Are you brand new at exclusively pumping, and not sure what exactly you should be doing? Here are some common FAQs about exclusively pumping for a newborn baby, including how often to pump, how long your pumping sessions should be, when you should be pumping, and how to make exclusive pumping easier.
When I started exclusively pumping, I had no idea what I was doing.
For example, I didn’t know that you were supposed to take the pump parts apart to wash them. I had no idea why my breasts dribbled milk sometimes and sprayed milk sometimes. And I wasn’t sure what speed I was supposed to set my pump to.
Here are the basics that I learned over time about how to exclusively pump with a newborn baby to build and maintain a milk supply, so you don’t have to bumble through it like I did!
How often should I pump when exclusively pumping for a newborn?
With a baby under three months of age, lactation consultants often recommend that you pump every two to three hours, or 8 to 12 times a day, because this mimics how often your baby would nurse if he or she were nursing.
My thoughts on the subject are a little different – to me, it really depends on when you are starting to pump exclusively. If you are starting it straight out of the hospital (maybe you decided on exclusive pumping before your baby was born), I would recommend at least 7 but no more than 10 pumping sessions per day.
If you start exclusively pumping a little later, and you’ve already established something of a supply – maybe too much, maybe too little, or maybe the right amount – I would adjust the 7 to 10 pumps per day guideline based on where you are at. If you have low milk supply and want to bring it up, it might be a good idea to start at 10. If you have oversupply, 7 might be enough.
As your baby gets older, you can drop pumping sessions and pump less frequently.
How long should I pump for?
If you are exclusively pumping, you should be pumping for a minimum of two hours or 120 minutes per day. To determine how long you should be pumping for during each pumping session, divide 120 by the number of times that you’re pumping and set that as your goal. So if you’re pumping 8 times per day, you should pump for 15 minutes at a time.
(If you want to pump more than that, that’s fine! Just don’t pump so much that you get burned out.)
You should pump for your full pumping time even if milk stops flowing, for two reasons. First, the nipple stimulation helps protect your milk supply long-term. Second, your milk might letdown (start spraying) again, allowing you to pump more milk. (Here is a full explanation of letdowns and how they work.)
Tip: If your pump doesn’t have a timer on it (like the Medela Freestyle), set a timer on your phone so that you can see how long you’ve been pumping and how much more time you have to go. It’s easy to overestimate how long you’ve been hooked up to the pump (at least, for me it is).
When should I pump?
When my son was a newborn, I pumped whenever he ate – my routine was to bottle feed him, change him, and then lay him down on my lap while I pumped. He would fall asleep, and I would transfer him to his bassinet once I unhooked. Other moms prefer to pump on a schedule, at certain times of the day regardless of when baby eats.
There are advantages to both methods. Pumping on a schedule means that you know when you’ll need to pump and can plan accordingly, while if you pump when baby eats, you might get stuck out of the house with no pump and need to re-adjust.
On the other hand, pumping when your baby eats is an easy way to ensure that you are pumping frequently enough as it mimics nursing. It also eliminates extra night wakings if your baby doesn’t wake up when you’re scheduled to pump.
Some sample pumping schedules are available here.
Many experts recommend that one pumping session be between 1am and 4am, as most women tend to have a high output at this time. (This may be due to higher prolactin levels at night.) If you are concerned about supply and are not currently pumping during this time, it might be a good idea to try this.
How much much milk should I be producing?
This varies quite a bit. Ideally, at each pumping session, you would get enough (plus maybe a little more!) for baby’s next feeding. However, it often doesn’t work out that way. Some women will get 4oz for their newborns and others will get a few drops.
However much you get, you are doing great.
How much breast milk will my baby need?
On average, most newborns will drink 1.5-3oz per feeding, or 20-25 ounces per day. (I did a survey on this topic, and you can read more about the results here. The average for 0-1 month olds was 22.3oz; 1-2 month olds averaged 26.3oz.) My son was huge and was up to 30oz by one month of age, so this can also vary widely.
If you don’t make enough breast milk and find that you need to supplement with formula, here are some tips for doing so.
What speed should I set my pump to?
First, breast pumps have two modes – letdown mode (light and fast) and expression mode (higher suction and slower). Many breast pumps automatically switch from letdown mode to expression mode after two minutes.
When in expression mode, you should set your speed to the highest speed that is comfortable. Slowly move it up to a higher speed until you start to feel discomfort, and then dial it back one setting. That’s the perfect suction for you.
How can I make this easier?
I think there are three things that make exclusively pumping more manageable.
First, get into a routine. This applies for everything related to pumping – pumping, feeding, washing bottles and pump parts, freezing extra milk – figure out a schedule or system for managing so you don’t have to think about it.
Second, there are a few products that can really help, such as a hands-free bra, extra pump parts, etc. A full list of what you might find helpful as an exclusive pumper is available here.
Last but not least – community! Subscribe to the Exclusive Pumping newsletter to get tips and support sent to you every week, or join our Facebook group. Being an exclusive pumper can feel lonely sometimes, but you’re not alone, so join us!
Is the 120 mins a total for the combined breadth or individually? I currently only have a single pump so I’m wondering if ill need to double the time when I switch sides.
Also, so happy to have found this site. I have an over supply so latching is difficult for my LO, he gets overwhelmed or refuses because of the hardness of my breasts and it’s painful! He’s 4 weeks now so I am looking at alternatives and hoping my supply regulates.
Hi, it’s for each breast – sorry! I know that’s a lot of time. Do the best you can.
Hello, thanks so much for your page! I am a mom of four who is having to exclusively pump with my fourth who is 3 weeks old. This is a whole different game! I think I’m doing this all wrong. I read that I should be pumping for a total of 120 minutes daily?! I’m sooo confused! Help?
Thank you ahead of time.
Hi Iris! Congrats on your new baby! Yes, 120 minutes a day. I would do 7-8 sessions of about 15 minutes each. Of course, with 3 other kids to take care of, just do your best!
Thank you SO MUCH for this site and all your amazing advice.
I just started EP 2 days ago, I have a 2 week old and just too much pain with BF and difficulty latching.
Question – I notice the pumping sessions are by time. What if at 15 minutes, my boobs are still “spraying” in the lactation mode? Should I stop at 15 minutes or stop when they stop? Sometimes my right boob will never stop after even like 30 minutes! But that long of a pump session is not sustainable for me at every 2-3 hours.
Also, sometimes my right will be producing and not my left (I double side pump with my Spectra S9). Should I unhook one and just keep pumping the other?
I am considering renting a hospital grade pump from my IBCLC. Worth it?
Hi Amy! It’s great to hear from you! I think if you have time at the end of the 15 minutes I would keep pumping. If it seems like it is just taking forever, here are a few ideas:
https://exclusivepumping.com/pump-breast-milk-faster/
What kind of pump were you thinking of renting – a Symphony?
Hello Amanda,
First of all thanks for the great info. I’ve been EP for 3 weeks as I have plain nipple and had a terrible start on BF. I’m still trying to nurse my LO but I’m losing hope, she is currently 4 weeks old :(. (been with nipple shields, sringe suply, formula supply, with a result of sore and cracked nipples and a lot of frustation about BF)
I’m doing about 6 – 7 pumping sessions per day (at night I only wake up if LO wakes, she’s sleeping 5 to 6 hours in a row), and pumping for about 40 to 50 minutes each session. I don’t feel that I’m fully emptying myself despite the long sessions, I also get a wide range of milk, I have gotten from 2oz pp to 8 Oz pp. Most of the times I get between 3 to 4 oz pp for an average of 21 Oz per day.
What can I do to ensure I’m fully emptying my breasts but without adding more time to my pumping sessions? In fact I would like to reduce the pumping time but without reducing the amount of milk I get, as it is a little bit less than I would like to produce.
I have a medela PISA and also using pumping pals (middle), sometimes I use a mechanical extractor avent but I feel it hurts my nipples so bad.
Thanks for your help! 🙂
Hi there! First, congrats on your baby. You are doing a great job!
I feel you – that is a long time to be pumping. Check out this post of how to pump faster –
https://exclusivepumping.com/pump-breast-milk-faster/
If you think it’s a problem with getting letdowns, I would definitely try vibration (like with an electric toothbrush or one of the lactation massagers that’s linked in that post). If it’s just that the milk flows super slow, try lecithin.
I hope this helps! Good luck!
Hi!
I recently started pumping instead of breastfeeding due to being close to going back to work. I don’t have a schedule for pumping, I just pump whenever I feel like I need to. Sometimes doing this can lead to me not pumping anywhere from 4-6 hrs if I’m out of the house or if I’m sleeping and then there are times where I’m pumping every 2 hrs. Is it bad to switch up pumping hrs like that? And will it decrease my supply waiting so long to pump?
Hi! It’s not bad – newborns don’t eat on a strict schedule, so it’s okay if you don’t pump on one! I would just make sure that you’re pumping for about 120 minutes each day and you should be okay.
How do I go from breastfeeding exclusively to pumping exclusively? What’s the process to build up an inventory of pumped milk while maintaining feeding for my baby? Should I pump at each feeding – I currently average 9-10 feedings per day – while giving him formula or should I pump after feeding and just continue this cycle to build up the inventory of pumped milk? What’s the best and most efficient way to transition?
Hi Georgia! This might help:
https://exclusivepumping.com/how-to-start-exclusively-pumping-breast-milk/
Basically, you just need enough for one feeding ahead. You can do formula for that or you can pump after nursing to get enough. Does that make sense? Let me know if you have any questions!
Thank you so much for making this site!
I think I might be over pumping, my baby is 2.5 weeks and eating 3oz every 2-3 hours during the day and 3-4 at night. I’m pumping 7 times a day for 30 mins each session so that’s 210 minutes a day. I get about 34-40oz a day. I’d love to cut down to either less pumps or shorter sessions but I have no clue how to start and I don’t want to jeopardize my supply.
Hi Shea! I would maybe cut one session at a time down to 20 minutes and see what happens. Give it a week or so between reducing just to make sure you don’t see a loss as time goes on. Also, I would do breast compressions to see if that helps you get the same amount of milk in less time. Do you think it takes 30 minutes to “empty” or are you mostly empty before then?
So I realized I’m mostly empty by 20 minutes. I think since my pump went for 30 minutes I figured I should be pumping for that long. Thanks for the help! Hopefully I can raven get down to 15 minutes one day.
Good luck! 🙂
Thanks! How much fenugreek should I take a day?
Hi Janet! I would start with 2 capsules 3 times a day! More info here:
https://exclusivepumping.com/fenugreek-for-increasing-milk-supply/
Hi! My baby is 6 weeks old, I’ve been exclusively pumping for about 4 weeeks, he was tongue tied and we got it fixed but I can’t get him to latch correctly yet. I’ve been pumping every 3 hours during the day and take a 5-6 hour gap between pumping at night to maintain my sanity and sleep a little but I’m exhausted. Don’t feel like I can keep going like this much longer. Will I always have to pump this much? And what about when my baby starts needing more and more ounces. Will my body just know to make more milk? I used to be able to get 2 feedings out of a pump session now I’m only getting 1 feeding . I’ve extended my pump sessions from 20 to 30 minutes to see if I can get more but it doesn’t seem to help… my goal is to stop pumping at 3 months but to have enough milk stashed to feed him for 6, unless I can get him to latch correctly which I’m praying I can but staring to lose hope
Hi Janet! Congrats on your six week old! It sounds like you are doing great.
You won’t always have to pump this much. You must be pumping about 7 times per day now? I think you can move to 6. Just keep your total pumping time in a day the same.
I would try eating oatmeal or power pumping or maybe fenugreek to try to increase supply. I hope this helps!
Janet I feel like I just read my own experience word for word! I also have a 6 week old, we had his TT fixed but he won’t latch as he’s so used to the bottle, it’s too painful to put him on the boob! I ended up with mastitis as a result of bad latch. The doctor gave me Domperidone and my milk came back within a matter of days 🙂
Abby
My son is 7 days old.
I try to latch him before every feeding, with varying success. If he does latch it’s for a few minutes. We had to supplement with formula for his health.
I pump 8-10 times a day whenever he feeds (so latch, formula, then I pump). The issue is I struggle to get half an ounce at each session…I take fenugreek, eat oatmeal, etc but still half an ounce or less. It’s so frustrating.
Hi Emi! Congrats on your new baby! You are doing a great job. I can see how that would be sooo frustrating.
How long have you been taking fenugreek? What dose are you taking?
Hi! Thanks so much for this site, so helpful! I want to switch over to BF, but my little 7 day old has not been responsive since the get go. I’ve been pumping since the beginning (trying to latch him here and there when it feels right)
I’m pumping every time he eats(every 2.5-3 hours) for 20 Minutes. I’m just finally starting to get 3ish oz, but sometimes it’s less so we are topping up with formula. He’s eating 3-3.5 per feed. I’m not sure how to increase this? Does this sound normal? I don’t know how I can pump
More frequently with a toddler running around also, and I’m afraid to leave the house and be longer than 2.5-3 hours and it effect my supply.
Hi Joanna! congrats on your brand new baby! HAve you tried power pumping, oatmeal, fenugreek, or any other milk boosting options? Here are some ideas to start – let me know if you have any questions. Your supply might increase naturally at 7 days out if you stick to your schedule (your schedule is great!) but it’s not a bad idea to try some things too! Hope this helps!
https://exclusivepumping.com/increasing-milk-supply/
I have a 8 week old and have been pumping exclusively for about 7 weeks. In the beginning I had mastitis and a my baby had a tongue tie which lead to the pumping. I had a very low supply in the beginning and we had to supplement. But through lots of effort have increased it to now pumping 7 times per day for a total of 45-50 oz per day. I have stockpiled a lot in the freezer already and would also like to get down to 6 pumps per day. I am still pumping in the middle of the night and at about 5:30 in the morning. My problem is If I go close to 4 hours between pumps my breasts feel hard and lumpy. Any advice?
Hi Kelley! Which pumping session do you want to drop – the middle of the night one? If so, here’s how to do that!
https://exclusivepumping.com/drop-middle-of-the-night-pumping-sessions/
Hi! I am 3 weeks post partum and pumping 8-9 times a day for 15-20 minutes a session. I’m only getting about 3 oz per session and 23-26 ounces per day. Is this normal? Will it increase?
I had mastitis in my left boob and that boob is still under producing. I am just hoping I can increase my supply to eventually start a freezer stash and provide enough to feed my baby!
Hi Chelsea! Congrats on your baby! That sounds pretty normal to me. I would say that if you’re not making more around the one month mark and would like to, it’s worth trying some of the strategies for increasing milk supply. Let me know if you need ideas!
I’m so grateful for this website! When I told the lactation consultant I wanted to exclusively pump because baby wasn’t getting latching down and I wanted to know exactly how much he was eating, the consultant made me feel awful. Virtually all support stopped there. It’s so nice to have this website for education and support.
I’m so sorry that happened to you Renee!
My baby is 8 weeks old, I tried at about 5 weeks to switch from breastfeeding to exclusive pumping. It worked for about 2 days then he refused the bottles. Im wanting to try again so I can actually see how much he’s eating. Im wondering if with pumping will my supply increase as his needs do or I’d it just kind of a fixed amount you can pump? Also I was wondering if I could still nurse for the nighttime feeds instead of pumping?
Hi Heather! It probably won’t increase without effort (but his intake probably won’t increase that much from 5 weeks on, either – after a month it’s pretty consistent. But if you need to there are some methods for increasing milk supply that you could try. And yes, you can nurse for nighttime feeds if you want. Good luck!
Hello, just wanted to say thank you for this website. I wish the hospital and or breastfeeding class informed me about EP. So I’ve been all over the place with breastfeeding. I’ve breastfed on both side, then one side and pumping the other side, pumped after breastfeeding and breastfed and supplementing. Now my son is 3 weeks, how do I start with exclusively pumping. Do I give him a bottle(formula) for 1 session, pump, and go from there? I just hope I’m not taking a step backwards. They say babies are more efficient at getting milk than pumps. The pump I have is a Medela Symphony.
Hi Tracy! YEs, that it what I would do!
Some women don’t respond well to the pump but plenty of us do. My supply was a lot higher for the baby I EPed for than the babies I nursed. Hopefully you are one of the lucky ones 🙂
Hi Amanda, your website is so helpful and educational, I have been reading as much as I can since my daughter was born. She lost 13% body weight in the first few days so we supplemented with formula. Fortunately by day 5 my milk finally came in and I have been exclusively pumping ever since. I pump 6 times a day, my schedule is 12am 4am 8am 12pm 4pm 8pm, basically every 4 hours for 30 minutes per session. I know you suggest 7-8 times per day for newborns but I just couldn’t commit to that. my 30 mins per session amounts to 180 minutes per day so hopefully that makes it up. Baby girl is now 3 weeks old, she’s eating on average 600ml (roughly 20oz per day), and I am pumping average 120-130ml per session so about 900ml (roughly 30oz) per day. We use the Glow Baby app to keep tracking of her feeding amount and my pump amount total. My question is are we doing it right? Does this sound like a good plan? At what point can I drop the 4am pump at night? As long as I keep up the pumping 6 times a day for 30 mins each, what are the chances of my milk flow stopping? Thanks for listening.
You’re doing awesome. I think what you’re doing is working great for you and I wouldn’t worry about milk flow stopping.
Instead of dropping the 4am I would push it back so that you still have 6 sessions but they are all during the day. Maybe around the 6 week mark if you can make it that long? If not, do what you need to do to stay sane. Good luck!
Hello! I have a 9 day old. She’s eating 3 oz every 3 hours, cleared to eat every 4 at night because she’s already back up to her birth weight. I’m producing 4.5-6oz. I was pumping every 3 hours, but am wondering if it would be safe to start pumping when she eats/7 times a day. Increasing time from 15 to 20 min. I’d be fine if the 20 min increases my supply but I’m really hoping to get more sleep, since she’s perfectly fine to sleep those 4 hour stretches.
I think that sounds like a good plan!
Hi Ive been pumping since the day I left the hospital with my son because he wouldn’t latch anymore due to him getting congested and me becoming engorged. My son is 4 weeks old and I am producing between 35-44oz. I pump 8-10 times every 2-3 hrs during the day and at night 3-4 hrs. I was wondering when would I be able to drop a pump without it causing me to loose my supply. My goal for now is to reach 6 months.
Hi Linda! I think you could go down to 7 right now and 6 in a few weeks and be okay! Just keep your total pumping time in a day the same.
I am 9 weeks post partum. Baby was born three weeks early. Nursing turned into hell, he hated it due to the effort required after we were instructed at the hospital from birth to give formula, sas he was small. So bottles were introduced in addition to breast. Now, he prefers bottle. Nursing ends with us both sobbing, and him not fed, so I gave up.
Despite, I want him to get breastmilk so I have resisted throwing in the towel. I have managed to get up to around 14oz a day by pumping. I have tried fenugreek, though I don’t think I took enough, no maple bender odors. I pump 8-10 times a day, “power pump” several nights a week in a row, after 9pm. I wake up during the night and pump when baby feeds. I hand express whatever is left after pumping.
Rather despairing as it sounds (via the Interweb’s) like I should be able to produce twice this amount at least. Baby is insatiable and every drop i have passes through his maws at an alarming rate.
I did not pump consistently for the first few weeks after birth. I was really struggling. Am I too far gone to up my supply? I don’t really know what other tricks to try? I have seen increases of a few ounces more a day over the last month, but nowhere close to what I read. Perhaps I get 1-2oz per pump session.
Help.
I’m so sorry Jess! You are doing a great job. I think 9 weeks is still early … I think the things I would start with would be oatmeal for breakfast and the correct dose of fenugreek. If that doesn’t work, maybe you could look in domperidone or reglan? Not as easy to get though.
Seriously, you’re doing great!
I’m doing 15 minute sessions each time
OK great! I might increase that to 20 minutes and see if it helps. Are you getting a second letdown when you pump? I was thinking the extra time might help you get one if not and therefore increase the amount you pump. Let me know if you have any questions!
I have a 13 day old baby. We tried breastfeeding and pumping, and supplemented with formula from when she came home from the hospital. I was initially producing 3oz per session, but now it’s dropped to below 1.5oz per session. I pump 6-7 times per day. IVe been drinking the mother’s milk tea and eating oatmeal. Any other suggestions? Is it normal to reduce so drastically in the first few weeks? Will my supply go up again on its own?
Hi Amanda! Congrats on your baby! It sounds like you are doing all of the right things! I’m not sure what happened there. Maybe your supply regulated really early? I think I would try fenugreek and see if that’s helpful – a fenugreek/blessed thistle combo might be worth a hot. How long are your sessions?
Hi,
I’ve been pumping 8 times a day (occasionally 7) for 8 weeks now. Will my supply have regulated yet? I produce between 1000 And 1200ml each day roughly and my baby currently takes approx 700-800ml so I’m freezing the remaining milk. My intention isn’t to freeze a huge supply so I don’t mind if I produce a little bit less. I’d love to be able to drop a couple of pumping sessions, can I safely do this yet or should I wait until she is 12 weeks old? I try to stick to a set schedule every 3 hours but lookingafter a little one means I often am late with my pumping session… does this matter as long as I am still doing 2 hours of pumping within 24 hours? I read somewhere about a woman who has reduced her pumps to 4 a day but still gets the same amount, I’d love to be able to do that… any advice on where to start?
Hi Cat! Do you feel like you’re leaking less, maybe like your breasts are less hard/full than they were at the beginning? If so, it’s probably regulated. More info here:
https://exclusivepumping.com/when-is-milk-supply-established/
I think you’d be fine to drop to 6 now. Just make sure you increase the length of your sessions so that your total pumping time in a day stays the same. Good luck!
This may sound like a dumb question, but how do you start on “Day 1”? I read the article about pumping after you bottle feed and using the schedule – I dig it, but how do you get started on the first feed if you don’t have a “reserve” from prior feeds?
I’m a first-time mom (due May 2019), so forgive my naivete. I’m just imagining: (1)baby is born, (2)baby is hungry (how soon after birth are they ready to eat?), (3) I have nothing to feed baby because I haven’t had a chance to pump anything. Sorry if that sounds crazy.
Not a dumb question! I wrote a post about pumping from birth that might be helpful:
https://exclusivepumping.com/exclusively-breast-pumping-from-birth/
I would start with formula until you have enough breast milk to feed. Colostrum can be hard to pump, and like you said, you need to be able to get ahead. Good luck!
hi,
my daughter suffered a cardiac arrest at 5 weeks and we have been in hospital ever since.
the down time has caused some brain damage which has affected her ability to swallow. i have been expressing for the past 10 weeks so she can still be tube fed my milk.
i am currently pumping four hourly in the day and was advised to get some sleep and leave it 8 hours overnight (8,12,4,8 and 12). my milk has sustained because i upgraded to an ardo double pump and i express about 100ml a 20minute session.
we are due to be discharged within the next few weeks so i will be solely responsible for my daughter’s care. i don’t think i will be able to fit in expressing every 4 hours at home.
would i be able to express every 8 hours, 3 times a day and still keep up a supply?
i have plenty stored up in the freezer if not but i would just like some advice.
thanks
Hi Lauren! I hope that your baby is doing better and am so happy that you’re being discharged! Regarding supply it’s possible, but it’s hard to say for sure. The big risk is that you’ll get your period back earlier than you otherwise would have (longer breaks between lactation sessions can do that), but it could also be fine. It just depends on your risk threshold. Also, it depends on your goals – if you’re planning to pump for another few months, I would be more likely to say go for it than if you wanted to pump for a full year.
I’m not sure about your baby’s health situation – are you able to hold her while you pump, wearing a hands-free bra?
iam 4 week pp is it possible to pump 7 times in the day and divide that by 120mins its so hard to get that 8th pump in without feeling like my nipples are going to fall off hahaha
Yes! You can do that. 🙂
Hi my daughter was born 2.5 weeks ago and I have been pumping since day 3. I pump 7-8 times a day for 20 mins each and have seen an increase in my supply from just a few ml initially to around 3 oz total (both breasts) per session. I am able to keep up with her needs with this amount, although not by a large margin (I usually have 1 or 1.5 feedings worth of a “stash”). If I keep up this schedule, will my supply continue to increase as she grows and starts taking 3-4 oz at the end of her first month? So far so good but I am worried I won’t keep pace with her. Thank you!
Hi SJ! I think you may continue to see an increase over the next week or two. If not, there are a few things that you could try (eating oatmeal, power pumping, fenugreek) that might get you to where you want to be. Good luck!
Hello my baby is almost one month . I was using nipple shield bc I have have flat nipples but the lactation consultant said to stop using them . My baby doesn’t have the best latch and his sucking doesn’t seem so efficient . He doesn’t seem to sleep so last night we gave him a bottle (breast milk) as slept so peaceful .
I’m glad the bottle helped him sleep!
I just wanted to take a minute and say how thankful I am for your site. I just had my first baby last Thursday. I thought I was fully prepared. I took multiple breastfeeding classes and read multiple books, but all just kind of skipped over pumping. So I went to the hospital with the full intention of exclusively breastfeeding. Plans changed when my baby was placed in the NICU for her first week. Plans changed again when the lactation Consultant noticed she had a posterior tongue tie after she wouldn’t latch, and I was told I would have to pump in order to get her the milk she needed. I was LOST. There were all these parts, and I was in constant pain because I didn’t know what I was doing. Not to mention I was only producing a few drops that some nurses scoffed at when I brought them to the NICU. With this, and not being able to be there full time for my baby, I’ve never felt so overwhelmed. Since then, I am so thankful to say we are now home, but I have still felt very overwhelmed by the whole exclusively pumping concept. Today, I ran across your site and you advice and tips have already helped me so much, and I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your wisdom!
I’m so glad to hear that! Best of luck with everything and let me know if you have any questions!
Hi! My baby is 6 weeks old today. I have been exclusively pumping since day 1. I was producing well and then I got reoccurring mastitis and was on a antiobiotics 3 weeks in a row and still trying to build my supply back up. I’m pumping every 2-3 hours for 15-20 minutes. I pump 7-9 times a day. I’m only getting roughly 15oz-18oz a day and having to supplement the rest with formula. I am taking fenugreek, and I’m on my third batch of lactation cookies and have increased my water. Is there anything I can do to increase my supply?
Hi Nikole! Congrats on your baby and I’m so sorry that you’ve had mastitis! What dose of fenugreek are you taking, and do you smell like maple syrup at all?
Hi i am exclusively pumping and my baby is now 4 weeks. I am concerned about the milk supply if it might increase since my child is aksing for more. I pump 12 times a day each for 15 mins
Hi Ania! It sounds like your schedule is good. What kind of a pump are you using, and have you tried anything (like fenugreek or other herbs or anything) to bring it up?
Hiya
Your site has been a total blessing.
Quick question about pumping 15 mins per session…. should I split that between each breast, or alternate between each breast every other session.
Thnx!
K
Hi Kim! So glad to hear it! It’s 15 minutes for EACH breast, unfortunately. So if you’re single pumping, it would take you 30 minutes. Does that answer your question?
Hiya. Yes it does.
Thank you!
Hi Amanda,
My baby is 3 weeks old and I’m exclusively pumping every 3 to 4 hours for 20min and getting an average of 150ml/5oz for a total of 300ml/10oz from each breast each time I pump, except for those times I find myself falling asleep and waking up 45 min later. When that happens I wake up to the bottles overflowing in my lap, ugh!!! Do you think there is anyway I can reduce the number of sessions I’m doing a day at this point it should I wait longer to give my body time to regulate out how much milk it’s making?
Thanks,
Samantha
Hi Samantha! So you’re doing 7-8 sessions a day for 20 minutes each, and getting 70ish ounces a day? I think you’re okay to drop down to 6 sessions a day at 20-25 minutes with that kind of oversupply. Waiting three more weeks would be a bit safer, but that’s a lot of milk! Obviously, anything can happen, and that’s just my guess.
You might want to consider getting 8oz bottles so you don’t overflow! Good luck!!!
Every 3 hours for about 20-30 minutes. I’m getting about an ounce on each side for now which is progress. Just trying to keep positive and continue. I’m fine with supplementing but I want to make sure he gets some from me.
I am currently having a lot of issues with nursing my 4 week old son. We had his tongue tie released but we still can’t get a painfree latch. I have been fluctuating between nursing and pumping when I can’t tolerate the pain. I have some questions about length of pumping and output. I only ever get one drop at a time while pumping. There is never a stream of milk coming out and only once have I noticed a tiny spraying of milk. Usually by the 15 minute mark I have not produced enough to cover the bottom of the bottles. I have noticed I produce more milk between the 20 and 30 minute mark. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process slightly so I don’t have to pump for 30 minutes 8 times per day?
Hi Audrey! It sounds like you’re not getting a letdown with the pump? That is my guess from what you said. Some ideas to help you get one – warm compresses or the shower, a lactation massager or electric toothbrush, looking at pictures/videos of your baby. More info here – https://exclusivepumping.com/how-to-boost-milk-supply-letdowns/ Hope this helps!
Hello,
My second baby boy was born this past Monday (June 25). I decided beforebhe was born to exclusively pump and have been pumping furiously every since. My question is how much should I be producing at this point (today is June 29)? He’s already eating 3 oz (breast milk and formula) but I’ve only been producing about 1 oz per session. I’m getting frustrated. Is it normal for my milk to come in this late?
Hi Jaime! That is definitely within the range of normal! What does your pumping schedule look like? You’re doing a great job, and congratulations!
Thank you so much! This is really helpful – I’ll definitely give that a go. 🙂
Hi Amanda,
Thank you SO much for your helpful website, it has been a lifesaver as I’ve gotten started with exclusive pumping!
My baby is four weeks old today, and I started pumping from the beginning. The hospital told me to pump 20 minutes, 8 times per day (which is a total of 160 minutes per day) which I have been doing consistently. However, I have a huge oversupply (over 50 oz per day) which is still increasing every single day. I am becoming more and more uncomfortable and less able to last 2.5 hours between pumps without serious discomfort.
A few days ago I decided to drop to 7 pumps per day (increasing to 23 minutes per pump to keep the overall time the same), thinking it might plateau my supply or at least slow it down, however, it has continued to increase and I’m pumping more now than I was on eight pumps per day.
Today I read this article above again and noticed that you suggest 120 minutes across the day – I am currently doing 160. Do you think that without getting mastitis or clogged ducts I could either:
a) keep up my 7 pumps per day, but drop to 17 minutes per side (bringing it to a total of 120 minutes per day), or
b) drop down to 6 pumps per day, of 20 minutes each (still coming to a total of 120 minutes per day)
I don’t want to do anything that would affect my long term supply as I’d like to keep this up for a year if possible, but I’m concerned that the supply is growing so much and I’m in more and more discomfort. Still, if that’s what has to happen, that’s what I’ll do!
Thanks so much!
Hi! I do think you can reduce you total amount of time pumping in a day, I would just do it slowly. So you’re at 23 minutes each, I would drop 3 minutes from one of those sessions one day, and 3 from another the next day, and so on. That way you can keep an eye on your supply and it won’t be a shock to the system to drop so many minutes at once. If you do see a drop and you get nervous, I would just hold steady for a few days and see what happens. Good luck!