pumping until milk stops = 40+ minutes??

bbzangel70j

when i pump, my milk continues to flow after 30 minutes. the freestyle turns off automatically after that, but the milk is still squirting (not streaming, but more than dripping). i usually wait 5-10 minutes and turn it back on for another 15-20 minutes and the milk still doesnt stop!
you would think this translates into loads of milk, but in 45-50 minutes of pumping i get a total of about 6oz (at my 10am pump). Same thing at my 2pm pump, except total output is about 3-4oz.

so i pump for about 80-90 minutes a day and only get a max of 10oz.

i worry that if i dont fully drain, my body will not continue to make the milk (which is why i turn the pump back on after a short break). but as you can imagine it is getting increasingly difficult at work to disappear for almost 2 hours a day to pump.

whats going on? is my milk just super slow? do you agree that if i dont keep pumping this way my supply will drop?

 

tolicakes

Have you tried compressions when you pump?  That may help to get more milk out quicker. What about turning up the setting on the pump?

Check out this video https://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.html

 

bbzangel70j

actually, i HAVE to do compressions while i pump. the milk wont come out otherwise. so i pretty much do compressions the whole time i am pumping, with the exception of the letdown phase and short breaks here and there to give my hand a rest!

i have the pump on the second to highest setting.

i think i just suck at pumping my boobs dont get it.

thank you for that video!

katie4253

I never stop dripping.  I just look to see how fast the dripping is.  If it is a drip every few seconds, then I consider it done.

FWIW, the LC told me not to go past 30mins because it is too hard on your nipples. 

I EP, and generally pump 25-30mins because I get an initial letdown, a 2nd at about 15mins, and a 3rd at about 19-23mins.  

katie4253

tolicakes:

Have you tried compressions when you pump?  That may help to get more milk out quicker. What about turning up the setting on the pump?

Check out this video https://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.html

 

Turning up the pump will not make more milk come out.  It will just jack up your nipples.  

katie4253

bbzangel70j:

actually, i HAVE to do compressions while i pump. the milk wont come out otherwise. so i pretty much do compressions the whole time i am pumping, with the exception of the letdown phase and short breaks here and there to give my hand a rest!

i have the pump on the second to highest setting.

i think i just suck at pumping my boobs dont get it.

thank you for that video!

Do you EP or BF and pump?  I think you have to learn how to letdown for a pump.  It is hard.  Try looking at pics of your LO, recording him crying and playing that back, smelling his clothes, or listening to water running.  All are supposed to help.  

bbzangel70j

katie4253:

Do you EP or BF and pump?  I think you have to learn how to letdown for a pump.  It is hard.  Try looking at pics of your LO, recording him crying and playing that back, smelling his clothes, or listening to water running.  All are supposed to help.  

i bf when i am with him, i pump at work. i do all of those things, except listening to water running since i am pumping in a closet at work

the let down happens fairly quickly- its the finishing that takes forever!

not sure how much longer i will last pumping at work. it sucks!

MrsJWeaver

I also bf and pump at work and I almost never stop dripping when I pump.  I pump three times for about 20 mins.  I pump for about 13 mins then stop to do compressions and then pump for another 5-10 mins depending on a second let down.  I do my best not to  look at the bottles - it seems to help with let down.  I bf dd at 6am, pump at 9ish, 12ish and 3ish.  I pick her up from dc at 5:30.  I feed her again when we get home and then at 7:30 she will cluster feed until 9ish.