How many ounces of milk do you typically pump in a session?

buggles

Here are my facts:

I've gone through pregnancy four times (lost one halfway through).

Breastfed two of them 'til 12 months and currently on month 10 with the last one.

With the first expressed copious amounts of milk (so much that I to switch bottles during pumping sessions and my freezer overflowed with bottles); definitely over 10 ounces in one sitting with 4-5 hours in between.

I worked during my first breastfeeding... pumped at work and nursed at home.

Now, I SAH with my 3yo and infant boy (who is in the -teenth percentile for weight) and can get at most only about 2 to 4 ounces with 3 to 4 hours in between and have no freezer stash.

I'm wondering if with my first that that was an unusual amount of milk or now, that my milk supply is really low.

My question is:

Is there a typical range of milk production? I know it all depends on baby's age, genetics, if there's an extra pumping done to build up a stash, etc. but what's considered very little milk and/or low-supply and too much milk?

 

 

jocelynlee

I get more in the mornings, but when I exclusively pump (5 times a day) I get about 26 ounces per day...I have been trying to up my output since my baby eats closer to 30 ounces....he is 11 weeks.

aka08bride

I work FT and pump three times per day at work. I nurse my son who is 9 weeks old whenever I am home (before work, after work, through the night). Best pumping session is the morning, I get about 5-6 oz. Midafternoon about 4 oz, Evening before I head home, 2-4 oz.

 

jess!ca

I wonder if since you pumped with your older kiddo you made more than you needed.  I bet if I were home with DD and didn't pump much, I might get less since I bet my supply would regulate to meet her needs and not much more else.  Just a thought.  Anyway, I work FT.  I pump after our morning feeding and get anywhere from 7-13 oz depending on the day and if she eats overnight.  Then I pump 2-3 times at work.  I get more in the morning and less in the afternoon.  I usually get 5-8 oz in the first session, then 3-5 oz during the next two sessions.

kmm2150

I usually pump once in the morning and can get 3-4 oz, and then about 2-3 oz each time for the rest of the day (pumping three times at work).  I think this just varies widely - sounds like maybe you had an oversupply before and now are more right at what LO needs, but like everything says, don't use the pump to measure your supply, because LO is much more efficient at getting enough - judge by weight gain and diaper counts, not pumped ounces.

cecilyandgautam

This varies sooo much from woman to woman but I get anywhere from 2-6 oz per 20 minutes of pumping - depends on what time of day, how much I've eaten, how hydrated I am, etc. I've recently tried "power pumping" which works wonders for me: pump 10 min, rest 10, pump 10, rest 10, pump 10 = 30 mins of pumping with 2 breaks. I did this today & got 10 oz from it!

Just another note for you - I see you list sage as one of your favorite cooking ingredients. This is a major supply DECREASER! If you're struggling with supply, I wouldn't have any sage at all. In fact, a very effective method of dealing with *over* supply is drinking sage tea. Drop the sage, add more garlic = good for supply. 

Teresa1896

So you're pumping in addition to nursing?  if this is the case, you probably are pumping less because there's not as much milk due to your child nursing throughout the day. When I stayed home, the most I usually pumped was 3 oz. Now that I'm back to work and only emptying the boobs from pumping, I produce about 4 oz every 3 hrs. 

SoonToBeMsP

aka08bride:

I work FT and pump three times per day at work. I nurse my son who is 9 weeks old whenever I am home (before work, after work, through the night). Best pumping session is the morning, I get about 5-6 oz. Midafternoon about 4 oz, Evening before I head home, 2-4 oz.

Pretty much this exactly. I sometimes get 7-8oz in the morning, depending on if DD wakes up in the middle of the night. Then 3-4oz before lunch and 3-4oz after lunch.

She eats 12oz while she is away at daycare (3 4oz bottles), and I usually get 13-14oz during that period.