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.
If you're an exclusively pumping mom, it's probably okay to pump for more than 20-30 minutes. It's a good idea to test things for yourself; stop if it starts to hurt.
At the other end of the spectrum, increasing the milk supply too much through pumping can lead to engorgement, blocked milk ducts, and increased risk of breast inflammation, or infection (mastitis).
If you are pumping a lot on top of having your baby nurse fully, this can cause an oversupply. Extra pumping tells the body to make more milk over what your baby needs. The silicone manual pumps (Haaka-style pumps) can also cause oversupply when used at each feed. Metabolic or hormonal conditions.
So even if you kept pumping or nursing around the clock, milk would still flow out as it's produced. This means that you do not need to wait a certain amount of time after nursing or pumping for your breast milk to replenish. When you're a lactating mother, it's always replenishing.
Milk is actually produced nonstop—before, during, and after feedings—so there's no need to wait between feedings for your breasts to refill. In fact, a long gap between feedings actually signals your breasts to make less, not more, milk.
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.
If the breasts do not get emptied completely or often enough, the body begins to produce less milk. Some mothers say the milk never stops flowing while they pump. Typically, you should not pump longer than 30 minutes, even if the milk is still flowing.
A normal newborn baby nurses on average 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period. Most experts suggest it is best if mom can come close to matching what the normal nursing baby would do at the breast, and recommend she pump about every two hours, not going longer than three hours between sessions.
Focus on the total number of pumpings each day (8-10 times per 24 hours) rather than the time between pumpings (every 2-3 hours). Don't allow more than one five-hour period to pass without pumping during your baby's first two weeks of life.
Most mothers find that pumping every 2-3 hours maintains their milk supply and does not cause them to become uncomfortably full. For example, if a mother worked an 8 hour work day, she would nurse her child before coming to work, then pump mid-morning, at lunchtime and then mid-afternoon.
Ultimately, if your baby has reached its birth weight and you're pumping enough milk during the day, it's okay to sleep eight hours without pumping at night. Keep in mind there is an adjustment period for your body as it begins to acclimate to the decrease in overnight milk removal.
Exclusive breastfeeding is not for everyone.
The most common reason for exclusive pumping is when your baby is not latching as they should. Latching is how the baby fastens onto the breast while nursing. Your lactation expert may advise you to pump every few hours or as your schedule allows.
Make sure you don't get too close to the flange or areola. Begin applying gentle pressure to the breast - you may even see milkflow increase while doing so! You can continue to apply pressure, or do a pulsating pattern along with your pump (for example, hold the compress for 3 pump cycles, release for 1, and repeat).
For instance, pumping for 5 minutes every hour is more effective than pumping for 20 minutes at one time. This mimics a baby having a growth spurt and is way more comfortable for your nipples! You may not produce much during these short sessions, but you are signaling your body to make more milk tomorrow.
pump every 3-4 hours during the day. aim for 4-5 pumps per day. every day, regardless of last pump. *At 8 weeks, if your baby is sleeping through the night, there is no need to wake to pump.
Trying not to go more than 4 hours without pumping/nursing is a general breastfeeding rule while breastmilk is being established.
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.
Aim to spend 15 to 20 minutes hooked up to the pump to net a good amount of breast milk (some women will need 30 minutes or more with the pump, especially in the early days). Pump until the milk starts slowing down and your breasts feel well-drained. Be sure to clean the breast flanges after every use.
It's normal to see pumping output fluctuate from session to session as well. FOR MOMS WHO ARE PRIMARILY DIRECTLY NURSING THEIR INFANTS, TYPICAL PUMPING OUTPUT CAN RANGE FROM 0.5 oz to 2 oz. PER SESSION.
If you're dehydrated, you may be unable to produce enough breast milk. Breast milk is made of around 80% water. If you don't drink enough fluids or lose them too quickly, dehydration can set in. That means your body may not have enough water to create breast milk for your baby.
How do I know whether my breasts are empty? There's no test or way to know for sure. In general, though, if you gently shake your breasts and they feel mostly soft and you don't feel the heaviness of milk sitting in them, you're probably fine.
You're not getting let down. If your breasts feel like they're full but you're not able to get the milk flowing out when you pump, it could be that you're not achieving let down.