My baby is two months old and refuses to breastfeed at night—do I need to express the milk?

At two months of age, if a baby does not feed at night, the mother generally needs to express her breast milk to prevent milk stasis. Prolonged retention of milk may lead to blocked mammary ducts, causing breast swelling and pain.

Breast milk production is typically robust during this period; extended intervals without breastfeeding may increase the risk of developing mastitis or other inflammatory breast conditions. Applying a warm, moist towel to the breasts and performing gentle massage can help promote ductal clearance. In most cases, a two-month-old infant consumes relatively large volumes of milk, exhibits good alertness and energy levels, and gains weight appropriately—thus requiring no special interventions. Breastfed infants should be fed on demand. Most babies require one or two nighttime feedings; as they grow older, their sleep duration gradually increases. “Night feeding” refers specifically to breastfeeding that occurs during nighttime hours. Night feedings can usually be gradually phased out around six months of age, which supports adequate sleep—beneficial for both physical growth and brain development.

Vitamin-rich foods—such as egg yolk, meat puree, or vegetables—can be appropriately introduced into the infant’s complementary diet.