Increasing Milk Supply Pumping Only – How often and for how long should a mother pump to increase her milk supply? When is the best time to put it in? Is there any trick to get more milk in less time? Which is the best breast pump to use? This article shares tips for increasing breast milk supply while pumping and do I need a breast pump? Has a companion article.
Mother’s milk is created by supply and demand. The sooner a nursing baby requires breast milk, either by hand or by a breast pump, the sooner milk is produced by the breast to meet that need. Accordingly, full pumping sessions during the day may benefit your supply more than a few sessions spaced apart. How often you pump depends on why you are pumping and how much breast milk is needed – over-pumping can lead to mastitis (breast swelling) and/or reduced milk supply.
Increasing Milk Supply Pumping Only

If the baby is not breastfeeding, the mother pumps when convenient with the aim of trying to have as many pumping sessions as possible consistent with a normal newborn’s breastfeeding pattern (eight to ten breastfeedings per day). But it can be difficult to know the best time to feed or even find the time to feed if the baby is awake. Strategies include:
Increase Your Low Milk Supply With These 25 Simple Tips
When increasing milk by pumping, the goal is to pump long enough to effectively remove milk from all areas of the breast and stimulate the milk glands to increase production. A lactating breast is never truly empty, so this usually means removing or “leaking” most of the available milk. The ideal time to pump to achieve this will vary from woman to woman:
A study of mothers of premature infants found that a double pumping session with massage (hand pumping; see below) averaged 25 minutes, ranging from 15 minutes for some mothers to 45 minutes for others. Was till. Use minutes as an initial guideline and then adjust the pump time according to the mother’s milk flow: pump for more or less time as needed to extract all the milk (Mohrbacher. 2020. p.490).
The better the breasts drain, the more milk will be produced. Try increasing the number of pumping sessions if you haven’t already pumped to about eighteen times in 24 hours. If you are away from your baby, try to calculate how often you pump to feed your baby normally.
Massage or manual pumping is a technique that is said to significantly increase the amount of milk expressed by a breast pump. Hand pumping involves using your hands to gently massage and squeeze the breasts before and during pumping. One study showed that manual pumping5 increased breast milk volume by about 50% daily and increased calories from pumped milk6. Jane Morton, MD, of Stanford Medical School has prepared a helpful hands-on pumping video (see 5:15) and also explains exclusive breast milk extraction techniques.
Help! I’m Only Pumping 2 Oz. Every 3 Hours! — Milkology®
Warnings If you are using a breast massage it is important to use a gentle touch equivalent to caressing your body or applying ointment. Deep massage may cause scarring or infection on the breasts and is not recommended
Gently massaging and pressing the breasts before and during pumping can increase the amount of milk and calories in the pumped milk.
Performing manual pumping can help you produce more milk, especially in the first few days when your milk volume increases and you go straight to using manual techniques.

Double pumping (pumping both breasts at the same time) saves time and can help you produce more milk1011 although it is not necessary for good results. If you’re pumping once, switch between the left and right breast every five minutes and repeat.
How Pumping Can Increase Your Milk Production
Try pumping at night, especially if you’re awake, as prolactin levels (the main hormone for milk production) are higher at night. Breastfeeding frequently at night will also help stimulate milk production.
Electric pumping is a short-term technique popularized by lactation consultant Cathy Watson Gena and described in the book
(2020). Although there are many possible variations, the goal of the technique is to mimic the diet of the infant group in a way that can increase milk production. The manual method involves setting the pump in a convenient, comfortable place, and pumping for five to ten minutes whenever the mother passes the house and walks around the house, usually every 45-60 minutes. in a minute. The target is the bomb. At least ten times every day for two or three days and then return to your normal pumping schedule. Techniques show that parents of healthy full-term infants can simply take out the milk cooler or washing machine every four hours, depending on the room temperature (Marasco and West.2020). However official guidance recommends washing the device after each use. for more information.
Spending time in skin-to-skin contact with your baby can help boost oxytocin, one of the hormones associated with milk production, and studies have shown that mothers feel better through skin-to-skin contact. Can extract more milk. Pumps can help increase your pumping output. If your baby isn’t there, pictures of your baby or clothes that smell like your baby can help increase the flow of oxytocin.
How Much Milk Should You Expect To Pump? — Nancy Mohrbacher
A study conducted on mothers breastfeeding premature babies found that a breast that was warmed with a warm cloth for twenty minutes before pumping produced more milk than breasts that were not warmed. it was done.
Applying lubricant to the pump arm and/or the inside of the breast can make pumping more comfortable by reducing friction. Mothers use oil (e.g., coconut oil or olive oil), breast milk, or lanolin as lubricants. Marasco and West say that with the right size pump, no lubrication is needed (Marasco and West. 2020.p 196) – it’s important to make sure the flange is in front of the nipple, and you use the closure. Having a pump (see below) but no butter may still be helpful for some moms.
Studies have shown that mothers who listen to guided relaxation tapes, music, and look at baby pictures while pumping can produce more breast milk.19202122

Practicing a similar pre-pumping routine may help some moms relax and let their milk flow. This may be important for mothers who have difficulty expressing milk with a pump. Nancy Mohrbacher recommends wrapping a blanket around the shoulders for warmth, getting a light massage, and spending five minutes using guided relaxation techniques before pumping. (Mohrbacher, 2020 p. 480) See Exclusively Expressing Breast Milk for more tips to help in case of sluggish response.
Exclusive Pumping Schedules By Month (with Examples)
Some mothers find it very difficult to see on the collection bottles how much milk they express at each sitting. Covering the pumping bottle with a sock or tip can thin the collection, and if it helps the mother feel more comfortable while pumping, she may pump more milk as a result.
Keeping a record of milk expressed can be motivating for some mothers because they see the gradual increase over time and know that their efforts are being rewarded.
Different pumps are suitable for different mothers and one type is not necessarily better than another for a particular mother (Mohrbacher, 2020 p. 487; Marasco and West, 2020 p. 192). Do I need a breast pump? Details of the types available including manual (hand-operated) pumps, silicone pumps, electric pumps and hospital grade pumps (expensive pumps for use in hospitals). An electric pump will usually be more efficient than a hand pump, and a hospital grade pump will still be fine. But there can be exceptions to every rule and some moms may find that fingering works better for them. Tips for choosing a pump include:
…Consumer grade pumps are not made to last a year or longer, which is the average amount of time a mother spends pumping for a baby. When they start getting tired they do not suddenly stop working. The suction and cycling patterns gradually break down, and eventually you find that you can’t pump as much milk and the suction doesn’t feel as strong (or very strong). Consumer grade pumps are not a closed system like rental pumps, so milk and moisture can get into the mechanical parts, where bacteria, mold, and viruses can grow.
Common Pumping Mistakes And What To Do Instead
A double pump allows mom to pump both breasts at the same time. Some single pumps can later be converted to dual.
Using a breast pump doesn’t necessarily hurt, but if the nipple doesn’t fit properly (or the vacuum is too high), pain and friction can cause sore nipples and have a negative impact on milk flow. Is. Sometimes referred to the opening where the nipple sits