Nipples often expand while pumping, so it is very important to evaluate the nipple throughout the session.
Remember nipple size will increase slightly after a pumping session. You may have a different sized flange per breast. This means the one nipple is larger/smaller than the other and will require the use of two different sizes for each nipple.
Your nipple should move freely in and out without touching the sides of the tunnel and without redness or pain. Only a little areola tissue should be pulled into the tunnel. You should see a bit of areola pulling into the tunnel with each pump cycle, but not too much or none at all.
Pumping should never cause permanent damage to your nipples (or other parts of your breast, for that matter,) and if you're experiencing pain while you pump, Exclusive Pumping suggested that you may want to change your breast pump flange size, try a lower setting, or check your breasts for other issues like engorgement ...
You can expect your nipples to return to their original size and color (likely lighter and smaller than when you were breastfeeding) and extra veins should disappear, says Kasper. All those stretch marks, however, are yours to keep, she adds. Free souvenir!
The 120 minute rule is that, generally speaking, when you are exclusively pumping, you want to spend at least 120 minutes (2 hours) per day pumping. How many sessions you would spread that 120 minutes across depends on how old your baby is. With a newborn baby, you might want to do eight 15 minute sessions.
While your friend may use the pump on the highest vacuum level with no problems, the same setting may not be right for you. Too high vacuum may cause pain and eventually may also cause damage to the delicate skin around your breast, areola and nipples.
You may have brief pain (10-15 seconds) at the beginning of each pumping while the collagen fibers in your nipples stretch. You may have slight tenderness of the nipple. Some women may have an uncomfortable sensation when their milk releases or "letting down" which may feel like tingling or "pins and needles."
Once your mature milk has come in, be sure to pump for at least 20 – 30 minutes per session (or until you no longer see milk expressing from your breasts). It's typically easier to tell when you're done with a nursing session – after all, your little one simply detaches and stops eating!
The key is understanding when pumping makes sense and how often and how much milk to pump. Too much pumping can lead to painful oversupply. Too little pumping sometimes leads to low milk production, especially when baby nurses ineffectively or the nursing couple is regularly separated at feeding times.
Breast compression is a method where you put a little extra pressure on your milk glands by gently squeezing your breast. Compressions stimulate your letdown and increase the milk flow, and can be very helpful to both elicit your milk letdown and to keep the milk flowing during your pumping session.
During this time, before you letdown, you might see milk dribbling out your nipple, and just a few drops going into the bottles. When you have a letdown, you will see milk start to spray into the flange and flow more quickly into your bottles.
Maintaining Full Milk Production
When you reach 25-35 oz. (750-1,050 mL) per baby per 24 hour period, you've met your goal. Most moms can then pump fewer times each day and maintain production.
Nipple blanching can be due to: Incorrect attachment at your breast. Your baby clamping down on your nipple in order to slow down your fast flow of milk. Your baby may have a tongue-tie (your lactation consultant will be able to assess for this)
A milk bleb (milk blister) is a clogged pore in your nipple that occurs during breastfeeding. It happens when your pore gets blocked by a piece of skin or a small amount of hardened breast milk. You can treat most milk blisters at home with warm compresses and frequent nursing or pumping.
Generally, moms should be pumping every 3 hours. Pumping more often can help stimulate breasts to produce more milk. Moms can try pumping both breasts for 15 minutes every two hours for 48-72 hours. Then moms can return to their normal pumping routine. Pumping for longer than 30 minutes may not be beneficial.
During the early stages of exclusively pumping, avoid going more than 5-6 hours between sessions. While it can get exhausting, pumping 1-2 times per night will ensure that you have a sufficient milk supply for your baby. If you're a working mom, aim to pump every 3-4 hours per 8 hour work period.
BEFORE MILK COMES IN AND AS IT'S COMING IN, PUMP 10-15 MINUTES if baby doesn't latch/suckle well, to stimulate milk production hormones. ONCE MILK IS IN, PUMP TO EMPTY, as emptiness prompts the cells to make more for each feeding.
When you first start pumping, you might see milk start to dribble out. Then, after a few minutes, milk may start to spray - this is your milk letting down. After some time, the letdown will finish and you'll be back to a dribble.
Many moms assume that having a pump with a higher suction strength will automatically mean that they will be able to pump more milk, but in fact, pumping at too high of a setting can actually inhibit your milk production.
All breast pumps can have unpleasant side effects: Some women, for example, find that their nipples become sore and irritated. Here it is helpful to try out several types of pump with different attachments. Some women find expressing milk stressful and awkward, or they may have problems operating the pump.
If your sore nipples are causing you so much discomfort that you feel like you need to take a break from breastfeeding, don't worry! You can still use a breast pump to express your milk. This will give your nipples a rest, while allowing you to continue to give your baby all the benefits breastmilk can provide.