new to pumping - please advise - how long do you pump?

Jazzyashes84 · May 2012

I have the medela double pump. (the backpack one). After meeting with the pediatrician and twice with a lactation nurse and doing the weigh-feed-weigh, we realized LO isn't getting enough from me. In the first 10min of pumping I make anywhere from 1oz to 2oz. Right now I'm having to supplement with a little bit of formula in order to make him 3oz bottles.

What I do now, is I turn it on and do the stimulation phase until I see milk coming out and right away I hit the let down button. Then I turn the dial to the "maximum comfort volume" for me and keep turning it up as I feel comfortable. After 10min like I said, I only have 1oz-2oz total.

Should I pump longer? Should I do different things within the session?

Please help /

mbc2009 · May 2012

I usually pump for about 15-20 minutes at a time, but I'm lucky to be able to produce an once to an ounce and a half each side. Lately, I'm only producing an ounce to an ounce and a half total, which sucks. Hopefully someone else will give you their input as well. Good luck and congrats on your little one!

angelfire02 · May 2012

I have the Medea pump in style that has a let down button. I turn it on to the minimum and it does that for two minutes. After the two minutes it decreases it's speed and I increase the suction for 4 minutes. I then press the let down button again if the milk is not squirting out. It slows again for two minutes. After that it goes back up for another 5 minutes, let down button again then stronger suction for 5 minutes. The process takes 20 minutes and I do that every three hours with one stretch of 4 hours at night. This is getting me about 4 oz total every time. If you don't have the let down button you can just turn your machine up and down a few times during your 20 minutes. That was the regimen I got from the LC I saw on Tuesday. Good luck!

Jazzyashes84 · May 2012

angelfire02:
I have the Medea pump in style that has a let down button. I turn it on to the minimum and it does that for two minutes. After the two minutes it decreases it's speed and I increase the suction for 4 minutes. I then press the let down button again if the milk is not squirting out. It slows again for two minutes. After that it goes back up for another 5 minutes, let down button again then stronger suction for 5 minutes. The process takes 20 minutes and I do that every three hours with one stretch of 4 hours at night. This is getting me about 4 oz total every time. If you don't have the let down button you can just turn your machine up and down a few times during your 20 minutes. That was the regimen I got from the LC I saw on Tuesday. Good luck!

If you go back to the stimulation phase though, as you are in-between, and let's say the 2 min go by and no milk has come out...do you stop? or you just continue the 20min no matter what?

ebp913 · May 2012

The PP gave good advice. Also be aware that the maximum comfort level you can take may not yield the most milk. I've heard people say that you can express more with a lower setting so you may just need to play around with it until you find what works for you.

I do the 2 min stimulation, and about 8-10 mins of low-mid level pumping power. Once milk stops spraying I hit the letdown button again and turn up the power. I sometimes do the letdown button several times if I am not seeing any milk. I pump for 20-30 mins but that's because I am at work and not with my baby all day.

angelfire02 · May 2012

Jazzyashes84:
angelfire02:
I have the Medea pump in style that has a let down button. I turn it on to the minimum and it does that for two minutes. After the two minutes it decreases it's speed and I increase the suction for 4 minutes. I then press the let down button again if the milk is not squirting out. It slows again for two minutes. After that it goes back up for another 5 minutes, let down button again then stronger suction for 5 minutes. The process takes 20 minutes and I do that every three hours with one stretch of 4 hours at night. This is getting me about 4 oz total every time. If you don't have the let down button you can just turn your machine up and down a few times during your 20 minutes. That was the regimen I got from the LC I saw on Tuesday. Good luck!
If you go back to the stimulation phase though, as you are in-between, and let's say the 2 min go by and no milk has come out...do you stop? or you just continue the 20min no matter what?

I always go for 20 minutes and if I'm producing at 20 minutes I go until it stops. I was also told to only go as string on the suction as is comfortable.

fyrefairie · May 2012

i only pump for 10 min and with 3.5 sessions i get about 16 oz during a workday...some sessions (earlier) I get 4-5 oz by end of day i get 2-2.5.....

MichelleL1118 · May 2012

If you're trying to build supply, you need to continue pumping until 2 minutes AFTER you stop producing milk. You need to give added stimulation to increase milk production. If you're stopping the pump after a set time period, you're telling your body that's all the milk it needs, and it can actually hinder supply.

sosoph · June 2012

It took me 2-3 weeks to get used to pumping enough to have reliable output. Google hands-on pumping, which was a really helpful technique. Also, try to hand express after you've finished pumping. If you can get a lot, then keep adjusting your routine until the pump is expressing most of the milk.

kms34 · June 2012

I pump for 17 minutes currently. I started at 20 and gradually dropped to 15. I don't get any more milk from minutes 15-17 but it does seem to help stimulate that more needs to be made for the next time I pump. I EP so I notice an immediate drop if there is one.

I also do a second let down half way through which seems to help.

new to pumping - please advise - how long do you pump?

Re: new to pumping - please advise - how long do you pump?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards