Worrying about the amount of breastmilk that you pump is really stressful! If you’re not pumping as much as you’d like, here are a few tricks that I’ve used to maximize pumping output and get the most milk possible out of a pumping session.
Seven Ways to Maximize Pumping Output
If you’re already spending time pumping, you want to be able to get as much milk as you possibly can while you’re there! Here are a few strategies you can try to pump more breastmilk in the same amount of pumping time.
1. Do breast compressions
Essentially, this means massaging your breasts while you pump. A lot of websites have detailed breast compression techniques – I don’t know if it’s just me (it’s probably just me) but I can never visualize exactly what I am supposed to be doing.
So basically, I just use a hands-free bra to hold the pump parts and squeeze my breasts with both hands. I move my hands around to get different parts of the breast, and I’m just trying to make sure that it’s completely emptied.
One thing to watch out for – favoring one side when doing breast compressions. I am right-handed, and my left side is now the money boob while my right side produces very little. It’s normal for there to be some degree of unevenness, but consistently doing more breast compressions on one side will mean that side gradually produces more and more milk. Don’t doom yourself (like I did) to walk around with lopsided breasts for the length of your breastfeeding experience – try and massage both sides equally!
2. Try to get a second (or third) letdown
Once the milk stops flowing, it’s tempting to stop pumping. After all, what’s the point of pumping an empty breast? However, if you take a break for a minute or two and then start the pump over again, you can usually get another small letdown of milk (maybe about 1/4-1/2 of what was expressed in the previous letdown). You can also try putting the pump back into letdown mode.
If you don’t want to bother with starting and stopping the pump, that’s totally fine too. Generally, you can get two letdowns in 20 minutes without starting and stopping the pump.
3. Try warmth
Warmth seems to help keep breast milk flowing, while cold has the opposite effect. You can try warm compresses before pumping. (A warm washcloth will do the trick, or if you’re at work, microwaving Booby Tubes is a good option.)
Lavie also makes a warming massager that seems to help some women remove milk from their breast more quickly.
4. Relax and don’t look at the bottles
Checking how much milk was in the bottles always made me anxious, and stress is not good for milk supply.
I started putting a blanket or nursing cover on even when I was alone so that I couldn’t look at them until I was done pumping. I also usually try to do something else (preferably something I enjoy) while I pump to make it kind of a break from the day instead of an annoying task. Sometimes I have to work on my laptop while I pump but other times I can read, waste time on the internet, or watch TV.
(You can also cover the bottles with socks.)
I’ve read that some people find it helpful to look at pictures or videos of their baby while they pump. This isn’t something that has worked for me but it may be worth a try. Whatever you need to do to relax!
5. Make sure your breast shields fit
Make sure that your flanges fit you correctly. I had no idea that breast shields came in different sizes and was trying to pump with the 24mm breast shield that came with my pump for weeks before a friend mentioned offhand that she’d just bought 30mm ones.
It turns out that I need 27mm shields, and this made a noticeable difference in my output.
6. Replace your pump parts
Also, pump parts just stop working over time.
If you notice that you’re starting to get less from the pump, try using a brand new set of pump parts – specifically, try replacing the membranes (here are Medela Pump in Style membranes, here are Medela Freestyle parts, here are Spectra parts), and that will help you get more breast milk. Or, you could proactively replace your pump parts every three months or so.
In the US, some insurance companies cover replacement parts. Check with the medical device company that supplied your pump to see if this is the case for you.
7. Make sure that your pump is set to the right speed
When I started pumping for the first time, I wasn’t sure what number (I have a Freestyle, which has speeds numbered from 1 to 9) to set the pump at. I figured higher = better = more milk. Let’s just say that putting that thing on 9 from the start was a bad idea.
Fortunately, I saw a lactation consultant when my son was a week old, and she told me to put the pump on the highest setting that was comfortable. This was great advice and what I’ve always done – the pump suction should be strong enough to get the milk out, but not so strong that you tense up, as that will inhibit the flow of milk.
Hopefully this will help you get the most milk possible from the pump! And if you need more tips, here are some additional ways to increase your milk supply.
References- O’Brien, Rachel, IBCLC. “Stress and Breastfeeding: How to Protect Your Milk Supply.” https://www.rachelobrienibclc.com/blog/stress-and-breastfeeding-protect-milk-supply/
- Medela. “Breast Pumping Instructions.” https://www.medela.ca/breastfeeding/advice/pumping/useful-tips
Maria says
June 22, 2018 at 10:37 amHello ladies!
I’ve been EPing since baby was born, it’ll be 4 month next week. My supply has gone down because I’m not consistent I sometimes pump every 3-4 hours but I’ve gone 5-6 hours without pumping which I think has affected my supply but thankfully I’ve been able to pump enough for each feeding. However I used to get up to 10 oz when I went past 5 hours. Not anymore.
So since I started pumping, my left breast is the one that’s usually more full but sometimes I feel it doesn’t empty when I pump. I pump between 15-20 minutes each session but lately I’ve been pumping for 10 minutes because after I get 2-3 oz within 8 minutes nothing comes out anymore and when keep pumping for the 15 minutes my left breast would hurt a lot. I massage both breast the whole time I’m pumping. I feel the “pulling” but no milk comes out then it would hurt really bad. Even though milk doesn’t come out from both breast only the left one would hurt. Sometimes if I try to hand-express I would get some milk to come out. I’m not engorged, breast feels soft but heavy. Any ideas why this could be happening? Why my pump is not emptying my breast? I recently changed parts. And why my breast hurts after?
And for those struggling with supply, my family has had me on “hot cereals” I’m from Guatemala and we have something call “13 Cereales” and “Incaparina” I’m not sure where to get them in the US so I’m not sure if I’m being helpful here but also hot chocolate and soups have help when I see a decrease in my supply.
For those drinking mothers tea and don’t see an increase in supply you might need to rethink drinking it because it might cause the opposite, like in my case I drank it for a couple of days and my milk when down for like 2-3 oz per session.
So sorry for the long message!
Ramya says
August 30, 2017 at 7:51 pmHello moms, I have an issue not sure if anyone out there has faced it. I’m eping right now because my LO stopped breastfeeding after I went back to work and I was offering him mostly botttles of pumped milk. Usually I would pump for 25 mins and will get a good supply. One night about a week ago he slept thru the night and I woke up engorged. I pumped for a while but later that day was in pain. I applied heat and pumped every 3 hours. The unusual thing that’s happening now is no matter how long I pump my left breast doesn’t feel empty. Also the milk that comes out is mostly thin watery and not white. I sat there pumping for 45 mins and got like 1 ounce of thin milk that’s it. I stopped as my nipples started hurting. It’s been a couple of days now still have the same issue and no amount of frequent pumping or warm water press is helping. 🙁
Any ideas what could be going on?
Amanda Glenn says
August 31, 2017 at 5:24 pmMaybe try massaging the affected area? Or running a comb over it? I would keep pumping that side as much as you can (the other can take a break)!
Nicole says
June 22, 2017 at 4:23 pmI stopped pumping for a couple weeks due to lack of time. (I started babysitting for my sister she didn’t want me pumping around her two boys and let me tell you they are wild) I previously pumped about 6 ounces per breast but not I’m lucky if I get 3 ounces per breast is there a way that I can get it back to where it was? I’ve increased my fluids that brought it up half an ounce. I’m just nervous for when I go back to work I don’t want to have to supplement.
Amanda Glenn says
June 22, 2017 at 8:26 pmHi Nicole! Can you give me an idea of what your schedule was like before and what it’s like now? Can you add more sessions to compensate for not pumping while you babysit?
Claudia says
June 19, 2017 at 12:22 amI’m 7 weeks postpartum I would have overflows and be able to pump 6 ounces on each breast in less then 10 minutes for couple days now it has taken more time to even pump 4 ounces. Is this NORMAL? even when my baby will nurse within 4 minutes she was done eating now she is latched on for longer minutes. does this mean my milk is decreasing?
Amanda Glenn says
June 19, 2017 at 1:31 pmHi Claudia – I think your milk supply might have regulated. This is pretty normal. Unless you’ve been decreasing the amount you pump or are getting your period back, I would expect the changes to level out.
Kara says
April 11, 2017 at 1:49 pmI’m currently about 6 weeks postpartum pumping breastmilk for my preemie who was born at 26 weeks. My understanding is that when your baby is born early, your body automatically puts more fat into your milk. Additionally, the lactation consultants at the hospital told me to eat a fairly high fat diet to make my milk richer for my baby. My milk always seemed really thick and globs of fat would separate at the top in the fridge. Anyway, I ended up with clogged ducts and mastitis last week, probably from exhaustion and the high fat content of my milk. The lactation consultant recommended that I start taking 3-5 1200 mg capsules of lecithin per day to help emulsify the fat in the milk. Since I started taking the capsules, I have noticed that my per pump outputs have increased, and my breasts feel much emptier at the end of a session than they ever did before. The milk itself seems thinner and the fat doesn’t stick to the bottles as much. I’m not sure if the increases in pumping output will hold over the long term, but for now I’m just grateful that I’m able to get my breasts emptier and hopefully avoid more clogs and mastitis.
I have to say that I have major respect for anyone who is able to exclusively pump for any amount of time. My baby will be able to try to nurse in about two weeks, and if she can’t or won’t nurse within a few weeks of coming home, I’m probably going to wean myself off the pump and switch to formula after we finish the milk I’ve been able to store in my freezer during her NICU stay. (I’m currently pumping about 33 oz. per day and she consumes about 7 oz. per day, so I’ve got some surplus for now.)
Mandy says
April 2, 2017 at 10:56 amYou mentioned pumping and getting 2 or 3 letdowns. I’m finding that I get a letdown about an hour after I pump, another one 45 mins later and I pump every 3 hours. Should I be pumping during letdown and not waiting the 3 hours? Not sure how to time pumping and letdowns.
Also I leak a ton every time I letdown. I have the reusable pads and I’m flying threw them. I feel like they are always wet and hurt my nipples, so they are constantly in the wash. Any ideas?
Amanda Glenn says
April 3, 2017 at 10:31 amHow old is your baby? If younger than 2-3 months, I think this is pretty normal. You know what you could try is Milkies – they will save the milk for you when you have a letdown. I don’t think you have to pump, but it would let you save the milk that leaks out when this happens.
Melissa Hogle says
December 28, 2016 at 4:00 amI used to be able to completely drain my milk, and now, when I pump even for a half an hour, I am lucky if I get enough milk for a whole bottle. I don’t get completely drained out anymore. I have replaced my membranes, maybe I need a different shield size? I am so engorged now a days. Just not sure what I am doing wrong. Any suggestions would be great! I used to sometimes be able to pump 20 ounces a day sometimes, but not anymore. I just pumped for almost an hour, and I got only 4 ounces out of my left, and only 2 ounces out of my right. I should have easily gotten two full size bottles each holding 5 oubnces. I am thinking hard about going in to see a consultant and see why I can’t get much more milk out then that. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! How do I know if I have the right shield size, when I pump?
Amanda Glenn says
January 2, 2017 at 8:38 amHi Melissa! Have you tried Pumpin’ Pals? I would get some (they send you three sizes at once) and then see if any one of those sizes works for you.
Abby says
October 7, 2016 at 8:48 amHi,
I have a 10 week old baby and have been pumping to increase my milk supply. I was advised to double pump every 2 to 3 hours.
Sadly I only pump 2 oz in 20min.. every 2 to 3 hours apps.
I am upset and want to know how long it will take for my milk supply to Increase a day how long I have to continue pump in this way.
A few weeks ago I was producing 3 to 4 oz in 20 to 30min and I was breastfeeding too.
Now I am exclusively pumping and only producing 2 oz in total in 20min.
Hope to hear from you soon
Linda says
July 30, 2017 at 11:24 amI am also exclusively pumping and only prosuce 2-3 oz every 2-3 hours. After 15 min or so, i get no more milk. Have lactation cookies and mothers milk tea. Am at a loss. So, no help from me, but in the same boat.
Annie says
September 17, 2016 at 7:38 amHi! I was wondering when do you know to replace pump parts (i.e., the yellow membranes). I have inspected mine and the white membrane still seems to fall nicely against the yellow adaptor. Is there something that I should specitically look for?
Also, when do you know when your breasts have drained completely? I usually pump for about 30-40 min and sometimes stop, when the flow is very slow (i.e., a drop every minute or so).
Thanks!
Amanda Glenn says
September 17, 2016 at 9:45 amHi Annie! I have never been able to tell by looking at them. I usually replace about every two months or when I notice the suction going down.
I’ve heard that you can never *completely* drain your breasts, so I think once you’ve gotten two letdowns (or three, if you’re pumping fewer than 3 or 4 times a day), that’s great.
Clare F says
September 6, 2016 at 7:00 amHi, I’m two weeks postpartum with a premie that came at 26 weeks. I’ve been pumping since day one and am only getting 15-30ml combined at each session. My right breast is the one producing the majority. When I pump, my left nipple is always tender (both on the same setting and the right one is fine), has a tiny bump on it and never produces as much as the right breast. Help!
Amanda Glenn says
September 6, 2016 at 3:14 pmHi Clare! Congrats on your baby! It’s totally normal for the amounts produced to vary quite a bit. As far as the tenderness goes – you might need a different size flange on that side. If you can swing it I would see if you can see the LC at your baby’s hospital and ask her to watch you pump to see if that is the problem. She might also be able to tell what the bump is. Good luck!
Flor says
August 28, 2016 at 12:02 pmHi so my daughter stopped breastfeeding completely after they relaesed her tongue & I’ve been exclusivley pumping & trying to increase my supply I’ve tried EVERYTHING! But one thing i changed was that i now only pump about 10-15 on a dbl pump because my lactation consulatant told me that pumping 30min was too long??? Should i go bk to pumping 30 min to possibly increase supply help!!!
Jena says
August 8, 2016 at 8:30 amI usually have to pump for a minimum of 45 minutes up to an hour and 15 minutes to drain my breast… I usually end up getting anywhere from 8 to 11oz each time but it seems crazy to me to be on this machine this long!! Anyone else have this issue or had this issue and found somethings that helped decrease the time?
Gail says
August 18, 2016 at 3:17 pmI had the same issue and was getting so frustrated! I found that if i slowly turned up the speed after I got going, I could finish much faster (and without the shock of turning it up so high from the beginning). This got me down from 45-60 minutes to more like 30-35 minutes. Someone also suggested I replace the membranes more frequently but I have not tested that yet.
Samantha says
July 10, 2016 at 7:44 pmI tried to pump for 20 minutes but my breasts never empty that quickly so I continue to pump. How long should I keep going then? Sometimes if takes almost an hour.
Crystal says
June 30, 2016 at 4:02 pmHow do I figure out what size shield I need? I’m really struggling with my supply. I’m having to supplement and my son spits up formula…never breast milk. I got fenugreek today to try. Figure I should see if my shields are wrong. Thanks
Amanda Glenn says
June 30, 2016 at 4:10 pmHi Crystal – there are some diagrams here that might help! Otherwise, trial and error (as annoying as that is) is your best bet.
https://blog.medelabreastfeedingus.com/2015/05/medela-breastshield-sizing-guide/#.V3WKpZMrJE4
Amalya love says
July 27, 2017 at 12:43 amFenugreek and milk thistle is working for me take it in tea so it runs into your milk supply faster
Stephanie B says
February 3, 2014 at 5:17 pmWhat pump parts do you generally recommend replacing? Just the little yellow valves and membranes? Or also the connectors and flanges? Also, I was wondering recently if I should proactively replace the tubing? Or is that usually long lasting? Sometimes I worry that the moisture in the tubing could cause bacteria growth over time…even though I let the pump run after I am done pumping to try to remove the moisture.
The Extreme Pumper says
February 4, 2014 at 11:25 amHi Stephanie! You have a hospital grade pump, right? I think those pump parts are the same as the Pump in Style. On that pump, I haven’t had a problem with the flanges or tubing, just the connectors, yellow valves, and membranes. I actually just replaced them for my work pump and was like why did I not do this three months ago?!? 🙂
I also have a Freestyle and on that one, I have had to replace all of the parts but the flanges. (The tubing is permanent and can’t be replaced.)
That’s a good question about tubing and bacteria. Have you tried putting the tubing in one of those microwave steam cleaning bags Medela sells? That might do the trick if you haven’t.
Stephanie B says
February 5, 2014 at 2:13 pmThanks! You know, I did clean the tubing on my other pump because I actually spilled milk on it once (used the Medela steam bags). So I should maybe do the same with the tubing on my hospital grade pump.
Funny non-related comment. So this morning, I was looking EVERYWHERE for my hands-free pumping bra. I had used it in the middle of the night. I thought, did my dog take it and hide it somewhere? (She has an obsession with doing that with socks and underwear in the hamper). Anyways, I gave up, because I really NEEDED to pump. I used my back-up. As I was getting hooked up…there was my other bra! Still partially wrapped around ME in between my nursing cami and lightweight robe. I had apparently slept the rest of the night with it! 🙂
The Extreme Pumper says
February 11, 2014 at 1:58 pmThat is too funny! 🙂 Glad you found it, hahaha!