Moms Using Pumps Extended Lactation by 5 Months, Study Shows

August is National Breastfeeding Month! Despite the significant benefits of breastfeeding, only 41 percent of parents report being able to meet their breastfeeding goals. To help close this gap, the US Breastfeeding Committee is working to provide parents with additional resources and better workplace accommodations. One of these crucial resources—breast pumps.

A recent study published in the Journal of Pediatrics explored the prevalence of pump use and its impact on breastfeeding duration. Analyzing data from 20,000 lactating parents between 2016 and 2021, researchers discovered that over 91 percent of parents used a pump to express milk.

Those who used a pump at any point breastfed for an average of 5 months (21 weeks) longer than those who didn’t. Pump use was also linked to a lower risk of early lactation cessation, particularly among non-Hispanic Black and Native American populations, who have the lowest breastfeeding rates in the country.

Study author Deanna Nardella, MD, notes some limitations, including the lack of specifics on the types of pumps used and wide array of variables in play. While scientists can only establish an association between pumping and longer lactation periods, it seems clear that pumping can help parents who may struggle to breastfeed their children directly due to work obligations, latch difficulties and poor support.

Nardella hopes this study will raise awareness and drive policy efforts to support parents who pump, promoting more equitable breastfeeding outcomes. Learn more about your rights to a free pump covered by insurance and pumping rights in the workplace.