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How to Establish a Full MilkSupply with a Breast Pump Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, Lactation Consultant, Ameda
Products, Hollister Incorporated
After birth, many mothers feel great sadness when faced with If you need to increase your milk supply, the sooner you work
a breast pump instead of their breastfeeding baby. Think of the on it, the faster you’ll see results:
pump as a useful tool. It is a friend whose mission is to help • Increase the number of pumpings to 8-12 per day, which is you establish and maintain your milk supply until you are ready enough to boost milk supply, for most women.
• Increase pumping time to 2 minutes after the last drop of milk or 20-30 minutes, whichever comes first.
YOUR GOAL: Pump a full milk supply, 25-35 ounces
• Have your pump flange fit checked. Many women get better (750-1050 mL) per day, by Day 10 to 14 after birth, no matter
results with a larger nipple tunnel. Fit can change over time.
how much your baby is taking. Your body is primed and ready • Use breast massage during pumping. This yields more milk.
to produce milk now, and if you wait too long, it may bedifficult or impossible to increase your supply to this level later.
• Ask your lactation consultant to talk to your doctor about prescription medications and/or medicinal herbs such asmetoclopramide (Reglan), domperidone (Motilium), or As soon as possible after birth, start pumping at least 8-10
fenugreek (natural plant product) capsules. times every 24 hours (as many times per day as your baby
would be breastfeeding). More pumpings per day equals more
When you wean from the pump (human milk is recommended
milk produced. Use a rental hospital-grade automatic pump for a minimum of one year), you can do it comfortably and
safely by cutting back on pumping gradually.
• Until your milk “comes in” on Day 3 or 4, pump at least • Start by eliminating one daily pumping, give your body 2-3 10-15 minutes per breast per pumping.
days to adjust, and then eliminate another pumping, leaving • When your milk increases, as often as you can, pump your first and last pumpings of the day until the end. Repeat longer, until 2 minutes after the last drop of milk or 20-30 minutes total, whichever comes first. (Drained breasts make • Keep the number of pumpings the same and stop pumping sooner. For example, if you normally get 4 ounces (120 mL)at a pumping, stop after 3 ounces (90 mL). Give your body Focus on the number of pumpings per day, not the time
a couple of days to adjust and then decrease by another between pumpings.
ounce. Repeat until you no longer feel the need to pump.
• If you think in terms of the time between pumpings (i.e., NOTE: If you feel full at any time during weaning, pump to every 2 to 3 hours), when pumping is delayed it is too easy comfort – not a full pumping, but long enough so that your for the total number of pumpings (the most important factor) breasts feel comfortable. Leaving your breasts full increases • When planning your day, think: “How can I fit in my 10 or No matter how long you've been pumping, it is nearly always
• If you can’t pump during part of the day, pump every hour possible to transition to breastfeeding, but you may need help
to make it happen.
• Before you reach 25-35 ounces (750-1050 mL) per day, • Sometimes all that's needed is an adjustment in how the pump at least once during the night and don’t go longer baby takes the breast. Sometimes special tools may help.
than five hours between pumpings. (Full breasts make milk Lactation consultants know all the tricks and have access • Just because you haven't done it on your own doesn't mean Once you’re pumping 25-35 ounces (750-1050 mL) per day,
it's impossible. Seek help. It is well worth it for both you and you may be able to cut back on pumping and still maintain
• Cut back to 5-7 pumpings per day – at this number of pumpings, most women can maintain their supply. If younotice your supply starting to decrease, see the next section.
• You may not need to pump during your normal sleeping hours. With a full supply, many exclusively pumping motherscan pump as the last thing they do before bed and the firstthing they do when they wake in the morning. If you can do Hollister Incorporated
this without too much breast fullness and discomfort, • For most mothers, once supply is established, 10-15 • Monitor your supply at least once a week by keeping a Hollister Limited
written record of your daily milk yield.
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