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August 2013 Moms
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What's "empty" for you?

mommabmbmommabmb member
in August 2013 Moms
The LC says to pump until I'm empty on both sides and add 3 minutes... That's what I've been doing 8 weeks now. But yesterday, I was pumping in our room with a girl at work, and she was surprised I was stopping since I still had an occasional drip (1 drop in 4 pumps). She says she waits until she has no drops whatsoever.

I have supply issues, so I want to get all I can. I think I'm pumping until I'm empty, but what do you consider "done"? I feel like I could drip occasionally forever and never leave the pumping room!!
Married DH <3 : 7/7/12; 3 fur babies (2 dogs and 1 cat)
DS born 9/3/13; DD born 7/22/15; LO due 5/28/18
FS (age 5) and FD (age 2) to become AS/AD very soon!

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Re: What's &quot;empty&quot; for you?

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    BellaOsoBellaOso member
    There are multiple "letdowns" are you having more than one let down? Sometimes I will drip a little and then have another let down. Maybe she does the same. If you aren't having multiple let downs I agree you may want to keep after it awhile longer.
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    LJUTCMommyLJUTCMommy member
    I just stop pumping when the milk stops. However, if I was having supply issues or was unable to pump enough, I would continue hoping to get a second letdown.

    But I agree with @petey1106 that pumping after your milk flow has stopped is really uncomfortable.
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    girlmama83girlmama83 member
    I pump to relieve engorgement so I pump basically until I feel comfortable.

    The breast never runs out of milk so is there ever really an empty?
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    RevezRevez member
    I pump until there's nothing coming out. I can't imagine continue to pump after that point. As pps have said it's really uncomfortable. I'll drip for a minute or so, then massage and if there's nothing after that I have to stop or it becomes painful.

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    coraggiosacoraggiosa member
    I would continue to pump forever if I did that, so I pump for 15 minutes ,wherein I get at least 3 letdowns.

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    AdriainmanAdriainman member
    I agree with everyone. I just started drinking mothers milk tea this week and I feel like it has helped my supply, have you tried that yet? Good luck!
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    mommabmbmommabmb member
    BellaOso said:

    There are multiple "letdowns" are you having more than one let down? Sometimes I will drip a little and then have another let down. Maybe she does the same. If you aren't having multiple let downs I agree you may want to keep after it awhile longer.

    I usually have 2 letdowns... One at the beginning and one at 10 minutes. That's usually all I can get. Pumping with nothing coming out doesn't hurt me, it's just frustrating.
    Married DH <3 : 7/7/12; 3 fur babies (2 dogs and 1 cat)
    DS born 9/3/13; DD born 7/22/15; LO due 5/28/18
    FS (age 5) and FD (age 2) to become AS/AD very soon!

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    mommabmbmommabmb member
    Adriainman said:

    I agree with everyone. I just started drinking mothers milk tea this week and I feel like it has helped my supply, have you tried that yet? Good luck!

    I tried tea. Cookies. Herbs. Prescriptions. Exercises. I drink 200oz of water a day. I do breathing techniques to relax before every pump. I have a hands free pumping setup. I massage while I pump, too.

    I've just come to accept I won't ever make enough. But- I don't want to hurt it by not emptying like I'm supposed to!!
    Married DH <3 : 7/7/12; 3 fur babies (2 dogs and 1 cat)
    DS born 9/3/13; DD born 7/22/15; LO due 5/28/18
    FS (age 5) and FD (age 2) to become AS/AD very soon!

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    mommabmbmommabmb member
    lindsey61811 said:


    The breast never runs out of milk so is there ever really an empty?

    I think this is why I'm so confused!
    Married DH <3 : 7/7/12; 3 fur babies (2 dogs and 1 cat)
    DS born 9/3/13; DD born 7/22/15; LO due 5/28/18
    FS (age 5) and FD (age 2) to become AS/AD very soon!

    Report Reply
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    magdalina.hmagdalina.h member
    You will never truly be empty. Kellymom says to pump for 15-30 minutes. The max I pump for is 20 minutes and that's only when I get distracted and forget to turn the pump off. At work, I get 2 20 minutes breaks and in there is the set up/clean up so I pump for 15 minutes. I still have some coming out, but I can't take longer.

    I just read that electrolytes can help increase your supply. So Gatorade or water with electrolytes added might help too. Are you EPing or just pumping at work? If just EPing, still do skin to skin with baby. At work, bring something that smells like him or take a video on your phone of him "talking" that might help stimulate you more while pumping.
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    girlmama83girlmama83 member
    @magdalina.h I didn't know that about Gatorade. We drink a TON of it so I'm happy to hear this.
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    laabejalaabeja member
    You can over hydrate making your supply worse. You shouldn't be peeing completely clear. See if that helps.
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    NikkiD522NikkiD522 member
    mommabmb said:

    lindsey61811 said:


    The breast never runs out of milk so is there ever really an empty?

    I think this is why I'm so confused!
    This is how I feel too!! I normally end up continuing to pump until there's absolutely no drip.. The irony is that you then get frustrated when nothing is coming out which is probably causing you to expel even less :-( I've found that if I completely distract myself and not stare at the drip, I have better results. It's like watching water boil!!

    Also, not sure if you saw the thread the other day about flange sizes, but I'm trying different sizes as a last ditch effort to try and increase my pump amounts.. Maybe worth looking into :-)
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    atoz625atoz625 member
    I pump 15 min (20 when I forget) and usually have milk coming the whole time. I've kind of got a lot though.

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