As if pregnancy isn't hard enough, once our babies are born, it's time to figure out how to feed them — and even for celebrity moms, that can quickly become a time-consuming part of the day, especially if pumping is involved. Not only do we have to lug around a pump and parts, wear a nursing bra, and lose sleep over it all, but many of us end up getting side-eyed if we share this part of our motherhood journey. But fortunately, plenty of famous mamas out there are willing to unashamedly post photos showing what their experience of pumping breast milk looks like for them.
Some of these moms, like Ashley Graham, have to pump in public because they're working, and others, like Nicole Phelps, have even pumped while at fancy events. A baby's gotta eat — and a mom's gotta make sure it happens.
In the end, all that matters is that our children are fed — whether that means exclusively breastfeeding, pumping, or using formula. The way we feed our babies might always come with a bit of stigma (and a few disapproving looks here and there), but we love that these celeb moms are smashing that stigma every opportunity they get.
Ashley Graham
OK, so most of us don't look this gorgeous while pumping, but then again, this is Ashley Graham we're talking about. This supermodel has been open about her breastfeeding journey with her son Isaac since day one, and that includes pumping and getting glam at the same time.
Nikki Bella
In 2020, Nikki Bella and fiancé Artem Chigvintsev became first-time parents, and this Total Bellas star has never been afraid to show how feeding baby Mateo has been going for her. Here, she's celebrating her birthday and pumping at the same time. It's called multitasking, y'all!
Rachel McAdams
OK, none of us have ever looked like this when we're pumping, but we're still in love with this picture anyway. Here, Rachel McAdams pumped in full glam while shooting a spread for Girls Girls Girls, even wearing Versace at the time. We hope she didn't spill that milk.
Hilary Duff
It looks like someone else was just as impressed by Rachel's shoot! We definitely have to give Hilary Duff a big A for effort here when she tried to re-create it while pumping milk for her daughter, Banks. We appreciate that her version of this photo is a bit more realistic, though.
Katharine McPhee
It's only been a few months since Katharine McPhee became a mom, and even though she keeps her son, Rennie, off of social media, she hasn't been shy about getting real about what the experience has been like for her personally. And for Katharine, that means wearable pumps!
Katy Perry
While Katy Perry has shared photos of herself pumping on her Instagram Story plenty of times since daughter Daisy Dove was born in 2020, this was next level. In this PSA, Katy was encouraging her followers to "get pumped" to vote in the presidential election, and for Katy, that meant literally pumping.
Carrie Underwood
While getting ready for her performance at the 2019 American Country Music Awards, Carrie Underwood had to do what a lot of moms have to do: pump. Though we can't see much of what's going on, Carrie explained in her caption that she was pumping while getting her look together for the stage.
Kristin Cavallari
Pumping waits for no one — not even moms on vacation. Going all the way back to 2016, former Laguna Beach star Kristin Cavallari shared that she was pumping outside by the pool, which actually isn't such a bad idea. Hey, if it has to get done, she might as well relax at the same time.
Kristen Bell
Here's another famous Kristen who isn't afraid to let the world know what's up: Kristen Bell. Though this isn't a pic of her pumping, it's everything she needed to do it on the go while she was attending the Country Music Awards in 2013. And now, Lincoln and Delta are so grown up that Kristen's pumping days are long behind her.
Jamie Otis
This Married at First Sight star has been all about living life and sharing motherhood and marriage without a filter, so of course that includes pumping. Jamie Otis looks gorgeous (and so happy) here as she shows off her pump while she's taking care of her son, Hendrix, at the same time.
Kourtney Kardashian
We're so used to Kourtney Kardashian (and the rest of her family) sharing so much of her personal life on TV that it didn't faze us one bit when she shared this photo of herself pumping. Somehow, she managed to look gorgeous, even with breast shields hanging off of her body!
Jessica Simpson
Not long after Jessica Simpson's daughter, Birdie, was born, she shared this major achievement with her Instagram followers. Pumping can be hard work (and super uncomfortable that soon after birth), so we can't blame Jess for wanting to celebrate this major win.
Nicole Phelps
Nicole Phelps, who's married to Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, wasn't too shy to share that she was pumping while she was at a fancy event, wireless pump and all — and she said she got a lot of responses from fellow moms that really resonated with her.
"We should be able to without judgment nurse/pump anywhere we're comfortable," she wrote.
Jenny Mollen
Actress Jenny Mollen typically doesn't hold back much, and that includes pumping in an actual airport bathroom (which many of us have had to do while traveling, with or without our kids tagging along).
"Remember that Kelis song, 'My milkshake brings all the boys to the lavatory?'" Jenny wrote.
Ashley Williams
In honor of World Breastfeeding Week in 2018, Ashley Williams took to Instagram to share a photo of herself pumping in the car while sitting in traffic.
"I appreciate all the cool people who saw what I was doing in traffic and gave me a thumbs up," she wrote, adding the hashtag "#ittakesavillage."
Ashley Darby
Real Housewives of Potomac star Ashley Darby looks like she's having so much fun! Then again, wouldn't anyone who's out on a boat on a sunny day, pumping or not? She didn't even have to take her swimsuit top off to make it happen, which is pretty darn impressive.
Pink
Honestly, we should all be getting some kind of reward for a good pumping session, and this is Pink's. In 2017, she shared this photo of herself pumping and excitedly holding up a bottle of wine at the same time, noting in her caption that drinking that bottle was in her plans for after she was done.
Jenna Dewan
The only thing better than seeing Jenna Dewan so joyfully pumping milk for her son, Callum, is knowing that her fiancé, Steve Kazee, was the one who posted it in honor of Mother's Day in 2020 — her first as a mother of two — to show her exactly how much he appreciated her.
Amy Schumer
Leave it to comedian Amy Schumer to share the most realistic pumping photo we've ever seen. Totally topless, hair a mess, looking exhausted. Those newborn days are so special, but at the same time, they're rough, especially if pumping is part of the equation. She got it done, though.
Rachel Bilson
After Rachel Bilson's daughter, Briar Rose, was born, the new mom took to Instagram in 2015 to share a picture of what it looked like for her to go back to work after her maternity leave had ended. Yep, this looks pretty familiar — but at least she seemed happy about it!
