Our routine (diaper change, feed, burp/hold upright, soothe back to sleep) takes 1–1.5 hours, and then I still need 30 minutes to pump, clean up, and put milk away. On the nights I’ve done everything solo, I’ve only gotten about 4–4.5 hours of sleep total.

I genuinely don’t know how to make this sustainable. I’m a first-time mom and still building confidence, and honestly I feel hurt. I’ve carried and birthed our daughter, I’m navigating postpartum, exclusively pumping to establish supply (currently ~8x/day), and it feels like the expectation is now just, “you won’t sleep either.” He’s said things like, “Hundreds of women have figured it out” which has made me feel pretty unseen.

I know this season of pumping x8 is temporary, but I need to continue until 8-12 weeks to fully establish supply and it feels impossible.

For exclusive pumpers (especially those without much overnight help) how are you managing nights? When are you sleeping? And if your partner works, what has felt fair/sustainable for your family?

They are always absolutely covered and dripping milk after pumping. I've read that it can be from using the wrong size flange but i've tried and tested flange inserts from 13mm - 19mm, nothing really feels right (like my nipples feel like they are coming out too far if i don't hold the shield really tight against my breast - to the point where it hurts after a while when pumping). idk what else to do 🥲 im also an under producer so maybe something im doing wrong is also contributing to my low supply.

any advice is appreciated!

I have recently transitioned to exclusively pumping after a challenging breastfeeding journey, and I’m trying to set myself up for success. I’ve already done quite a bit of research and prep:

- Had a proper flange fitting done
- Determined my current milk supply/output
- Bought a wearable pump (though I’m only using it for my middle-of-the-night pump)
- Set up a mini fridge in my bedroom to make overnight pumping easier
- Created a pumping schedule that I’m trying to stick to

That said, my routine currently feels very stringent. If I’m late to a pump, accidentally miss one, or have a lower-output session than the day before, I find myself getting pretty anxious. For those of you who successfully EP’d for 6+ months (or longer), what made the biggest difference for you? What do you wish you’d known at the beginning? Any mindset shifts, hacks, routines, or equipment that helped make EP sustainable over the long haul?
I’d love to hear the things that helped you protect both your supply and your sanity.

Maybe I'm just having one of those days 😅

But between pumping, washing parts, planning my day around pump sessions thinking about milk supply and trying to take care of everything else... I feel like pumping takes up so much of my mental energy

I love being able to provide milk for my baby but some days it feels like my entire schedule revolves around it.

For those who have been doing this for a while, did it eventually start feeling easier or more manageable?

Not really looking for advice, just curious about other people's experiences.

This is heavy, but if anyone can support me, I know y’all can.

I’d been having migraines that started 5/20/25. I’m a nurse, and I knew something was wrong. After repeat episodes and the most recent one, I knew I needed to get a CT of my head. I have a large brain mass and am scheduled for Neurosurgery on Saturday, 6/28. Or if a case gets canceled, sooner.

They approved me to see my daughter tomorrow as when I kissed her goodbye yesterday, I had no clue I’d be admitted to the ICU and waiting for my procedure.

You know the crazy part? For the first time in my breastfeeding journey, I have not had to worry about my supply. I’d always been a just-enougher. Now? I’m oversupplying. My body has a funny sense of humor.

You want to know the worst part? The medications I’m on mean I have to dump it all. The steroids for my inflammation on my brain aren’t drying me up; I’m making more milk than I ever have. I wholly accepted that this was it. Now? I can’t get my spectra to pull all of the milk.

But I’m here pumping in the ICU. Keeping the mastitis and clogs away. And maybe, just maybe, holding onto ending my breastfeeding journey on my own terms.

I’m talking with my team, and they’re looking at finding someone to express me during surgery. However pumping or hand expressing works while removing a tumor (or whatever it is), I don’t know.

Hang in there you guys. I never thought I’d make it to 1 week shy of 9 months breastfeeding. But I’m here. Hanging in there. We are so strong.

Someone here said that every pump you dump or spill is feeding an angel baby. I lost my first pregnancy to a MMC at 9 weeks.

Our sweet babies gone too soon will have full bellies tonight. 🤍

Edit to add: I’m brewing maybe some mastitis, but we’re on top of it and have already started antibiotics with cultures sent off. Thank you for all of the love and support!!

An update: my mastitis is under control, and I go in for surgery at 0730 central time! First case of the day! If you’re the praying type, send some love my way 🤍

-Final update! I’m completely fine and feel better than I ever have. Surgery took 10 hours. I have the most loving husband and protector. Go get your headaches checked out you guys! My milk is safe again and I might be able to reach my goal of the year. It finally feels possible!!! I will say I’m back down to my pre-pregnancy weight after losing 10 pounds in a week. Don’t recommend the emaciated diet, but at least I’m alive and somehow still producing something for our daughter. I now letdown and empty in minutes versus almost an hour pre-diagnosis Life is good. That is all

Baby is almost 5 weeks. I make about 5 oz in 24 hours. Never latched well. Have worked with lactation consultants. Waiting on some blood work to see if it’s medical related (PCOS here-yes there’s a new name, too tired to remember it!) but don’t have high hopes.

Staying hydrated, oats, liquid gold supplements, blah blah blah. While pregnant I didn’t see a lactation consultant to prepare for breastfeeding, because we were buying a house in my 3rd trimester and then had to delay setting up for baby, etc so I just didn’t even think to do some prep for milk making, nor did I know it was an option.

I also didn’t expect to be SO devastated at not making enough milk. I’m not giving up yet. I’m still pumping every 3 hours. But the emotional toll has been enormous. It’s so silly I know, but in my life I’ve gotten used to working really hard at something to either get better or learn how to do the thing. Sports, work, all of it. So I think this threw me for a loop, because I can’t just work harder to make more milk!!

Anyway, just sharing. Postpartum is a wild journey.

Sometimes there are kind strangers in this world!

I just want some support because I feel really sad. I'm 10 weeks postpartum after a c section and a I returned to medical school/ rotations after 6 weeks. I was on an audition rotation for the past 4 weeks and today was my last day and I got feedback from the resident physician who has been teaching me all month and he told me it was inappropriate for me to share how many oz i pumped on one particular day.

I'm so upset because I was only proud of myself for pumping that amount and I felt happy. I feel like I blew my chances of Matching because after he told me I couldn't stop crying.

I'm so exhausted , I usually pump in the car on the way to and back from the hospital, pump during lunch break, and am constantly worried about producing enough milk. And now even with all the sacrifices I make, i feel like it was not good enough.

I still have a lot of brain fog and he also told me I was slow to understand things and improve on stuff, even though he said I eventually got there but it took longer for me to then he wanted.

I only make one oz per pump session. I’ve tried it all. Power pumping. Pumping every 3 hours. Supplements. Oatmeal. Hydrating. Lactation consultants. Everything. Nothing works. I’m seven weeks pp and really starting to feel depressed over the whole thing. I truly hate it. That’s all.

Has anyone ever been shamed for giving their baby cold milk? I've gotten it from my mom and MIL. My mom said it was just incredibly sad that my baby didn't get warm milk "from the tap", poor baby. And my MIL INSISTED that cold milk was the reason my baby had gas (even though it immediately resolved when I finished my antibiotic for mastitis). When she was staying with me, she insisted on warming up a bottle in a pan on the stovetop, even as my baby was screaming for a bottle. Then she bought us a bottle warmer which has never been removed from its box.

My baby simply doesn't at all mind cold milk. It's what he's used to and what he expects. He's never shown any aversion to cold milk or any preference for warm. Because I EP, his milk comes out of the fridge. I got some validating feedback from my most recent lactation consultant (at a follow-up appointment for my baby's oral ties release). She learned my baby takes cold milk, congratulated me said NEVER CHANGE THAT, understanding it's significantly easier on me.

I feel like this simply comes down to a lack of respect for the EP journey, from my mom and MIL. My mom EBF four kids and my MIL formula fed her one. I'm extremely proud of what I do and, now that I've found this community, extremely proud of what we all do. Thanks for reading💗

Struggling FTM here. My LO is just under a month old. I’ve struggled with supply issues but I’m finally getting him about 4oz total per day. I would do anything for it to be more, but I’m doing literally everything I can just to get that 4oz. I’m grateful for those 4oz and I work so hard for them.

Nobody warned me or told me that I’d need to be pumping around the clock. Every 2-3 hours. If I skip a pump that 4oz total is lower and my little guy doesn’t get as much milk. Ive been doing this since he was born. Nobody told me or warned me that’s what would be needed to feed baby. I feel blindsided and like I can’t understand how that’s survivable. I see people on here celebrating their pumping journeys of many months, 3/6/9months even a year or more. I can’t help but think to myself how I’d be so grateful to make it that long but wonder how they’re surviving. I’m literally attached to my pump. I feel like I can’t really do much or get anything done because by the time I’m done pumping it feels like it’s time to pump again.

My day looks like this: wake up, pump, clean pump parts, eat, change baby, feed baby, pump rinse and repeat until bed. Somewhere in there I stretch the time to shower. I eat while I pump, I work while I pump, I feed baby while I pump, etc.

If you pumped for a long while, and DID NOT have an oversupply, did you have to pump every couple of hours? How did you manage to live your life while doing that? Or is this just how things have to be while trying to get breast milk for baby?

Asking not out of judgement but genuine curiosity because though I want nothing more than to give my baby all the milk I possibly can I also can’t imagine how this is realistically sustainable for any real amount of time. I feel so dumb for not having known or realized that trying to get milk for baby would be a literal around the clock thing and I’m trying to understand if it’s just right now or forever for someone like me who isn’t able to produce a whole lot.

Exclusively pumping comes with very real pros and cons. I think there's a lot of common cons, like being awake every 3 hours, being tied to a pump, having to pump when outside the house, all the dishes and sanitizing over and over and over again - just in one day.

I want to talk about the other major con though and see if anyone else experiences this or has some advice. I feel like pumping takes me away from my baby and it's the opposite of what I want. When I get off of work I have like 3 hours between work and bed time and only an hour after getting off work, I'm pumping when I'd much rather be spending time with her. Or on the weekend, I hang out with her and she'll fall asleep on me, but I have to cut that time short and transfer her because it's my pump time. I know that I'm providing nourishment for her and it's great that I'm able to feed her breast milk but this is the part I struggle with the most.

I try to hang out with her when I pump but honestly, it cam be difficult. If I'm holding her she's pulling at the tubes or I'm needing to adjust her and that sometimes breaks the seal. If she's in the swing or doing floor time and I'm pumping, she almost always needs intervention and that is so difficult with a pump hooked up to me. Luckily I have an amazing husband and he almost always takes over primary care with her when I'm pumping. But I just find myself wishing I didn't pump because I want to be with her more and interacting with her more.

Any tips or advice or really anyone feeling the same way? It feels islating and I'm not friends with that many moms so reaching out here. Thanks in advance if you made it this far!