breast pumping – Pump Momma Pump

I was asked this question today in a DM over on Instagram, and I’ll admit… it’s not the first time I’ve had a bewildered mother ask a similar question. Since Pump Momma Pump attracts mommas who pump, most are coming to seek pumping-specific answers they haven’t found elsewhere. Many times, all the experience they’ve had with lactation professionals is with the one who came to see them in the hospital after giving birth, if that. And I’ve found that most of those experiences were bad. But… Why?

I’d love to admit that the title of the blog was easy click-bait, but unfortunately I hear it frequently. So frequently, in fact, that I felt the question was worth devoting a blog post to. Have you yourself had a bad experience with hospital lactation staff? This post is for you! I hope that by the end, you understand why we hear this complaint so often, and hopefully, you leave feeling a bit more gracious toward them.

* No place for hate *

This is actually NOT a roast post. As a CLC myself, I cannot write a blog post promoting a negative view about fellow lactation professionals, especially ones that have higher credentials and more experience. It is not ethical and goes against the principles of respect and inclusion. We all know that lactation consultants play a crucial role in assisting mothers with breastfeeding and ensuring that the baby is receiving the best nutrition and care possible. They are trained and certified professionals who provide support and guidance to both the mother and baby during the breastfeeding journey. It is important to give credit where it is due and respect the professionals who work hard every day to ensure that mothers and their babies are healthy and happy. The point of this post is to acknowledge the elephant in the room and leave with a greater understanding of why women might not have gotten the specific help they needed.

Maybe you’re only hearing the bad stuff

First, let’s talk about why we hear this complaint so frequently. We usually hear more about what goes wrong than what goes right, right? Think of all the mommas who had a smooth start to their breastfeeding journey…. you don’t always hear those stories. In fact, some mommas feel guilty admitting how well things went, especially around someone who’s had a rough time. Misery loves company. It can feel comforting knowing you’re not the only one struggling, so we talk about our pain points to know we’re not alone.

Staffing and scheduling issues

I’d wager that most hospitals are understaffed. Lactation professionals (I don’t always say IBCLC because many hospitals allow professionals with other letters after their names!) have far too many patients and far too little time. With that many mommas on their caseload, it’s impossible to give each one thorough, personalized, extensive care. When a momma comes to me and says, “All they tried to do is get baby to latch, they didn’t even talk about pumping!” I wouldn’t call that a bad thing! If they have 15 minutes with you, and you express the desire to breastfeed, then yes, they are going to focus on nursing. They’ve got to make the most of the time they do have with you!
*If you yourself work in hospital lactation, email or DM me, I’d love to hear your experience!*

Widespread lack of pumping education

Many members of hospital lactation staff are undereducated on pumping. Pumping was an incredibly small part of my own formal education and a CLC and also shamefully lacking in the IBCLC program as well, as confirmed by a fellow professional who recently sat for the exam. There is an even greater disparity if the shadowing hours they performed were with lactation professions who were not well versed in pumping, or perhaps not as up-to-date on flange sizing, etc. To gain knowledge about breast pumping, I used my continuing professional development hours to focus on pumping-specific topics, I read pumping-centered books and ebooks, and I learned through peer support and feet-on-the-ground experience. I don’t share this specific passion with everyone, I can tell you that! It takes desire, time, and honestly money, to educate yourself on pumping beyond formal lactation training.

“We have size 24 and size 28.”

Say the lactation professional is knowledgeable about using the hospital pump and getting on a pump schedule. That’s an awesome start! Even better if they understand how to fit a momma for a correctly sized flange. The problem then becomes… “We have size 24 and size 28. If one isn’t working, try the other.” Many hospitals only carry theses two sizes! These may be considered “standard” but they are not average. If I had to pick an average sized flange, I’d pick 17 or 19. Seriously! So it may not be the lactation care you take issue with, but the lack of resources they have to use.

Feed the baby

Coming back to what I said earlier about “respecting the professionals who work hard every day to ensure that mothers and their babies are healthy and happy….” That’s the goal! Feed that baby! If that baby isn’t latching, isn’t eating, and the lactation worker has 15 minutes to meet with the momma… do you think they are going to sit there and read your pump manual with you? I don’t think so!

Emotions run high

Giving birth is a wild experience, physically and emotionally. I remember asking one nurse not to touch me, and telling my husband that she was “too nice.” When a lactation professional grabbed my breast to make a “titty taco” to help my son latch, probably without much warning, I was like… wtf? To them, it’s something they do all day every day. To a brand new, highly hormonal, highly sensitive momma, it can seem invasive and unnatural. I am not gaslighting myself or any other new mommas. We had every right to feel whatever we felt at the time. I just know that I wasn’t exactly in the right mindset to offer much grace toward the lactation staff who did try and help.

Compassion and grace

Speaking of which… that’s the main takeaway here. Having compassion and grace. We don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes in these hospitals. We don’t know how many patients they have, how much experience they’ve had with pumping, what little supplies they are equipped with… We only saw one side of it. So, I encourage you to look back on your experience with hospital lactation staff through a more compassionate lens. To think about the overscheduled, probably underpaid, definitely overstressed staff and offer them grace.

Melissa’s own experience

When my son was born a month early, a team from the NICU was bedside and immediately whisked him to a station next to me to check his APGAR score and make sure he was okay. He didn’t get immediate skin-to-skin or do the “breast crawl” we learn about in breastfeeding class. While he did ace the APGAR test, he was on the small side, was very tired, and had verrrry little stamina for nursing. Nurses made sure I tried to latch him often, and three lactation consultants came into my room to help him latch (that’s unheard of!) However, he wasn’t transferring any colostrum/milk and he developed jaundice and landed himself in the NICU to be gavage-fed formula through the tube. It wasn’t until day 4, if I recall correctly, that I learned about pumping. It wasn’t from a lactation consultant (they didn’t even bring up the topic) It was from a helpful NICU nurse who taught me to use a pump and gave me the tough love I needed to get on, and stay on, a rigorous pumping schedule. The gratitude I have for that NICU nurse has far outweighed the bitterness I felt toward the lactation counselors. Several year removed from the situation, I can now look back on it with gracious compassion toward them and the work that they do.

Be sure to follow Pump Momma Pump on Instagram for education, motivation, and support! (And more great tips like these!)

How was YOUR experience with hospital lactation staff? Share with us in the comments!

Must-Have Products, Tips & Tricks

Keeping Breastmilk Cold

June 23, 2024 pumpmommapump

As the summer heats up, we’re all wondering the same thing- How do I keep my breastmilk cold when I’m out and about? Here are some tried-and-true ways to chill out about keeping your liquid gold safe from the heat. (And some answers to the burning questions I know you’ll have!)

Storing breastmilk in a cooler

Breastmilk can be stored safely in a cooler with ice/ice packs for 24 hours. This time range is a bit arbitrary because it doesn’t take into account ice melting/outside temperatures. If you are concerned about how cold your cooler is, consider buying a digital or analog thermometer to keep inside the cooler with your milk. The inside of your cooler should be able to keep milk at approximately 40 degrees. It’s a good idea to refresh ice frequently if you’re using lose ice as opposed to a frozen ice pack.

Is a hard-sided or soft-sided cooler better for storing breastmilk?

As long as you keep frozen ice packs or refresh your lose ice, it really doesn’t matter which kind of cooler you get. I have found that hard-sided coolers usually have the best ratings for keeping food colder longer. Splurge: Yeti Roadie Cooler Save: Coleman Chiller Series. There are really quality soft-sided coolers available nowadays, too! Splurge: Ice Chest Box by RTIC. Save: OPUX Soft Cooler Bag. While these coolers are larger and can store more than just your breastmilk, you may wish to get a breastmilk-only cooler like the ColdGold by Sarah Wells (save at sarahwells.com with code PUMPMOMMAPUMP15). As with anything you purchase online, I suggest reading through the reviews thoroughly. If you will be out in the sun all day (Like at the beach) or in a hot car, I suggest getting a quality cooler with great reviews for keeping cool the longest. (Pricier coolers generally have better quality insulation, in my experience.) You can always do a test-run at home with the cooler and a thermometer.

Storing breastmilk in a CeresChill chiller

Keep your breastmilk chilled in the Ceres Chill. In my opinion, their breastmilk chiller is a MUST-HAVE for pumping mommas on the go. You can put up to 24 ounces of breastmilk in the outer chamber with ice in the inner chamber, or you can put up to 12 ounces of breastmilk in the inner chamber and fill out outer chamber with ice! They even have a smaller version of their original chiller, but the original is the best seller. Learn more about this clever invention in my blog post titled: “Yes, you do need a CeresChill!” Use code: PUMPITUP to save at cerechill.com

Storing breastmilk in a mini-fridge

If you are staying in a hotel, call and see if there is a mini-fridge in your hotel room. If not, you may choose to bring your own mini refrigerator to store your breastmilk in. This refrigerator should keep your breastmilk at a safe temperature (35-40 degrees) just like your fridge at home. Breastmilk is best used or switched to a freezer within 4 days of being put into the refrigerator. For a smaller option, consider this personal sized mini fridge, or a plug-in cooler (This one has a car adapter or traditional wall plug option!)

Using dry ice to transport breastmilk

Dry ice is often suggested for use when transporting frozen breastmilk*, such as when you are moving cross-country and need to keep your freezer stash safe. Dry ice should never touch your frozen breastmilk bags directly, as it could burn through the plastic. Always use leather gloves when working with dry ice, and pack any free space in your freezer with newspaper or brown packing paper.
* I would not recommend dry ice for daily use.

Gimmie the FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions:

What temperature is safe for storing breastmilk? The CDC recommends keeping milk at a refrigerated temperature of 35-40 degrees.
What temperature even IS “room temp” anyway??? “Room temperature” is defined as the temperature range from 68-74 degrees. Breastmilk is good for about 4 hours at room temp.
What do I do if I leave my breastmilk out in the heat too long? If your breastmilk sits out in the heat for longer than an hour or two, you should not feel it to your baby. Instead, give it a sniff. Smells like it’s gone bad? Toss it. Smells ok? Add it to their next bath! It’s terrific for their skin! (Or your own bath!)
Can my baby drink cold milk? Absolutely! Some babies may be hesitant to drink cold milk if they are used to drinking warm milk. Try room temp first, and then work your way to cold milk. Feeding baby cold milk is also a good way to cool them off on a hot day!
Will my baby get a cold from drinking cold milk? This is an old wive’s tale and not true. Cold milk is perfectly safe for your baby to drink. The common cold is a virus and babies cannot catch viruses from cold milk, so don’t worry!
Why can’t I just put my breastmilk in my Stanley cup? If you put warm, freshly pumped milk into a regular insulated cup, it will keep your breastmilk warm. If you put freshly pumped milk into a thermal cup and place that thermal cup into the refrigerator or cooler with ice packs, you are actually insulating your milk FROM the cold! Yup! You’re keeping it warmer, longer, and the cup will actually protect your milk from the cold, not chill it.

Be sure to follow Pump Momma Pump on Instagram for education, motivation, and support! (And more great tips like these!)

Save on Cure Hydration with code HYDRATE2LACTATE

Pumping Support, Tips & Tricks

Nipple Care for the Pumping Momma

September 18, 2023 pumpmommapump

Take care of those nips, mommas! To effectively treat nipples that have become injured from breast pumping, you have to figure out what’s causing the pain in order to prevent further damage. Let’s heal those hurting nipples and problem solve together so it doesn’t happen again!

(Is it just me or do you see nipples everywhere?! 🎈😜)

A bit of soreness or sensitivity, especially at the beginning of your pumping session/journey, is normal. PAIN is not normal. And don’t let someone tell you “Oh you just get used to it.” If you’re experiencing pain with pumping, which has resulted in an injured nipple… there’s probably something causing that injury, NOT just the fact that you are pumping in general.

Possible causes for nipple injury:

😖Incorrectly sized flange- Your nipple should pulse freely within the flange tunnel without rubbing the sides or pulling too much of your areola into the tunnel. For more on flange sizing, revisit my blog post about it HERE.
😖Poor latch- Nursing mothers who think latch may be a contributing factor to their pain should make an appointment to get baby’s latch assessed by a lactation consultant. See if your insurance covers lactation appointments!
😖Abrasion- Rubbing can cause the nipple/areola to become saw and sensitive. I suggest using a small dab of coconut oil on areola before pumping for lubrication. I do not suggest using nipple balm/butter, as it is too thick for lubrication.
😖Pump suction is too high- Higher suction does NOT equal more milk! Turn that dial down for comfort. Pump at a strong but comfortable suction level.
😖Mastitis- Flue-like symptoms, redness, and pain. These infections need to be treated by a doctor. Rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication may be prescribed.
😖Thrush- Yeast can really hurt and itch. Mommas often report random shooting pain in the core of their breast. Change nursing pads frequently and keep them dry! Talk to your doctor if you think you may have thrush.
😖Elastic nipple tissue- If your nipple swells and stretches to fill the entire flange tunnel no matter what size flange, you might need a specialty flange like pumpin pals or beaugen cushions. I suggest setting up a consultation or flange sizing!

How do you treat injured nipples?

😅Air nipples- When possible, go shirt/braless for 5-10 minutes to air out your nipples.
😅Moist wound healing techniques (see below)- Wet/moist wound healing often works better for nipples because they constantly get wet.
😅Warm saltwater/normal saline soak- Use an unscented Epsom salt in warm water. Do not use a Hakkaa suction pump. Many mommas dangle the breast into a bowl of water.
😅Allow breastmilk to sit onto nipples- Your own breastmilk has wonderful healing properties! Dab some on, or wet a small cloth with your breastmilk and lay on nipples.
😅Avoid soaps- Your montgomery glands self-clean your nipples. Avoid washing nipples directly with soap in the shower.
😅Natural nipple ointment- I like Mother Love or Earth Mama! Consider staying away from anything containing Lanolin, as some women are allergic to this wool derivative.
😅Silverette cups or Medela shells– Silverettes have natural healing properties and Medela softshells provide a nice barrier to allow nipples to heal.

What is “wet wound healing?”

💧 Usually what we think of when we think of healing cracked skin is DRY wound healing- airing the injury to form a scab. (This works well on your arms/legs/etc) HOWEVER, wet/moist wound healing works better for nipples because they constantly get wet. If that scab gets repeatedly wet and pulled off, healing can take forever.
💧 Instead, consider practicing WET wound healing for cracked nipples!
Apply a dab of breastmilk on the nipples. Consider a barrier that allows the nipple space to heal, like using Medela soft shells or Silverettes. Use a natural nipple butter after pumping for healing. A doctor may prescribe an all-purpose nipple ointment (commonly called APNO cream).
💧 Make sure you are applying a lubricant before pumping (food-grade coconut oil works well) to avoid further abrasion. Use the lowest suction allowable while still removing milk, and some light compressions to the breast to allow for full emptying. In extreme cases, hand-expression may be necessary until cracks heal.
AVOID soaps. Change breast pads frequently.

⚠️*The key is figuring out WHY nipples are becoming damaged- flange size? Strong suction? Poor latch?

⚠️You should speak to your health visitor or GP if you have signs of infection (like abnormal swelling, inflammation, discharge, fever and/or chills, or feeling ill), or if your wound doesn’t heal after a few weeks.

PAIN is not normal during nursing or pumping. Pain is not something you’ll just get used to. Your nipples will not get calloused or toughened up. If you are experiencing pain, it’s a sign that you may benefit from a latch assessment or flange sizing with a lactation professional.
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When you first begin breastfeeding, you and your baby are learning together. They might not automatically form a good, comfortable latch. Watching videos on good latch will help you know what a good latch looks like, but working with a lactation consultant as soon as possible will 100% help getting baby into and out of a latch and avoid damaging your nipples.
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Breast pumping should not hurt either. Yes it might be slightly uncomfortable. Some women do experience briefly painful letdown. With a correct flange size, lubricant if you need it, and suction that is high yet comfortable, pumping can be pain-free.

Other types of pain you might experience-

😖Engorgement as your mature milk comes in- Use ice packs and make sure you are remove that milk regularly and frequently! Do “reverse pressure softening” before nursing or pumping.
😖Clogged ducts- Check my “Pain” highlight on Instagram for my best tips for unclogging clogs as soon as possible so it doesn’t turn into mastitis.
😖Mastitis- Usually comes with a fever and flu-like aches and fatigue. Can be a red and painful breast. Contact your doctor for treatment!
😖Thrush- Yeast infection of the breast- needle/lightning like pain in the core of your breast, can be white patches in baby’s mouth- see your doctor or a lactation professional for treatment
😖Vasospasm- nipple turns white and extremely painful when you unlatch or take the flange off- applying immediate warmth will help. Look up this term for more info.
😖Nausea during letdown- The sudden rush of oxytocin during letdown causes smooth muscle contraction which can make you feel nauseous or need to use the bathroom. Sip ice water or suck on ginger or peppermint lozenge.
😖DMER- Extreme feelings of rage, anger, anxiety, depression, during letdown that passes quickly. Look up this term for more info.

Be sure to follow Pump Momma Pump on Instagram for education, motivation, and support! (And more great tips like these!)

Tips & Tricks

Protecting your milk when the power goes out

September 1, 2023September 1, 2023 pumpmommapump

It’s September! Storm season is upon us, in many part of the U.S. (Or maybe you’re reading this in the winter when there’s about to be a snow storm!) Here’s how to get prepared before a power outage, or react to an unforeseen outage, and protect your frozen breastmilk.

An outage is coming! What do I do?

If you have a heads-up about a planned power outage or impending storm, take precaution now. If you have a small/easily manageable amount of breastmilk, this will be an easier task. If you’ve amassed quite a freezer stash, this could take some more intensive planning. You’re already here reading this, so that’s a great start. *High Five* You’ve got this, momma!

Move your stash

With advance notice, you can move your stash to a safer location. Chances are, a neighbor is sharing the same electricity grid, so move it farther than next door. If you have family or friends with space, ask if you can store your milk at their house. In extreme cases, I have known families to load an entire chest freezer into a pickup truck and plug it in at their parent’s garage.
If your house is in danger of flooding and you must evacuate, transfer your milk to a quality, hard-sided cooler and take it with you. Pack the cooler with hard ice packs surrounding your breastmilk.

Dry or bagged ice

Run out for bags of ice to load into your freezer. Surround your breastmilk with the bagged ice. You may even want to double-bag the ice incase it begins to melt. If you choose to get dry ice, be sure to handle it carefully, with thick gloved. It is recommended to put your dry ice in a separate container away from your milk. If it comes into contact with your breastmilk bag, it can burn through the side of the bag and cause milk to leak out.

Fill your freezer

A full freezer stays colder, longer. Fill any large empty spaces with crumpled newspaper, or even a bed comforter! If you are using a cooler instead, make sure to pack any open space with crumpled newspaper. This reduces air flow and keeps the freezer colder for longer.

The coin trick

Freeze a cup of water and place a coin on top of it in your freezer. After power returns, check your cup. If the coin is still on top, everything has stayed frozen. If the coin is at the bottom of a cup of water, a full thaw has occurred. If the coin is at the bottom of a frozen cup of water, the freezer has fully thawed and frozen again. Breastmilk should not be refrozen once fully thawed. (Though if it’s only partially thawed, breastmilk can be refrozen!)

My power went out with no warning, what do I do?

Your freezer = a cooler

The power is out… no electricity… your freezer is now a really great cooler, so treat it like one. Surround your breastmilk with freezer gel packs, which stay cooler longer than ice made with water. Resist the urge to obsessively check on your freezer stash! The less you open it, the cooler it will stay, so keep it tightly closed! Consider taping the seal on your freezer to keep it from getting opened, and to resist the urge to open it yourself.

Winter = nature’s freezer

Are you living in an area with current snowfall? Consider double or triple bagging up your milk stash and moving it into a shady, protected spot, completely surrounded by thick snow.

Refreezing breastmilk

If you breastmilk has only partially thawed, and still has ice chunks or ice crystals, you can refreeze it! The clock does not start over, it’s still good for up to 12 months.

Fully thawed breastmilk

If your milk has thawed completely (no ice crystals left) it will need to be used within 24 hours. If you have milk that has thawed longer than 24 hours, give it a smell. If it smells ok, write “do not feed” on the bag of milk, refreeze, and use for milk baths! If it smells sour, dump it. (You wouldn’t want to bathe with spoiled milk!)

My own experience

The longest outage I have personally experienced was 35 hours without electricity. I had several bricks (See the brick method of storage HERE) of breastmilk in my chest freezer and harldy any of it thawed. A few baggies began to thaw and could be refrozen. We tried not to open the freezer during the outage, to keep it cooler, longer. Huge *High Five* to our chest freezer, right? Phew!

Sources:

Be sure to follow Pump Momma Pump on Instagram for education, motivation, and support! (And more great tips like these!)

Pumping Support

Getting off to a good start breastfeeding (by bottle or breast) in the first few days

May 11, 2023June 20, 2023 pumpmommapump

If no one tells you how important that first week is… I’m telling you now. That first week is SO important in your breastfeeding journey!

Building your milk supply begins in those precious first hours after birth. If you are planning to nurse, it will be essential to get baby latching right away. Skin-to-skin helps this occur as naturally as possible, and has many other benefits for mom and baby! Request to see a lactation consultant in the hospital as soon as you can! Hospitals in the U.S. usually have one on staff. Latching does not always come naturally and can use guidance. (If you’re planning to give birth soon, consider taking a breastfeeding course! Many hospitals offer them.) Breastfeeding should not hurt. If you are experiencing pain, gently break baby’s seal on your nipple by inserting your pinky finger in the corner of their mouth and try re-latching, with assistance from a nurse or lactation counselor. Honestly if you’re in a pinch, watching YouTube videos can really help! Feed baby on demand, watching for hungry and full cues (see my Bottle Feeding highlight for cue posts) This means making sure baby latches both breasts every 2-3 hours on demand around the clock.

If you cannot latch, are separated from baby, or choose to exclusively pump, it is incredibly important to begin expressing right away and continue around the clock every 3 hours. A manual pump or hand-expression might work better to remove that colostrum initially, and an electric pump later. (Check my Manual pump highlight on Instagram for demo videos!) Colostrum can be thick and sticky, and an electric pump might not extract it as well as hand-expression or a manual pump can. Collect this colostrum on a spoon, in a medicine syringe, or in a medicine put to feed to baby. A baby only needs about 5-7ml of colostrum per feeding, which increases to 20ml by day 3 and up to 60ml by 1 week.

For more tips on getting started Exclusive Pumping right from the start, click HERE. For tips on transitioning to exclusive pumping after exclusively nursing, click HERE. Make an appointment to see a lactation professional when you arrive home from the hospital if you are having ANY difficulty or pain.

Let’s get technical:

There are 3 stages of Lactogenesis (milk making). When you are pregnant, you are already entering into Lactogenesis 1: Colostrum! Colostrum is so important for baby’s gut development. It contains immunological properties and helps baby pass meconium, acting as a gentle and necessary laxative. Lactogenesis 2: As soon as your placenta detaches after birth, your body experiences a hormonal change which allows your transitional milk to begin coming in. This milk is slightly less yellow and greater in volume. Lactogenesis 3: Through frequent nursing or pumping, your transitional milk will turn into whiter, mature milk.

So when does your milk come in?

Your milk is already in! Colostrum IS milk! What people usually mean when they say this, is when your milk turns a paler yellow and increases in volume (transitional milk), resulting in a feeling of heavy fullness in the breast which usually takes 3-5 days (can take longer for c-section mommas. You can’t just wait for it to come in though…. you need to ACTIVELY work for that transition to happen- this is an ACTIVE waiting period- latching, hand expressing, or pumping needs to happen around the clock to trigger this next stage of lactation. Milk removal should be REGULAR (meaning nursing/pumping is spaced somewhat evenly) and FREQEUNT (every 2-3 hours around the clock, yes even at night!)

Does your milk supply increase as baby’s intake increases?

This one is mainly for EXCLUSIVE PUMPERS- Build your milk supply EARLY so that you have enough for baby! (For nursing mommas, your baby’s frequent and regular demand for milk should build and maintain your supply.)
It’s super important to begin building your supply FROM BIRTH and work work work (pumping 8+ times a day) to build it until your supply regulates by 2-3 months. From there, you’ll have to protect that supply so it doesn’t begin to decrease… but you may be able to pump fewer times in a day. Aim for 120 total minutes in 24 hours.

*This is not a scientifically accurate graph… it’s a rough visual to give you an idea that you “should” be at your max output around 1-2 month mark, when baby is at their max intake. ⭐️ Ideally, you’d want to be ahead of baby’s intake- your supply could build faster than baby’s intake. Don’t use your baby’s intake at 2 weeks as your goal. 🌟 Your goal should be what a typical baby drinks in a day, which is approx 25-30 ounces. (They may drink less as they begin to eat more solid foods toward age 1.) UNLIKE formula-fed babies, breastmilk-fed babies usually do NOT continue to need greater amounts of milk daily.👶🍼 Most babies plateau out at ~30 oz/day from 1 month onward. They might take slightly more per bottle but fewer bottles per day equaling the same daily total.

You might be thinking… What happens when my bottle-fed baby needs more milk? The goal, of course, is to already have that max output amount, right? But many of us can’t, or we might have had a “bad start” and didn’t pump enough in the beginning due to any number of reasons. What do we do then?
Power pumping is a way to imitate cluster feeding and signal to your body to increase output- You pump 20 minutes, rest for 10, pump 10, rest 10, pump 10. (It takes an hour) Do this once a day for a week or two. It should have a cumulative effect. Check out my page on Milk Supply for more tips! And of course,
Supplementing is OKAY!!! It may actually make you feel LESS stress after you begin to supplement!

How often should I pump?

Keep in mind that this is a pumping website… if you are nursing, follow baby’s feeding cues for nursing at the breast. Work closely with an IBCLC for any direct latching advice.

Here’s an EXCLUSIVE PUMPING SAMPLE SCHEDULE for those who need it!
You might see a different schedule that begins at birth with 8 ppd (pumps per day) and ends at 12 months with 1 ppd. That schedule is great if you’d like to be weaned by 12 months. Use THIS schedule as a sample for building and maintaining your milk supply until you are ready to wean. Alter as needed, based on what’s best for your schedule and family priorities.

This is a SAMPLE schedule based on typical/average output. Every mother is different! Every breast has a different storage capacity and every mother produces a different daily total. Some mothers need to pump more frequently, some can go longer between pumps because their breasts can store more milk!
‼️ If you see a drop in your supply after dropping a pump, you may need to remain at a higher number of pumps per day. Do what works for you and your baby. ❤️

What if I got off to a bad start?

Did your breastfeeding journey get off to a bad start? 😓
When I was researching low supply, one of the reasons for secondary low supply was “Bad Start.” I was thinking, phew that’s harsh! But literally there’s not much of a better way to say it! 🤔

We know that milk supply is usually based off of the demand for milk, whether it’s being demanded by baby nursing or by the act of pumping… and we know that this demand should begin within the first few hours after birth, literally as soon as possible. Milk must be removed frequently (every 2-3 hrs) around the clock beginning at birth, in order to establish a full supply.

But… life happens. C-section recovery, NICU stays, life events, stress, etc… and not every mother gets off to a “good start.” If that’s you…. HAVE GRACE WITH YOURSELF MOMMA. That’s the first step.

If you’re under 2 months postpartum, you have the greatest chance of still recovering/building your supply because it’s likely that your supply has not regulated yet. So….
1️⃣ Take a look at your priorities. If giving 100% breastmilk is a priority to you, get yourself on a strict schedule of pumping every 3 hours around the clock- set alarms in your phone.
2️⃣ Get a quality pump, correctly sized flanges, and replace parts as needed. (Exclusive pumpers should replace their valves every 1-2 months.)
3️⃣ Get yourself on a diet that supports lactation- HIGH calories full of good fats and protein. HYDRATE. Google galactagogues and eat them!
4️⃣ Try POWER PUMPING (See my highlight on it) It should have a cumulative effect so do it once a day for a week straight.

⭐️ IMPORTANT ⭐️ If you know that any breastmilk is better than none, and you cannot make pumping top priority, pump on as strict of a schedule as you can manage and supplement what you cannot produce. Like I said, give yourself grace. We are all living different lives and taking a good look at priorities will let you know if you can honestly make exclusive pumping work… AND THAT’S OKAY!

(YES there are outliers to low supply that an IBCLC can work with you on… the info I post is for the average/typical experience. UNDERSTANDING low supply can be really helpful- follow @lowsupplymom on instagram and learn more about Primary vs. Secondary low supply HERE.)

What was YOUR first week like? Tell us in the comments below!