Lactation Consultant

Pumping can be very frustrating when you feel like you’re not able to express enough milk. For some women, they can pump several ounces in just ten minutes while others can only seem to get one ounce or two ounces after pumping for a half an hour. For me, I was never able to pump more than four ounces from both sides combined. My lactation consultant told me that how much you can pump is not an indication of how much your baby is getting. She said that babies are much more efficient at extracting milk than the pump That said, pumping is sometimes a necessity and there are ways to increase the amount that you can pump. Below is a list of tips and ideas to help you get more from the breast and from pumping. Remember that if you have any concerns about your milk supply/production you should consult an experienced lactation consultant.

• Drink lots and lots of water! Be sure that you are drinking enough water to keep your milk production up. Downing a couple glasses of water right before pumping will also help.
• Two-for-one: Whenever possible, pump on both sides at the same time OR, if your really talented, pump on the other side while you are nursing.
• Fresh Squeezed – Give your breasts a good massaging before hittin’ the pump. This will loosen up your milk ducts and make for an easier let-down while pumping.
• Pump somewhere relaxing and look at a picture of your baby if he or she isn’t around.
• Herbal Supplements – Work with your doctor or lac consultant to determine what supplements, such as Fenugreek, and in what amounts you should take them to boost your milk supply.