How to get more breast milk from pumping
Tips to Increase Milk Supply When Pumping – Children's Health
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Moms who pump – whether they are heading back to work, caring for a baby who cannot breastfeed or wanting to build a freezer stash – are quick to know when their milk supply drops. And when that decrease is consistent, they may begin to worry they aren't providing enough milk for their baby.
Dawn Schindler, RN, BSN, IBCLC, is a lactation consultant at the Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children's Health℠ and regularly works with pumping moms who want to increase their breast milk supply. She shares how moms can boost supply and answers some of the most commonly asked questions about pumping.
Can pumping decrease milk supply?
Pumping itself does not decrease your breast milk supply. In fact, it can help boost it. But if you are having trouble with low milk supply, the first step is to check that you are using the right breast pump.
"When a mom comes to us with pumping or supply questions, often the first thing we check is the mother's pump," says Schindler. "It's important that the pump being used not only works properly but that the pump parts also fit correctly." A lactation consultant can help assess that a breast pump is working for the mother to increase and support milk supply.
How to choose the right breast pump
Moms who pump regularly or exclusively should use a quality electric breast pump. If possible, choose a hospital-grade double electric pump that can effectively pump both breasts at once.
"A hand-held pump may not express enough milk and it takes more time to pump one breast at a time," Schindler explains.
Pay attention to the breast pump flange size
Breast pumps aren't one size fits all. The flange, or breast shield, is the portion that fits over the nipple. The flange should fit comfortably, covering the nipple and part of the breast with no gaps around the cup.
Select appropriate suction settings
Most breast pumps have several suction levels. However, higher suction doesn't mean you will extract more milk. "Breast pumps set too high can cause damage to the nipple and ultimately affect milk supply levels," says Schindler. "Make sure you are using the setting that is right for you."
Tips to increase breast milk supply when pumping
Beyond choosing the right breast pump, there are other ways moms can improve a low milk supply while pumping such as increasing pumping frequency, hydrating and eating well, having skin-to-skin contact with baby and creating a comfortable pumping environment.
Increase pumping frequency
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. This may just lead to sore nipples.
If pumping that often isn't feasible, Schindler and her team also suggest power pumping.
Power pumping lets moms maintain their regular pumping schedule but incorporates one hour of power pumping. Moms pick one hour in the day – usually in the afternoon when supply isn't naturally high or low – and pump 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, for one hour.
"You may not get any additional milk after the first 10-minute session, but it's important to continue throughout the hour," Schindler says. "After moms do this once a day for 4-5 days, they may notice a small increase in their overall milk supply."
Moms can receive extra stimulation from the breast pump by changing the speed of the pump from stimulation or "massage" to milk removal or "expression" every 5 minutes while pumping. This may stimulate more milk production.
Hydrate and choose the right foods to increase milk supply
Getting enough rest, drinking plenty of fluids and eating a healthy diet high in protein are the best ways to help improve and protect milk supply.
Certain foods, called galactogogues, may help to increase milk production. Common foods used as galactogogues include oatmeal, brewer's yeast, garlic, spinach, fennel and almonds. However, a well-balanced diet is the best approach to stay healthy while pumping.
Schindler often advises mothers to avoid pills and supplements marketed to improve supply. "There's no magic pills moms can take to boost their supply," Schindler cautions.
"Herbal supplements aren't always monitored by the FDA so we can't know exactly what's in them. It's best to talk with your pediatrician about what's safe for you and baby and stick with the basics."
Research has shown that several foods and substances can negatively impact milk supply. Schindler encourages moms to avoid:
- Smoking
- Caffeine (limit to 1-2 servings per day)
- Cold and allergy medicines that contain Sudafed (Pseudoephedrine)
- Certain prescription medicine
Your pediatrician and obstetrician can help you find medicine that is safe to take while pumping and that won't impact your supply.
Make time for skin-to-skin
Skin-to-skin contact, also called kangaroo care, is when a mother or father holds a baby on their bare chest. This simple act has several benefits, including:
- Maintains the baby's body temperature
- Slows baby's breathing and heart rate
- Relaxes and comforts baby
- Promotes bond between baby and parents
Another important benefit for moms is that skin-to-skin also helps improve milk supply. Spend time snuggling with your little one and soak up important benefits for you and baby.
Set up a comfortable pumping spot
Make pumping as comfortable as possible. "Find a quiet spot where you can lay out your pumping equipment," Schindler suggests. "Arrange supplies, including bottles and caps, so you're not reaching for anything. Have a snack and bottle of water ready and put out a picture of your baby. When you're comfortable, you will be able to relax, which ultimately helps your milk supply.
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It's important for moms to know that supply levels naturally go up and down throughout the day and over the course of time.
"Try not to get too discouraged if you notice a drop in milk supply," Schindler says. "A lactation consultation can help get to the bottom of your supply issues and offer more tips to increase supply."
Learn more
Through our highly trained lactation consultants and Pediatric Milk Lab, Children's Health is dedicated to supporting breastfeeding moms in caring for their children. See more tips for safely storing breast milk when pumping.
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How to Increase Milk Supply When Pumping: 10 Tips
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Read more about our vetting process.The dawn of the breast pump brought many new opportunities to nursing mothers. Moms now have the ability to be away from their baby for extended periods of time while maintaining breastfeeding.
Pumping isn’t always intuitive, and for some women, it can be difficult to maintain.
If you need to pump so you can be away from your baby, you may want to find ways to increase your milk supply to ensure you have enough milk. Pumping may also be a way to increase milk supply when nursing.
Read on to learn some tips for things you can do to try to increase your milk supply while pumping.
The number one way to increase your milk supply when pumping is to increase how often you pump.
Cluster pumping is a technique of pumping every five minutes to give your breasts repeated stimulation. When your breasts are full, your body gets the signal to stop making milk. Empty breasts trigger milk production, so the more you empty your breasts, the more milk you’ll make.
Cluster pumping may not be practical for a work environment, but you can try cluster pumping in the evenings at home or over the weekend. Try a few sessions of cluster pumping until you see a noticeable increase in your supply. And remember to stay hydrated when you’re nursing or pumping.
Another way to pump more often is to add in an extra session during the day, especially if you’re at work.
For example, if you were pumping twice a day, pump three times.
If you’d like to increase your supply but you’re usually with your baby all day, use the pump to add in a session in addition to the day’s usual nursing.
Milk supply is regulated by hormones and your circadian rhythm, so many women have the most volume of milk in the morning. You can pump in the morning before your baby wakes up, or pump shortly after nursing.
If mornings don’t work for you, you can also try pumping at night after baby’s bedtime.
Over time, your body will regulate to supply more milk during the extra pumping session. For the best results, take your additional pumping session at the same time each day.
Sometimes your breasts may still feel full after baby has stopped nursing. You can try pumping or hand expressing one or both breasts after each nursing section to ensure that your breasts are completely empty. That signals your body to begin producing more milk.
Over time, pumping after nursing can lead to an increase in the amount of milk you produce throughout the day.
To get the most milk when pumping, you can pump both breasts at once. To make double pumping easier, use a pumping bra. These bras are made specifically to hold breast shields in place so you can be hands-free.
You can combine double pumping with cluster pumping if you’re trying to increase your supply or build a stock of milk in the freezer to keep on hand.
To get the most out of pumping, it’s essential that your pump is in good condition and works right for you. Everything from the size of the breast shield to the speed of suction will affect how much milk you can get. Some tips:
- Keep your machine clean.
- Replace parts as needed.
- Get familiar with your pump manual.
- Check out the manufacturer’s website.
- Call a lactation consultant if you need help.
If you really want to focus on increasing your supply, you can also rent a hospital-grade breast pump for a week or a month. These are the highest quality pumps available, and may help you to extract more milk when pumping.
Lactation cookie recipes sometimes credit oats or brewer’s yeast for increasing milk supply. You can also find herbal supplements such as fenugreek, milk thistle, and fennel advertised as galactagogues, or substances said to increase milk. However, experts say this may be due to a positive placebo effect.
A large meta-analysis of hundreds of studies found inconsistent data on whether or not supplements increase milk. Doctors and mothers can’t know for sure if or how herbs and supplements might help.
Talk to your doctor before trying any supplements while breastfeeding.
Remember to consume enough calories and to stay hydrated by drinking water and other clear liquids. Being properly nourished and hydrated can help you to maintain a healthy milk supply.
Breastfeeding women may need up to 13 cups or 104 ounces of water a day. Aim to drink at least one cup of water every time you pump or breastfeed, and then get your remaining cups throughout the day.
You should also plan to add about an extra 450 to 500 calories a day to your diet.
That’s in addition to your recommended caloric intake. Just like when you were pregnant, the type of calories you add are important. Choose foods loaded with vitamins and other essential nutrients.
In breastfeeding, confidence is key. Don’t get down on yourself if your friends or co-workers seem to get a lot more milk out of pumping.
Two women can have the same size breasts but a different amount of milk storage cells. A woman with more storage cells will be able to express more milk faster because it’s readily available. A woman with fewer storage cells will be making milk on the spot. That means she’ll require more time to pump the same amount of milk.
The more you pump, the better you’ll know how much milk you can expect from yourself in a certain amount of time.
Also, a woman who regularly pumps and leaves bottles for her babies — during work, for example — will usually produce a lot more milk while pumping than a woman who nurses more often and only pumps occasionally, such as for a date night.
This is because your body is very good at anticipating exactly how much milk your baby needs and your milk production syncs up to match your own child.
Once breastfeeding is well established, you won’t make much more milk than your baby needs. So, pumping in addition to a normal day of nursing won’t produce a lot of extra milk. It’s common for mothers who mostly nurse to require multiple pumping sessions to get enough milk for one feeding.
Try to relax while you pump. If you’re pumping at work, don’t respond to emails or take calls while pumping. Instead, use your pumping time to take a mental break. Try not to focus on how much milk you’re producing, which may cause extra stress.
One study found that mothers of preterm infants produced significantly more — and fattier — milk when they listened to a sound recording while pumping. This was a small study and we don’t know exactly what kind of music they heard. But it’s still worth a try to listen to something soothing while pumping, or to find other ways to relax.
Your body becomes very in tune with your usual breastfeeding environment and stimulus. For many women, milk comes in easy when at home, holding your own baby, and responding to hunger cues. It’s harder to inspire this milk production if you’re away from home and your child.
If you’re away, bring photos of your baby or watch videos of them while you pump. Anything that reminds you of your baby can trigger your hormones, which may help your milk production.
Never hesitate to call your child’s pediatrician or a board-certified lactation consultant if you want help increasing your milk supply. It’s important to have a supportive community when breastfeeding.
A doctor and lactation consultant can tell you if your baby is thriving and if you can do anything to improve your supply. They can also check your pump to make sure you’re using it correctly and that the fit is right.
There are three main considerations for increasing your supply while pumping:
- Know how milk is made.
Breast tissue takes nutrients from your blood to make breast milk. Empty breasts trigger milk production, so it’s important to empty your breasts as efficiently and as thoroughly as possible. The more often your breasts are emptied, the more cues you send to your body to make milk. - Know your goal. You can use a pump to maintain your supply while you’re away from your baby, or to increase your overall supply by pumping in addition to nursing every day. In both cases, you want to empty your breasts as thoroughly as possible each time you pump. If you want to increase your supply, you’ll also want to increase how often you pump.
- Practice. It takes time to know your body and to get comfortable using a pump. The more you practice, the more you can get out of each pumping session.
Are you already producing enough milk?
Initially, your baby will take increasing amounts of milk each day as their stomach grows. But after a few weeks, breastfeeding babies level off at around 25 ounces per day.
Over time, breast milk changes in composition and calories, so the same volume of milk is sufficient for a baby as they continue to grow. This is different than formula, which doesn’t change in composition. So, babies require more and more of it if they only take formula.
You’ll know you’re pumping enough milk if you divide 25 ounces by how many feedings your baby usually has. For example, if your baby feeds five times a day, that’s 5 ounces per feeding. If you’re going to miss all of those feedings, then you need to pump 25 ounces. However, if you’re only going to miss two feedings, you only need to pump a total of 10 ounces.
It’s common for women who regularly nurse at home to get the same amount of milk from a pump when they’re away. Doing the math can give you a helpful idea of how much you actually need to pump while you’re gone.
Talk with your pediatrician before supplementing with formula. While it’s common to be concerned about milk volume, most women produce enough milk to feed their baby.
However, you can give your baby the benefits of breast milk while supplementing with formula if you need a few extra ounces. Ultimately, a fed baby is best.
When it comes to pumping and increasing your supply, frequency is key. A few changes to your routine and equipment can make your pumping more comfortable and potentially more productive.
The most important thing for a healthy milk supply is taking care of yourself, pumping often, and emptying your breasts frequently in order to trigger increased milk production. And if you’re concerned about your milk supply, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider.
obstetrician-gynecologist Starostina Antonina Viktorovna.
For the normal development of lactation, first of all, it is necessary to organize the feeding of the child (feeding on demand, without a night break, the absence of nipples and pacifiers that suppress the suckling reflex of the baby), properly care for the breast, use a breast pump to stimulate and increase lactation, use according to indications other accessories for breastfeeding.
Sleep should be at least 10 hours a day - night and day. Outdoor walks for at least 2 hours. Frequent breastfeeding from birth (at least 10 times a day) with obligatory night feedings. Good nutrition and an increase in the amount of fluid consumed up to 1.5 - 2 liters per day (this is tea, soups, decoctions, milk, dairy products). Shower-massage: after feeding the baby and expressing milk, pour hot water (45 degrees) from the shower over the mammary gland that was fed, while massaging in circular motions from the nipple to the periphery and from top to bottom, while expressing milk. Duration 5-10 minutes.
Perform the procedure 2 times for the left and 2 times for the right breast during the day. Drink hot tea with milk 30 minutes before feeding.
Drink in small sips throughout the day.
- Steep 3 teaspoons of dry nettle with 2 cups of boiling water and infuse for 10-15 minutes (we only infuse fresh herb for 2 minutes). The resulting drink should be used during the day.
- A very effective remedy that stimulates the flow of milk and helps increase lactation is an infusion of walnuts, which is prepared as follows: brew 0.5 cups of peeled walnuts with 0.5 liters of boiling milk in a thermos and infuse for 3-4 hours. Infusion take 1/3 cup 20 minutes before each feeding, but not daily, but every other day.
- A mixture that promotes lactation is very good: 100 g dried apricots, 100 g raisins, 100 g figs, 1 glass of walnuts. Grind everything and mix with 100 g of honey and 100 g of butter. Use 1 tbsp. spoon 15-20 minutes before feeding. Watch your child's reaction! Allergy is possible.
- Useful green tea with dill seeds, raspberry leaves, linden, oregano, lemon balm.
Be sure to use special multivitamin complexes for pregnant and lactating women, which also help improve lactation. They will improve the quality of milk and increase its quantity:
- Hipp tea for nursing mothers.
- Apilac 0.01 under the tongue and dissolve.
Take 2-3 times a day. Pay attention to the child's reaction! Allergy is possible. - Vitamin E capsules 0.1-0.2 - 2 times a day.
- Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) up to 1 g per day.
- Brewer's yeast - liquid 60 g 3 times a day, dry 1 tsp. 4 times a day.
- Calcium pantothenate 1 tab. 3 times a day.
- Asparkam 1 tab. 3 times a day
In European countries, homeopathic remedies are widely used to stimulate lactation. Of the many homeopathic remedies to enhance lactation, the following remedies can be recommended: before each feeding of the child (20 minutes) \ Urtika urens 3 and Agnus castus 3 alternately and at night - Pulsatilla 6. Take 5 grains until the effect is obtained (from 3 days to 3 weeks). But in any case, you need to consult a doctor.
How to increase the amount of milk for a nursing mother? – an article in the blog of the Health Center for Children in Moscow
Breastfeeding is a guarantee of good health and mental peace of the child for years to come.
But besides this, breastfeeding solves most of the mother's issues: from financial issues to the convenience of building your day and bonding with your child. Galina Vladimirovna Loseva, our most sought-after pediatrician with more than 20 years of experience, tells how to increase the amount of milk for good nutrition of a child
The problem of lack of milk can occur both in the early neonatal period, when lactation is becoming established, and later, for example, during lactation crises, which can occur at certain periods of time (3-6 weeks, 3-4 months, 6 months), as well as after temporary weaning during the mother’s illness or the need to take certain medications that are incompatible with breastfeeding.
Ways to increase lactation:
- Feeding on demand , especially during lactation. Frequent feedings in the first weeks of life are essential for maximizing the number of prolactin receptors to ensure sufficient milk production in the long term.
Without these receptors, lactation will be at risk by 2-3 months of age. It is advisable to attach the baby to the breast as soon as possible after childbirth. If possible, do not use bottle supplements without a good reason. Night feedings are obligatory, the need for them usually lasts up to about 6 months. - Proper breastfeeding. The baby must have both the nipple and the areola. His mouth should be wide open with his lower lip turned outward
- You can use post-feeding which will increase milk production. And at the same time, freeze milk to create a reserve in case the mother leaves or a case of illness in which it is necessary to interrupt breastfeeding.
- Rational nutrition for breastfeeding women. The menu should contain cereals, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, fruits, dairy products are better than sour-milk, a small amount of nuts is acceptable. The use of strict hypoallergenic diets in a woman without an allergic history is unacceptable.
Spicy dishes, spices, fried foods are excluded, this can affect the taste and smell of milk. - Drinking enough liquid - water, green tea, compotes, fruit drinks. Drinks should preferably be warm or hot. It is recommended to take liquid 20-40 minutes before feeding.
- Avoid alcohol, nicotine, including passive smoking.
- Compliance with the rest regimen , psycho-emotional peace, positive attitude. This is largely determined by the attitude of close people who can help a nursing mother in household chores, caring for other children, etc.
- Warm shower, light breast massage just before feeding.
- If you still need supplementary feeding, then it is better to give it with a pipette, spoon, syringe without a needle.
- Pharmaceutical products: Laktogon, Femilak. From herbs, galega, cumin, anise are considered safe. However, relying only on these funds is not worth it if the above points are not observed.
