If your baby eats more than you produce, it can be stressful! Many breastfeeding websites will recommend things like staying in bed and doing nothing but nursing when there are issues with supply so that a breastfeeding mother can get plenty of nipple stimulation and rest at the same time. While this is great advice, it won’t help women that are exclusively pumping. If you are making less than your baby is eating – or even if you just want the peace of mind of a freezer stash – here are six ways that you can increase your milk supply as an exclusive pumper.
1. Take Fenugreek and Other Lactation-Promoting Herbs
Many women use herbal galactagogues to increase supply, and I personally have had a lot of success with them. Fenugreek is probably the most popular of these, and some mothers see an increase in pumping output after 24-72 hours of starting it. A detailed overview of fenugreek is available here, but the short version is that you can buy it online or in the grocery store, and generally, you can start with 2 capsules 3 times per day, and wait to see if you start to smell like maple syrup. If you don’t, you may need to increase your dosage, with the upper cap being 4 capsules 4 times per day. Smelling like maple syrup is key – that means its working! Once your output has gone up, fenugreek can typically be discontinued and the increased supply will stay (as long as you keep pumping).
Another option is “nursing teas.” These teas contain a mixture of herbs (like fenugreek, blessed thistle, and fennel seed) and are intended to be used continuously, because the dosage is much lower than herbs such as fenugreek in capsule form.
2. Eat Oatmeal
Although there is no scientific research on this, enough women have noticed an increase in pumping output when they eat oatmeal that many lactation consultants recommend it as a way of increasing supply. Your can have a bowl of old-fashioned oats for breakfast, cook with them (i.e., oatmeal cookies, pancakes, etc.), or try some lactation bars (these Oat Mama bars in particular are delicious – I really like the Peanut Butter Chocolate).
With baby #2, I did an unscientific experiment to see if it would work for me, with some success. Currently, I’m nursing and pumping for baby #3, and I notice about an 1-2 oz increase in the amount I pump on days when I eat oatmeal or have a bar for breakfast.
3. Pump More Often or For Longer Periods of Time
It’s really important to pump enough in order to remove as much milk as possible from your breasts (which encourages your body to make more) and to provide nipple stimulation. You can try adding an extra pumping session or adding time to your existing sessions. At first, the amount of milk you pump will probably stay the same, just spread out across the extra sessions/time. However, after a few days, you will hopefully notice an increase in output. Make sure that you get the most out of your pumping sessions by doing breast compressions and setting your pump to the right speed.
I would caution, however, to be careful not to overdo it. Ideally, if you are exclusively pumping, you should spend two hours per day pumping. If you need to up that to get more milk, personally, I would not recommend going any higher than three hours per day. At some point, it’s just too much and will become exhausting. Plus, you have other things to do and a baby to care for and snuggle.
Before you start ramping up your pumping session, consider replacing your the membranes on your pump parts (here are the Pump in Style replacement membranes and here are the Freestyle parts) – especially if you’ve been using them for over two months. I have replaced my membranes on the Pump in Style and been shocked at what a difference it made.
4. Power Pump
“Power pumping” simulates cluster feeding. When a baby is cluster feeding, they are constantly on and off the breast, trying to get more milk. Many newborns – whether nursed or fed from a bottle – will have fussy evenings where they are hard to soothe and eat a great deal on and off over the course of a few hours. Cluster feeding in babies that are nursed signals the mother’s body to make more milk. This will also help you get more letdowns.
To mimic cluster feeding, hook yourself up to the pump (hands-free, of course) and pump on and off for an hour (say, 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off) while you watch TV or read something. Try to make it as fun and easy as you can by doing something that you enjoy while you pump, as relaxation should have a positive impact on your output. (Nothing tells your body to make more milk like pumping your way through a Making a Murderer marathon.)
5. Try Domperidone or Reglan
There are two medications that are not intended for increasing milk supply, but have the side effect of doing so. These are Domperidone and Reglan, and they work by by blocking dopamine receptors, which results in an increase in prolactin levels. These drugs will not work in women that already have normal prolactin levels. Both of these medications normally work within 3-4 days.
A few cautions about these drugs – Reglan is contraindicated in women with a history of depression, as one of its side effects is severe depression. Domperidone has fewer side effects, and is widely used in Canada and other countries; however, the FDA issued a much-criticized warning against it in 2004, which can make getting it somewhat complicated, but possible. Your doctor can prescribe it for you and you’ll need to get it from a compounding pharmacy.
6. Drink Beer
Beer – by which I mean “real” beer, like Guinness, not so much Miller Light (and I say this as a die-hard lover of Miller Lite) – may stimulate milk production.
Now, this one is a bit controversial. Some moms swear by it, most major websites (babycenter, kellymom) say that it doesn’t help. One thing that I noticed when reading those sites, though, is that they are all talking about nursing infants and the amount they take in, versus pumping output. It seems to me – and I am admittedly no expert – that nursing infants might take in less milk for any number of reasons that don’t apply to pumping: they don’t like the taste, the very small amount of alcohol relaxes them and they are less hungry, etc. (Your breast pump doesn’t get tired when you’ve had a Guinness.) In any case, I think this one falls into the “worth a shot if you like beer” category.
Obviously, be careful not to overdo it while you’re nursing. You can also drink non-alcoholic beer if you are concerned about drinking and nursing, or you can test the alcohol level of your milk with milkscreen.
If you find you do need to supplement with formula, here are some tips on how to do it while exclusively pumping.
Note: About a year after I wrote this post, I did a survey of exclusive pumpers that asked about the effectiveness of all of these strategies for increasing milk supply. I wrote up the results (along with additional detail about each of these methods) in an e-book, which you can find out more about here. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for your valuable information
I found it very hellful.
I am encouraged to know I am not the only one to struggle with my milk supply
Thank you 🙂
Fenugreek has been proven to work https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055CJ2NO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0055CJ2NO&linkCode=as2&tag=bodybuilweb-20&linkId=PMUIBALFJLU42HOA
Thank you so much for this! For nearly a year I barely had any trouble with my milk supply, but for some reason it started to drop. I used your tip of pumping for a longer period of time and now everything is back to normal :-). I should have known to do this, because this is what I did in the beginning to establish my milk supply but I totally wasn’t thinking of this.
What the probably causes of decrease the feeding ….
Do NOT use Reglan if you don’t have to. It is NOT meant for lactation. My GI prescribed it to me for my gastroparesis because it’s the only drug available. I never filled the script because she said the med often causes a permanent tremor/twitch.
Domperidone is great! Be careful with the reglan. I tried it, but quit after 4-5 days because of side effects. it made me so tired but also made me so anxious. I am on Domperidone (Motilium) since Mark’s was 2 months old. It is easy to take and increases milk. When you stop taking the pills..you milk slows so you have to keep up with the pills. The herbals are blessed thistle and fenugreek which need to be takend together. You can take the herbals to increase milk flow,. The herbals usually work when you are just a little low and have not stopped bf. So if you are still pumping and a little low try the herbals. If you stopped for a period of time you will need the Domperidone. I took both at one point which is fine. I get Domperidone online to save money. It was my friend, actually, who suggested I try Dom. She said just search in Google for this keyword “GETDOM4BF” to find the reliable source.
Super helpful thank u. I’ve had an off couple days and didn’t pump as much and my output went down so tomorrow I’m gonna power pump and try some tea to get it back up. She’s almost 5 months and I just can’t wait to unhook from this pump. It’s exhausting but she’s straight breast milk so I’m proud of that.
same with me -around Christmas we had so many visitors and things going on, I didn’t pump as often and now I am struggling to get it back. She is now 3 months old and straight breast milk.
You recommend 2 hours a day for pumping and to not exceed 3. Is this recommendation for a 24 hour period or only for the “day time” hours?
A 24 hour period! 🙂
Question, my baby is one week old and Ive breastfeed her since she was born but I started to pump because I have lots of nipple pain but it seems I get more milk out of one breast than the other, it’s like if it really don’t have any milk.. What can I do to get more milk like my other breast???
It’s pretty normal to get more from one breast than the other, unfortunately. I would suggest doing your normal pumping sessions, and then (if you have time), adding some additional time in with the breast that isn’t producing as much. That may help a bit. Good luck!
I have a two month old son who I have breast feed since he was bored. But I usually just pump and give it to him in a bottle. Now that he’s getting bigger he is obviously eating more and I’m not sure how I can produce more. Right now I produce every 8 hours and I can pump out 10 or so oz. He eats 6 oz every 4 hours or so. What could I do?
Hi Jessica, what have you tried so far?
I have 4 months daughter. My brest milk is very low. Now she is growing with brest milk and formula. She eats 90ml every 3 hours. I want increase and give only my milk to her. So how can I do?
Please help me. I am worring about lactation.
Hi there – what have you tried?
i have done power pumping for nearly 3 weeks (since Jan 20) as my supply has dropped due to the return of menstruation. the exact time as you’ve mentioned: 40 mins out of an hour, every day from 7.30-8.30 am. the first day was stunning, i got 200ml (50ml for the left side after feeding the baby at 6am, 150ml for the right side). sadly, after that and up to now, everything has been nothing but a big disappointment, ranging from 80ml-120ml for that an hour. my LO is almost 6 months and has 130ml every 3.5 hours, 4 feeds during the day and anytime during the night (we cosleep). besides, i pump 3 more times (at 10.30 am, 2.30 pm and 6pm), each time i pump for 20 minutes, rest for 10 mins and pump the second turn for another 10 mins (try to make it like power pumping again). the overall result is 360-470ml/ day (the lowest is around my period). do you have any recommendation for me to increase my supply? i pump during the day and breastfeed during the night. i desperately want breastmilk for my baby until at least 1 year of age:( plz rep to me soon. thanksssssssss!
Hi! HAve you tried a Calcium-Magnesium supplement? That can help if the supply loss is due to your period. More info here:
https://exclusivepumping.com/what-to-do-when-your-period-tanks-your-milk-supply/
i have indeed. it helped but not much. i expect power pumping would be the final key but then the result was not better that much. i have to suffer from supply loss for nearly half a month (some days after ovulation till the period finishes) and have to pump hard to recover the supply for the other half of the month. and then the cycle is repeated. i’m just wondering whether power pumping can be helpful so that i can keep on moving the way i’m doing?
I think it will help (though everyone is so different, it’s impossible to know for sure)! The thing with power pumping is that it can take a few days to see the increase, so if it’s at all possible to start BEFORE you think that drop will start, that will help. Good luck!
I have been taking fenugreek. I take three a day total. Should I increase to taking two capsules three times per day?
Yes – that’s a good starting dose.
Thank you
Healthy nursing tea is an organic herbal supplement to maintain/increase breast milk production. I had luck with the stuff and got my supply boosted within a couple of days.
I am exclusively pumping and seem as my milk supply is leaving. How often should I pump to increase again she is 2weeks old
Hi! I would suggest doing 8 times a day for 15 minutes each time.
What is the average Oz should you have each pump??
Hi Desii! It totally depends on the mom. some get a few drops, some get up to 20oz each session. I would say the average amount is probably around 2-4oz?
I drank boiled fenugreek water.
I think fenugreek capsules might be a good option! I haven’t heard of boiled fenugreek water but I’m guessing the dose is not high enough. Here is more information on dosage:
https://exclusivepumping.com/fenugreek-for-increasing-milk-supply/
hi
where can I buy the nursing tea at any suggestions?
Hi Angela! Try Amazon or Whole Foods!
You can get nursing teas at your local grocery store. Walmart or Kroger etc
Hi! I’ve been exclusively pumping since the beginning, and my daughter is 11 months 1 week old! I’m losing my supply. I’m taking feungreek, drinking milk tea, using a feungreek and blessed thistle drink mix, trying to drink more water, power pumping, eating milkmaid cookies, a just got boobie bars. I’m trying to get to the 1 year mark without formula, but I don’t know what else to do. I’m at 15 oz a day. I pump 4-5 times, 3 are 20 min, 2 are 1 hour. She has 3 bottles a day, plus solids. Any tips?
Hi Deanna! What does of fenugreek are you taking and how often are you taking it? It sounds like you are doing a great job and doing all the right things!
UpSpring Milkflow fenugreek +blessed thistle. I was using 2 per day, according to the bottle, but now 4-6, after reading your blog. I just worry it’s not enough. We’ve been giving more solids if she’s hungry. How much breast milk does she need at this point? I don’t want to switch to formula because I have only 3 weeks to make it till she’s 1 year, and can have milk!
It sounds like you’re doing awesome! Once she switches to cow’s milk, they aren’t supposed to have more than 24oz a day and that is the max – so probably between 15-20oz per day now would be good?? Random thought – is there any way you can move her 12 mo appointment up a week or two and get the go-ahead for milk? I’m not a doctor (and am not recommending this) but started my third kid on milk a few weeks early. Not much, I just put a splash of it in her bottles at first and slowly increased the amount.
I asked my doctor, add she said to wait till 1 year for milk. Thank you so much for your quick response! She’s not fussy or hungry with what we’ve been giving her. She’s definitely been growing! I guess I’ll just keep doing my best 🙂 3 weeks, I can do it!
You definitely can!! Excellent work making it this far!
My LO is eating more than I pump. I started work a day ago (did not stock up on milk) and baby has eating what pump in a day. Help?!
Sorry… baby is eating in a day what I pump in a week
Hi! How many times are you pumping at work, and what have you tried to increase your supply? Do you exclusively pump?
My daughter is almost 3months old. And i got off schedule pumpin every 2hrs n now a week later im having supply issues. Ive dropped from my normal 3-6ozs to not even 3 at max. Ive tried oatmeal, just started fenugreek, extra water n more pump sessions nothing seems to be helping. Any advice
It sounds like you are doing all of the right things! Definitely keep on your schedule, and make sure your dose of fenugreek is high enough (i.e., you smell like maple syrup). Good luck!
I had my son Jan 26th and had to start pumping due to circumstances that involved us to be in the nicu, within one week of pumping I was producing 42 to 49 oz a day. I took bad advice and now I am struggling to pump enough to feed him. Thankfully we have a small stash in the freezer, but it is getting smaller daily. The bad advice I took was i could go 11 hrs at a time without pumping. When I pumped after waiting that long I would get almost 20 oz, and for the rest of the day I would pump every 2-3 hrsreligiously, and i would pump atleast 6 oz every time. Now I am having a hard time pumping 4 oz every 2 hrs. Will my production go back to being beautiful and plentiful? I had dreams of donating my milk to help babies and families in need. And now I am kicking myself everyday for taking that gorgeous gift for granted and listening to horrible advice. I’ve been pumping sometimes 9 times a day, i drink mothers milk, drink plenty of water eat really healthy. I’m going to add oatmeal and get fenugreek. I will drink a beer tonight and see if that helps. I am mostly wondering if I can get it back to my original production or have it messed it up completely?
Congrats on your baby! So he is 7ish weeks old? I think you can recover some supply. I would definitely use fenugreek. Make sure you that you take enough so that your smell like maple syrup.
What probably happened was that your supply regulated. The same thing happened to me! I was able to get it back up with a strict pumping schedule and fenugreek. Good luck!
Isaak will be 2 months March 26th 🙂 and thank you! Do u know how long it will take to see any results? I’ve been taking fenugreek since Sunday night. I’ve been pumping every 2 hrs, only once was during the night it went until 3 and 4 hrs. What do u mean ill smell like maple syrup? Like my milk? Should I do some power pumping? Thank you for all the advice and help.
It should take a few days – you will know when you smell like maple syrup. It’s basically a scent to your sweat/urine/milk. What dose are you taking?
Power pumping can’t hurt!
Hello,
Thank you for all the information. It has been very informative.
I have a 2 1/2 month old that was born at 31 wks. He was in the NICU for 5 wks. He has been home for about 6 wks and have been unsuccessful in latching him on. I have been pumping since day one and have never made more than 3 oz but last week I stopped, completely. I had no engorgement and was a little under the weather and taking medication, therefore not sure if that dried me up fast. I have 3 order kids and was so stressed out since I was also trying to study for my boards for RN. I took my exam and have passed. Anyways after the 4th day of not pumping and realizing that I was giving my baby the last bottle of breastmilk, I regretted to stop pumping. I started pumping every 3 hrs , started fenugreek and do power pumping once in the morning and once at night. what else can I do ?
currently I get 1/2 oz for both breast, sometimes 1 oz. Sorry if I am all over the place. First time trying to blog.
Hi Virginia! If you’re looking to relactate, domperidone is your best bet. I would ask your OB about getting a prescription. Everything else you’re doing sounds great. Good luck!!
I had twins 2 months ago, and right away, I had issues with them latching. And on top of that, I was only pumping 4-6 oz per session, which was not enough for my LOs. I stumbled on to this site and after reading this, I tried the power pump method, and I went from not having enough to now having more than enough! I’m pumping 3 times a day and averaging 25-30 oz per session! I was super excited that I finally had enough for both babes, and I’ve even been able to use the extra milk to help my cousin who has been having issues with her newborn as well.
So great to hear that!
Hi my baby is 7 weeks. I didn’t store any milk before returning to work so I’m supplementing right now with formula. But I would rather be fully breastfeeding. My pump sessions at work are off because I only have 15 min breaks. Is there a way to get the milk to come out faster. Or where can I get the fenugreek to increase the supply. I have the tea, drink supplement and pills but they don’t seem to be working
Hi! You can get fenugreek from amazon. Regarding getting a faster letdown, a couple things you could try: watching videos of your baby, hand expression, warm compresses. Hope that helps!
hi…I have been trying to increase my supply as I’m only able to pump 10 oz max per day with pumping 3 hours a day. I am currently taking 16 domperidones per day (per dr jack Newman) and still haven’t been seeing results. I did however take fenugreek in the past, but for some reason never smelt like maple syrup. I was taking 14 per day. I’ve also tried blessed thissel and mother’s milk special blend. I also nurse in between pumps for the extra stimulation (but baby doesn’t get much if anything at all-I can see she’s not doing the swallowing and sucking more than 10-20 seconds the entire time). All in all, I am supplementing more than half the time with formula. I was wondering if you have any other tips?
Hi Sheila! It sounds like you are trying everything that I would recommend. I wish that I had better advice for you – how old is your baby? And have you gotten your period back yet? It sounds like you are doing a great job!
I did not get my period yet. My baby is 4 months old now. I just don’t understand why my output is not becoming higher. I’ve been logging the amounts I’m pumping at each session, too. It seems to either be the same or less each time.
Hello. I have been exclusively pumping for since my baby was 2 weeks old. She is now 3 months old. I was pumping 6 to 7 times per day, but have decided that it was consuming my life and I wasn’t able to do anything. It seemed like I was attached to the pump. I was getting cranky and unable to be a good mother to both my baby and my older son. So I made the decision to decrease my pumping sessions. I’ve been cutting down my pumping sessions over the last 2 weeks and am now at 4 sessions per day, but I’m not pumping nearly enough to feed my baby. She consumes about 30 oz. to 34 oz. per day and I am only pumping about 20-24 oz. a day. I am already taking 10 capsules of fenugreek per day and drinking 3 liters of water. Is it possible for me to increase my milk supply enough to cover what she eats daily? I would rather not feed her formula if I don’t have to but lately I’ve been having to supplement at least 1 to 2 oz. per feeding. If it is possible does anyone have any suggestions other than what I am already doing?
Hi! How long are your 4 pumping sessions? I would make sure they are at least half an hour. Also, do you smell like maple syrup at all with regard to the fenugreek? How long have you been taking it?
I pump between 25 to 30 minutes each time. And as for smelling like maple syrup, no I don’t. I have been taking the capsules 610mg per cap. for about 3 weeks now. Should I increase to 12 caps per day?
I would, yes. I would do 4 3x per day. The max you can go is 4 4x per day, so after a few days if you still don’t smell like maple syrup, you can increase again.
For more information on dosage:
https://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/herbs/fenugreek/
Hi there! I’m due sometime soon and with my last pregnancy I had extreme difficulty in breast feeding my son. I’m predicting the same for this pregnancy as well. Considering my breasts have barely sized up compared to pre-pregnancy, when would you recommend starting fenugreek? Before i give birth? Or just after I give birth? I really want it to work this time.
I would wait until after you give birth – fenugreek is not recommended during pregnancy because it can induce labor. Good luck!
Baby is finally here! She’s 2 weeks old. I’ve been breastfeeding her and trying to pump but barely getting an ounce when I do pump. She nursing during the day but at night we have to supplement with 1 formula bottle.
I’m going to start fenugreek and milk thistle from today. What dosage would you recommend?
Congratulations! Kellymom recommends starting with 2 610mg capsules 3 times a day. Good luck!
I am hypothyroid and I had an opposite affect taking fenugreek. I went from meeting my lil guys needs to going way under. To having to supplement 3 weeks after birth because I didn’t know what was happening and he was shrinking to unsafe levels. I fed religiously every 1.5 to 2 hours for 15 to 20 mins each side. I took capsules and tea to up my supply when I got home to create a stock pile. When I took fenugreek it was followed by a headache and feeling off. Other moms I spoke too with the same health condition said they got the same thing. I found out very late that fenugreek has the opposite reaction to low thyroid. It makes it lower and makes like your not taking your thyroid meds. My husband found a medical journal on the condition and unfortunately I don’t have the link or I’d forward that. I just really don’t want moms to go through what I did. I found that brewers yeast tablets and cumin capsules are great. I’ve found an increase of 1 to 1.5oz per pump. I’m also only taking both maybe twice a day and seen the increase. After what the fenugreek did, I’m still not making enough for my babe but I have gone from 0.5oz per pump to 2-3oz. It’s a war. But I’m not giving up. Sometimes something is more then nothing.
I started breastfeeding but my baby wasn’t able to latch on. My nipples were super sore..I was in pain every time I was feeding my baby…I was dreading every time it was feeding time. My LO was crying every time after feedings like she wasn’t ever full. The doctor told me to try to pump after I fed her. I barely had anything. I decided to only pump . at first i got 20 ml total..now it’s uo to 3oz every 3hrs ( I don’t pump overnight in the morning i can pump as much as 9oz). My baby eats 5 oz every 3 hrs and i only have 3 and have to give her formula too. I would like to up my amount..I’m going to try fenugreek and I’m power pumping even right now. I can’t wait to see increase.
My LO (2 mo) sleeps through the night from 10pm to 6.30am on average. Since she doesn’t eat during the night I don’t get up to pump either. In the morning i do get more milk then if i were to just pump every 3hrs like during the day. Also there are days during the week where we have a busy schedule( Sundays) when i can’t pump as much during the day. It may effect my milk supply. What can I do to make up for the times I can’t pump?
Hi Rallen! I would try to make up the time at the sessions you can get in. Make sure than you’re pumping 2 hours a day no matter how many times you can sit down to pump. And it’s a good idea to make the morning pump a decent amount longer. It’s best to stick to a schedule but life happens!
Hi, I have a question. I am nursing my 3m old son. I did great exclusively Breastfeeding but now I am at work 12hr days 3-4 days a week and pumping. He sleeps well at night and for my sanity my husband feeds him at night if he wakes up. So I feed him when I get home at night after 6 and if he wakes at 5am. With how my work I pump for 20min to a half hr each side at 8, 12-1, and I try to get another in at 3. I went from 6 total oz to 4oz a session at most. I am going to try the Oatmeal and fenugreek capsules. Is there anything else I can do. Sometimes because of staff issues or how busy we get I might get 1 or at most 2 pumps in like this week I got 1 for the last 2 days. My 2nd child I nursed till 12w due to not being able to pump regularly. What would be a good regular schedule I could discuss with my boss and what can I do to help keep my supply up as well as increase it with how he grows. I try to exclusively feed at home on my days off and I feed on demand but I give formula due to the decrease in supply lately. Im trying to find a balance to not hurt my shift but also keep doing what I love which is feeding my child as well. I love breastfeeding and I don’t mind pumping at work because I love seeing that I can feed my child if that makes sense.
Hi Nicole! the advice here is really more for exclusive pumpers (women who don’t nurse at all) – have you heard of the book Work. Pump. Repeat. by Jessica Shortall? You should definitely check it out! I think it will be really helpful. Good luck!
My baby was in the nicu so she wasn’t allowed to nurse and never learned to latch. I have been pumping exclusively for eight weeks and have never had a full milk supply. Now it is decreasing substantially. I am producing less than two ounces a days. I tried fenugreek with no effect. Is there anything else I can do? I cannot pump very frequently on work days because the only break I get is lunch.
Hi Stacy, what is your pumping schedule and how old is your baby currently?
What dose of fenugreek were you trying?
She’s 8 weeks old. I am pumping 4-6 times a day depending on whether I have to work or not. I take a total of 12 capsules of fenugreek a day
Ok, great, thanks. Do you smell like maple syrup at all?
Last question: how long is each pumping session? I would recommend at least 30 minutes each on the days you have 4 and at least 20 on the days you have 6.
I do not smell like maple syrup. I have been pumping fifteen minutes at a time. I will increase it.
Great – you can also bump the fenugreek up. 16 capsules a day should be the max. For more info:
https://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/herbs/fenugreek/
My baby is 3.5 months old and drinks 4.5oz at each feeding. I recently got my period. I used to pump average 180-240ml at each pumping session at 15-20 mins. Now I’m pumping an hour just to get 120-180ml! I pump 4 times a day and is exclusively feeding. I used to have so much extra milk now I’m slowly decreasing. I am currently drinking mothers milk tea for 3 days now and am taking fenugreek capsules 2 capsules each time twice a day as directed. And I smell like maple syrup! Do you think I will get my supply back like I used to? I’m so paranoid as my son is 3.5 months old and I plan on giving him my breast milk until he is 1! I’m not even half way there yet! Help!
Hi Janet! I think I would try a few things – first I think that 15-20 minutes 4x per day is probably not enough – I would recommend pumping for at least 120 minutes per day. It might take awhile to see an increase so stick with it for a few weeks. Also there is a calcium-magnesium supplement that might be helpful – more info at the below link. Good luck!
https://exclusivepumping.com/what-to-do-when-your-period-tanks-your-milk-supply/
Hi there. First of all–love your site. I have found it so helpful as a first time mommy. My babe is 12 weeks old now. I pump 3-4 times a day and was getting 30-40 oz a day. She is eating 6oz about 5 times a day. However my supply has dropped to around 28-30oz a day since coming back from vacation. I have started power pumping again (20on 10off 10on 10off 10on) in the mornings of Saturday and Sunday. I don’t have time in the week because of work. My question is–how often should you power pump of it is part of your normal routine? I think my supply dropped because I stopped power pumping. Do you think I would be fine to just do it on the weekends? Or should I power pump daily? Thanks for your help.
Liz
Hi Liz! Congrats on your 12 week old – ideally you would power pump every day because it takes your body awhile to get the message that it needs to make more milk. However, I totally understand that you can only do so much. If you could add another regular session (instead of a long power pump one), that might help too.
Help!My milk supply has sufferred in the past five days due to added stress, house move, changed cities n bub crying n wot not! I was doing fine abouut last week but had to formula feed for 5 days a there was so much going on.. ..could uou tell me how tn where to start?!
Sorry that you’re having a hard time! Can you give me an idea as to what your pumping schedule looks like now?
Hello,
Thank you so much for helping out mom’s trying to do the best for their babies. You are AWESOME!
A little background
I had my baby Jan 2017 and also started school then. With a toddler also in the house it’s been a roller coaster. I work in healthcare so it’s hard to get breaks to pump, I try to pump at least twice on my 10 hour shift, but on days that I go to school, I only pump on my way home from school (school typically takes the whole day).
What I have tried
Fenugreek – 3 times a day (2-3 capsules each time)
Mother’s milk tea – 1 cup per day
What I get
6-10 ounces per pump. I don’t have any more milk saved for when she starts daycare
Can I possibly increase this? If yes, what else can i do?
With my toddler, I was able to pump up to 16 ounces per pump on the average
Thank you so much.
Hi! Can you give me an idea of how many times you pump per day and what you general pumping schedule is (doesn’t have to be exact, just an idea)? I wasn’t clear on how many times you pumped at home on the days you work and have school. Also, how long do you usually pump for?
Do you smell like maple syrup at all?
My baby is 12 days old, was born at 35 weeks (no nicu time, thankfully) and have not successfully gotten her to latch so I am exclusively pumping; and am trying to prepare myself that I will always pump. At first, I took the hospital lactation consultant’s advice and pumped 8x per day, with a 6 hour break at night; but I was over-producing and waking up in pools of milk so I decided to just pump as needed and not take that long of breaks. I have her on a very strict feeding schedule, every 2 hours, because she really needs to put on weight; so I started pumping every 4 hours, and got around 120ml (or more) per session which is more than enough for two feedings. She currently eats anywhere between 30-50ml every two hours. It has only been a few days since I cut back on pumping but now I am lucky to get 80ml per session. So, in the past 24 hours I have been pumping every 2-3 hours, to ensure I have enough for her feedings, and am still stashing little bits away. I was eating oatmeal everyday not realizing it had benefits for supply, and didn’t over the weekend because hubby made me food, so I am now going back to eating oatmeal everyday; and he will stop at the store on the way home for the mother’s milk tea and fenugreek; so hopefully I can get my supply back up. And I will try power pumping today as well to see if that helps get my supply back to what is was. BUT… I know as she grows she will require more and more milk and I definitely do not want to supplement with formula ever, but I don’t know how to get my supply to increase with her needs. Advice???
Also, I pump anywhere from 15-20 minutes or until I can’t squeeze another drop from my boobs and then another minute or so to “ask for more”. Should I be pumping more than 8x per day? For longer periods? I have a spectra s2 and really have no idea how to use the settings… the medela at the hospital you just turned on and then adjusted the suction and it worked great.
I think you’re doing great! Everything you’ve said you’ve been doing over the last few days sounds like you’ve been doing the right thing! The amount and length of your sessions sounds great to me.
For the suction – just put it on the highest speed that is comfortable. If it is at all uncomfortable, take it down a notch. Hope that helps!
Can you give me an idea of how many times you pump per day
2-4 times a day
what you general pumping schedule is (doesn’t have to be exact, just an idea)?
4:30am, 8-10am, 2-3pm, 9-10pm
School days: 5am 5pm
Also, how long do you usually pump for? 30 minutes till I do not see any drop coming out
Do you smell like maple syrup at all? Nope (I might not know the smell of maple syrup. I try to compare it to the smell of pancake maple syrup.
Hi! I think I would try pumping for longer on the school days so that your total pumping time about two hours. I know that’s a long time, but it might help.
It might be a good idea to increase your fenugreek dose to 4 3x a day. More info here:
https://exclusivepumping.com/fenugreek-for-increasing-milk-supply/
Thank you!
I don’t think it’s wise or safe to be recommending that nursing mothers drink beer. This information could be causing major issues for uninformed families. I kindly suggest you speak to a medical professional before you continue to post this.
The post specifically references controversies with regard to drinking and nursing. I trust that readers are smart enough to read the post and make decisions for themselves.
I would love some advice. I have a 4 week almost 5 week old daughter. I had wanted to very very badly to breast feed her. Unfortunately she has a bad latch and I have worked with multiple LCs. I have moved to pumping exclusively in the last 4 ays and once or twice a day I breastfeed her. Just yesterday I went and rented a hospital grade pump. I am able to make about 3 ounces every 3 hours during the day and get 4 to 5 ounces with one of my overnight pumping sessions – the longest I go overnight is 4 hours without pumping (only one 4 hour period in 24 hours) because she does sleep for a 4-5 hour stretch now once overnight. I typically save 2-4 ounces every day for my freezer stash. However, I have a very stressful job and it seems like right now my supply is pretty close to her demand. I am pumping 8x per day and doing one of those as a power pump for the last 3 days. What would be the most helpful thing to do to get my supply up? Should I keep power pumping once a day or increase it to twice a day, would fenugreek be more helpful, should I do both those things (power pump twice a day and take fenugreek) or do something else all together? I also wanted to ask how will I know when my supply is regulated? It seems like it is pretty consistent now. I very much want to be able to exclusively feed her breast milk, but I also want to get my supply up because with my high stress and long work hours I know my yield will go down for sure when I go back to work. I have 5 more weeks off before I go back and I am willing to work hard during this remaining time. Thank you.
I left out some info about my supply – this may help you tell me if it is regulated. I had issues with supply and jaundice right away. She became dehydrated in the hospital and jaundiced so she had to stay an extra night. When she came home we had to supplement initially with every feeding and were working her slowly off the supplements for the first week and a half to two weeks. I had to pump after every feeding to get my yield up to 1.5-2 ounces total every 3 hours during that time period while we were getting her off the formula. As of last week my yield was 2- 2.5ounces every 3 hours which was enough for her and I started pumping to try to get a little extra for the stash. Just this past week it became 3 ounces every 3 hours. However in the last 3 days after realizing I have been literally driving myself nuts trying to breastfeed through the pain and barely getting any sleep I moved to pumping. Thank you.
Hi Mel! So about whether your supply is regulated – it’s really hard to tell. Basically what it means is that the milk supply/demand system takes over from postpartum hormones in determining supply. The best ways to tell is if you have a sudden change in supply, stop leaking so much, etc. At 4ish weeks with a consistent supply you are *probably* there but I can’t be sure….
I think fenugreek is a great idea! Usually one power pumping session is enough.
You’re doing a great job! It sounds like you’ve been through a lot but are doing great.
Hi Mel! So about whether your supply is regulated – it’s really hard to tell. Basically what it means is that the milk supply/demand system takes over from postpartum hormones in determining supply. The best ways to tell is if you have a sudden change in supply, stop leaking so much, etc. At 4ish weeks with a consistent supply you are *probably* there but I can’t be sure….
I think fenugreek is a great idea! Usually one power pumping session is enough.
You’re doing a great job!
Hi there! Just started exclusively pumping my 8 day old out of frustration trying to latch and him acting as if it was torture every time. I was getting too stressed and crying at every feed. Your website has a lot of good information! I was wondering if breast milk will still create antibodies for the babe even if he’s not nursing?
I’m only getting about an oz every two hours when I pump 15 mins every two hours. i don’t pump overnight, and my first pump of the morning has been about 4-5 oz he’s eating about 2-3 every two hours. We also are supplementing with formula at this point. What do you recommend trying to establish more milk for a first time mom? (I haven’t tried any techniques yet!) thanks so much!
Hi Kayla! Congrats on your brand new baby! Yes, your milk will still create antibodies for your baby – that has more to do with what you’re exposed to than how you feed.
As far as what I would do, I think I would recommend pumping once in the middle of the night, and I think I would try fenugreek capsules.
https://exclusivepumping.com/fenugreek-for-increasing-milk-supply/
Good luck!!
Healthy nursing tea. I have a very low supply too. Without this tea, I couldn’t BF. you can get it at walmart or amazon. Take 3, 3 times a day. It’ll take a couple days to notice but your increase will be drastic. I drink it daily ? safe for both you and baby:) it says right on the label it’s used for the help of lactation !!
Hi there.
I have a 3.5 month old and have returned back to school full time.
I pump every 2.5 to 3 hours when I am at school and my milk supply has decreased. I have PCOS, and take metfromin to control my blood sugar. Is there anything you recommend to increase my milk supply. I am taking mothers milk tea, pumping, and started the fenugreek tablets, but don’t see an increase
Hi Cindy, what is your dose of fenugreek?
Hi Amanda,
My baby will be 8 weeks in 2 days and I am making just enough to feed him per day but he is starting to eat more and I believe my supply has decreased (I haven’t been tracking it – but I am starting to do so today). I know it’s recommended to pump every 3 hours or so to increase supply which I can do during the day but I really do not want to wake up at night if I don’t have to (baby has been sleeping 6 hour stretch at night). Would you suggest I take fenugreek even if I’m not going to increase the amount of pumping per day ? TIA !
I think fenugreek can definitely work even if you don’t increase sessions. What does your schedule look like now?
My schedule varies a little but I’m trying to pump 6 or 7 times and I usually go between 20 to 30 min. I’m also trying to do power pumps once a day as well but some days I just have no time or energy. I started taking fenugreek (started last night) and I don’t smell like maple syrup I do, however, smell like curry .. is that normal ? Thank you so much for responding !
I have never heard of anyone smelling like curry from fenugreek but it seems like it would make more sense than maple syrup. I wish I had a clearer answer for you!
Hi Amanda! When my little one got home from the NICU I started slacking with my pumping schedule. Instead of pumping every 2-3(output 4-6 oz per session) I went to every 5-6 hours and saw a drastic drop in my milk supply about .5-1.5 oz a session! The past 3-4 weeks I got back on my original pump schedule 2-3 hours. I am taking 4 fenugreek 4 times a day. Oatmeal with brewers yeast. Coconut milk. ( I have also tried moringa no luck, motherslove more milk plus had to stop because of terrible nightmares) I just started on mommy knows best goats rue. I have thankfully been able to get my supply back up to about 1.5-3 oz a session the 3 oz being my first pump of the day. But I have not been able to get it back up to that 4-6 oz point. I have also ordered Dom but would like to hold off on trying that as a last result. So my questions to you are have you ever taken goats rue or heard anything effective about it. Also my therapist recommended something called Plexus to me. Which i have never heard of and I have an education in lactation literally ( lactation counselor)! I looked up Plexus and breastfeeding on Facebook and saw all kinds of good before and after results and just all around great things! Have you ever heard of it? Also can you get your book at a book store or library? So 3 questions goats rue, Plexus, and your book? Thanks so much for taking time to get back to me hopefully
Hi! congrats on your baby and sorry to hear about the supply issues. I do not know anything about goats rue or Plexus with regard to supply – sorry! The book is only an e-book unfortunately, sorry!
I’ve been back at work now for 3 weeks my supply in the last two day has dropped by 4oz. I drink Mothers Milk Tea 2 to 3 times a day to help normally but still. I pump 20 min each each breast (4 times a day). on the weekend I’m 100% breast feeding to keep the demand there. Should I be pumping on the weekend too or have my 3 month old feed more (every 1 1/2) like when she was in the beginning? I’m going to try the Fenugreek too.
I think pumping on the weekend wouldn’t be a bad idea. You could also try eating oatmeal for breakfast – that might give you a little boost. Good luck!
Hello I tried taking the Fenugreek tablets 3 tab 3x/day as recommended, but my 2 month old baby became very gassy and screamed all night. The supplements did boost my supply, but I was afraid to take it again since my son was so uncomfortable. Have you heard of Fenugreek causing this response in babies?
Hi Katie! I have heard of this happening anecdotally from a few women. Ugh – that sounds miserable. That’s too bad! I would probably not try it again.
This is the second time I use Healthy nursing tea. I had milk supply issues with my first baby and this tea really helped to boost milk production. Luckily, there are no issues with milk production with my second baby, but I use the tea to increase milk production so that I could build my milk stash for when I go back to work. It really works and tastes great!
Hi! Love this site! Quick question- I am essentially exclusively pumping due to aversion from reflux and refusal to latch. I have noticed my supply has decreased a little since my baby stopped nursing and I rely on the pump more over the last week. My baby is 9 weeks old, I pump 7 times daily for 20 minutes and get 3-5 ounces for a total daily volume is 24-26 oz. we do typically need to supplement with 8 oz formula per week. I go back to work in 3 weeks and would need to cut down on pumping frequency to make the schedule work. When is the right time to do this so I dont lose the supply I have? I would ideally like to have a few ounces more but not sure that is possible without spending a ton of extra time pumping- I just need to sleep one 3 hr block now that baby is! Any advice?
Thanks!
Hi! How many sessions can you do per day once you’re back at work?
I think 6 by the time I start work( 3 at work and 3 at home). I would love to eventually get down to 5 if possible –I think it is more likely I will stick with it longer. I haven’t tried power pumping yet either so I can add that in but again, not something I can do daily, not sure if the benefit is there if done a few times per week?
Okay if you only have one session to drop, I would do it the week before you go back to work. And yes, I do think there is a benefit to non-regular power pumping. Good luck!
Hi! Thanks for the advice. The last few days, I have noticed my supply has increased so now I am pumping 30 oz daily, and I am freezing milk since my baby is not eating as much. Is decreasing my sessions next week too early to drop if I just noticed this change? Will it drop my supply? Or if I drop the sessions, do I extend the time slightly?
Hi! That’s great! I think next week is fine. There is no way to tell what will happen (your supply could go up, down, or stay the same), but that’s true whenever you drop the session. Yes, you do extend the time slightly in order to minimize the chances of losing supply. Your total amount of time pumping in a day should stay the same.
I’m taking Fenugreek and noticed it’s faster for me to pump the normal 2oz that I usually get. I now can achieve this is 15min vs. 30min. Does this mean I should still pump
the 30 min to ensure increasing my supply, since it typically took me 30 min to empty my breasts? I get lazy and just enjoy the 15min sessions but something tells me I should pump longer. Thanks!
I think it depends what your goals are. If you want to increase your supply, then it probably makes sense to pump longer. If you were just looking to be done faster, then you are probably okay. How many times do you pump a day?
I have been exclusively pumping since my baby was a week old. He is now 7.5 weeks old. I pump every 4 hours for 30 min but I can’t seem to increase my milk supply. I’m only getting about 20oz a day and I feel like he needs at least 24. I’ve tried cookies, teas, and supplements. Any other suggestions to help me increase my supply?
Hi Natalee! What supplements have you tried?
I have tried several different brands of fenugreek and blessed thistle supplements
What dose of fenugreek did you take, and did you smell like maple syrup at all?
The brand for the fenugreek is mother’s select: 2 capsules 3x daily and it is 1220mg per serving. The blessed thistle is 2 capsules 3x daily and is 800mg per serving.
OK great, that’s a good dose. Did you find that smelled like maple syrup at all?
The other two things (besides prescription meds) that I can think of to try are having a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, and power pumping. You could also try domperidone or Reglan but you need a prescription.
Amanda
I’ve read your e book and your website – thank you for helping all of us pumping mums out there!
My supply was established well with a professional (we got to 685mls per day by week 3). I then took bad advice and it went through he floor. After taking all the advice on your blog I’m back up – getting back to the previous level was quick and easy – took a week, no supplements no power pumping. But we’ve then only crawled up to 720mls per day after a full week of power pumping and doing everything you recommend. I have the patience and the commitment but want to know – when you had to work hard to get supply up over time, approx how many additional mls per week were you making ie how long will it take me to get to more like 850. Power pumping is exhausting so would be nice to know where the light at the end of the tunnel is!
Hi! I’m SO GLAD to hear that the book was helpful and that you’ve been able to get your supply back up! I actually think that seeing results from power pumping in a week is really good. It takes your body a while to get the message that your baby “is having a growth spurt” (what power pumping is trying to tell your body) and kick up production. So I think your results are great.
I think my supply went fairly quickly from fenugreek and then slowly climbed from there as I stuck to my schedule and power pumped. It’s hard to speak to the exact rate because supply is so inconsistent – the trend line can be up but individual days can be down. I wish I had a more clear answer for you!
Power pumping is definitely exhausting! Make sure that you are taking it as easy as possible when you do it – watching Netflix or reading a good book or something. 🙂 You are doing an AWESOME job!
Hi Amanda. Not sure if you have some advice for me but here we go. I was exclusively BF but went back to work three weeks ago and started pumping 3x at work but only get nearly15oz total for the day. I BF when I get to daycare and then for the rest of the night. This seems to not be enough anymore as for the daycare started supplementing (with my consent) to make sure she has what she requests. How can I increase my supply? Do I need to exclusively pump? Should I talk to my Dr for supplements? I’ve been taking fenugreek, lactation cookies, oatmeal twice a day and still only pump about 1oz a breast. Only on my first pumping session will I get 3oz per breast. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Hi! I don’t think you should switch to exclusively pumping for supply reasons, I think what you’re doing is good. Can I ask what dose of fenugreek you are taking?
Hi, I have a newborn that is taking about 3oz per feeding. I only make 1oz per feeding from my breast and I have to supplement the rest. I have been eating lactation cookies, taking 2 capsules of fenugreek three times per day so a total of 6 per day, eating oatmeal once a day, power pumping for four days already and trying to pump sometimes between feedings. When I pump between feedings i barely make half an ounce out of both breasts co mbined. Do you have any suggestion of what can I do?
Hi Evelyn! It sounds like you are doing all of the right things. How long have you been taking the fenugreek and do you smell like maple syrup at all?
YEs I smell like maple now and I been taking them for three days now
Perfect! Hopefully you will see an increase in the next day or two then! Other than that, I would keep doing what you’re doing – stick to your schedule and power pump when you can (but don’t overdo it so you don’t burn out). Try eating oatmeal for breakfast and drink a decent amount of water. If you don’t see the increase you want from fenugreek you can talk to your OB about maybe trying domperidone? Anyway, that’s what I would suggest. Good luck!!! 🙂
Hi I am weeks postpartum and started to pump at day 5 but wasn’t too religious in the pumping so did not see any improvements in milk supply.
3 days ago I started to pump more religiously, 7-9 times a day, each time 20-30 min long, but I am only getting 30-40 ml both breasts tgt (dual pump). My baby eats 120ml each meal already. What can I do to increase my yield?! Am I doing this wrong? Did I mess up in the first 2 weeks already and can never catch up? I am very stressed. Hope u can help!!
^3 weeks post partum
Hi! You’re doing great! I think I would give your body a little time to get used to the new schedule. I also had a really good experience at 3 weeks pp with fenugreek – have you considered trying it?
My supply has been completely stagnant. I’ve been exclusively pumping since birth because my son wouldn’t latch (4 weeks early) and on a magical awesome day can only pump around 800ml. I average around 700-750ml a day. He’s 12 weeks today and I’ve been increasing the number of pumping sessions (around 9-10 a day up from 7-8). Each session I average 1.5 oz a breast, pumping for 25-30 minutes. I know my breasts can handle storing a lot more milk on the offchance I miss a pump or two (like in the middle of the night when I sleep through my alarms) I can get up to 3 oz a breast. I’ve tried different flanges, power pumping, teas, oatmeal, and supplements. Right now, my setup is the Spectra S1 with the medela 24mm flanges. I can’t set the suction higher than 3. We’ve been supplementing with 1-3 extra bottles a day. He’s a big boy – almost 15 lbs – and has been taking in an average of 1000ml a day. Is there anything else I can do? Anything I’m not thinking of?
Hi Amber! You are doing a great job. The only thing I can think of that you haven’t tried is prescription meds, like Reglan and Domperidone. Those have their own disadvantages, so I would understand if you didn’t want to use them. But that would probably be the only thing you haven’t tried?
I can not use fenugreek, is there something else I can try.
Have you tried oatmeal at all?
Hi, is it absolutely necessary to pump multiple times during the night also?
I’m a single mom of a newborn (10 days) and I started pumping because my little boy was losing weight while I breastfed him.
He has a bad latch and probably couldn’t get the milk out efficiently.
He’s supplemented with formula right now, and I pump so I know for sure how much breastmilk I can give him. but I would very much prefer him to be only on breastmilk.
Sadly, I pump about 50 ml both breasts combined in half an hour (double electric pump).
I’ve started eating oatmeal and drinking fenugreek tea, and doing power pumping. And I think it may be starting to help…but my biggest problem is the night.
I’ve been pumping every three hours for about half an hour…but I’m afraid I won’t be able to cope with both feeding my child and pumping. My boy drinks every three hours, pumping, feeding and changing him takes me an hour easily which means two hours later I’ll have to get up again.
Right now I have help during the nights but that won’t last much longer. Is there a way to keep your supply going without having to pump as much at night? Because if not, I fear I won’t last very long.
Hi Saskia! Congrats on your baby! You are doing a great job. Okay, here’s what I would suggest. Skip ONE pumping session at night – probably the first one of the night. Just get through the feeding/diaper change as fast as you can, with the lights low, and go back to sleep. The next time he wakes up, you can pump then. Try to get 8 sessions in in 24 hours (though they don’t need to be 30 minutes). As time goes on, he’ll start sleeping longer stretches at the beginning of the night – if at all possible, go to bed then. That might mean going to bed at 8 or 9pm, but it’s not forever. Your goal is to get a 4 to 5 hour stretch of sleep and get yourself through a full REM cycle. If you can do that, life will be much better. GOOD LUCK! Let me know if I can help with anything else.
Healthy nursing tea REALLY helped bring my supply up after dipping around 2 1/2 months into breastfeeding. I have continued drinking three times a day for a month an a half and I am doing so much better. I did try to stop and saw a dip again. I WILL continue taking it until I am done breastfeeding.
My little boy is 6wks on Monday. I’m pumping for 10 mins every 2hrs. I’m getting 1.5oz to 2oz off. Doesn’t seem enough. Is that about right?
I think I would make the sessions at least 15 minutes to see if you can get another letdown. Is that 1.5-2oz per side or total?
That’s from both breasts combined.
My son was born at 29 weeks I have been breastfeeding him since birth I was making so much milk and I had something called Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex so I decided to slow my milk down but now I want to increase it. The problem is I only pump he dont actually latch on to the breast. So what can I do to increase my milk?
Hi Ronnisha! Have you tried anything yet (like fenugreek, oatmeal, power pumping, etc.)?