How to Get Baby Back to Breast After Exclusive Pumping: A Step-by-Step Guide for Reconnecting Through Breastfeeding
- jaimiezaki
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
If you’ve been exclusively pumping breast milk and are now wondering how to get your baby back to the breast, you’re not alone—and no, it’s not too late. Whether pumping was your plan from the start or became your reality after latch struggles, NICU time, or rough beginnings, your desire to return to breastfeeding is both valid and possible.
I’ve supported many moms through this very transition. Bringing baby back to the breast isn’t just about feeding—it’s about healing, connection, and reclaiming the beautiful bond of nursing, no matter how long it's been since your baby last latched.
Why Moms Start Pumping and Later Want to Return to Breastfeeding
Many exclusively pumping moms begin with good intentions or tough circumstances: latch difficulties, poor early support, NICU separation, or medical complications. But over time, the emotional pull to reconnect through nursing often resurfaces. You may miss the closeness, feel exhausted by the pump-life cycle, or want the oral, developmental, and immune benefits that breastfeeding provides.
Breastfeeding can feel like a distant dream after weeks or months of bottles—but that dream isn’t gone. You just need a new plan.
How to Transition from Bottle Back to Breastfeeding
Make the breast a happy, pressure-free place. Start with skin-to-skin, warm baths, and cuddles without expectations. Let baby relearn that your chest is a place of comfort and connection.
Offer the breast for non-nutritive suckling. Don’t focus on feeding at first—just invite baby to explore, especially when sleepy or calm.
Pace bottle feeds like breastfeeding. This helps reduce flow preference and reconditions baby to work for milk, just like they would at the breast.
Use tools like nipple shields or SNS when appropriate. These can bridge the gap while baby re-learns to latch.
Slow down and stay consistent. Some babies come back to breast in a few days. Others take weeks. Celebrate tiny wins.
Reconnecting Isn’t About Perfection—It’s About Presence
Reintroducing breastfeeding after exclusive pumping is a layered process. Some moms fully transition back. Others land somewhere in between—offering one nursing session a day for bonding or comfort. Either way, your effort matters. And with the right support, so much healing and joy is possible.
Need help getting started? My Latching Essentials class is the perfect entry-level resource for moms facing latching issues or who never got the hang of it in the early days. And if you’re ready for personalized support and a customized plan, I offer 1:1 virtual consultations to help guide your journey back to the breast.
Jaimie Zaki is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and mom of 5! Jaimie has volunteered as a La Leche League Leader, worked as a nurse, doula, and birth photographer, and is the host of the Breastfeeding With Confidence Podcast and founder of the Confident MamaBear Society. Jaimie provides holistic breastfeeding advice for pregnant & new moms, helping them overcome unexpected latching trouble and milk supply issues. She empowers mothers to make informed decisions from a place of confidence and intuition.
Breastfeeding Resources Available:
1:1 Breastfeeding Support (Virtual)
Breastfeeding With Confidence Podcast
