Increasing the Amount of Milk Pumped
Milk pumping can be a tedious task, and sometimes it may seem futile, especially when it seems like you aren't producing enough milk, and this can put pressure on a mother, especially when you feel this is the solution to continue feeding your child breastmilk. Luckily, there are ways to increase the amount of milk pumped or produced by your breasts, and if you do it well enough, you are likely to be able to produce more than what you initially needed!
To increase the amount of milk you pump, you have to pump milk frequently and completely empty your breasts each time. Try adding an extra pumping session whenever you can, even if it isn’t as long as a regular pumping session. Sometimes an extra five minutes in between regular pumping sessions can make a big difference. You can also try pumping for an extra five minutes after you’ve finished one pumping session, and your breasts are no longer giving any more milk. The extra sucking can signal your breasts to produce more milk.
Some mothers find that using a larger flange increases their milk output. Just make sure that it is comfortable for you, and remember that it doesn’t work for everyone. You can also try double pumping, or pumping both breasts at the same time. This usually increases milk output as it effectively drains both breasts at one time.
If you are with your baby, you can do this by pumping on one breast and feeding with the other. For some women, cluster pumping or pumping and feeding every half hour for several consecutive hours can increase their milk supply. This is pretty tedious, though, and you will need a day where you don’t do much else but feed and pump.
Finally, you may think that your output is low, but in reality your child is just eating more because they are going through a growth spurt. It is normal for a baby to eat more during growth spurts. The big appetite that comes with it is usually temporary, though your child should definitely be eating more as they get older. Just be sure that it is your child who wants to eat more food, and that you are not overfeeding your child. Monitor their weight regularly. Once a month is good for older babies, and twice a week for younger.
Next Article: Breastmilk Containers and Storage
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