How to Pump More Milk at Every Pumping Session!
Today is a sharing day and you will be receiving the best pumping tips, hacks and tricks on the internet.
These pumping tips will help you MAXIMIZE your milk output at each pumping session so you can easily pump more milk than you ever have before!
Read all the way to the end so you don’t miss an ounce of pumping tips!
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1. Relax to Pump More Milk
This is the simplest tip on the list today, but just as important as the others!
Try and relax as much as possible while you pump. Clear your mind of every worry about how much milk you need to produce at that session and how fast you want to get it out.
Your body will cooperate much more when it is under less stress.
Throughout the session take nice, long and deep breathes.
Another tip to help you relax while pumping, is to have a diffuser on your pumping station and drop in some calming lavender and vanilla.
2. Increase Time and Frequency of Pumping
Staying on the pump for just a couple of minutes longer than usual may encourage your breasts to fully empty. Or, at the least have another small letdown.
Even though It is true that your breasts are ALWAYS producing breast milk and they are never truly empty, the removal of even tiny amounts of additional breast milk could help wake up that supply and demand switch.
Adding an additional 2-5 minutes when you can to one or two pumping sessions per day could do wonders for your milk output.
I know that asking you to spend another minute over what you already have to sounds horrible, but it can be an effective technique to help you pump more milk.
Here is an example of how extending your pumping session would look:
When it appears as though the milk has stopped flowing, continue to pump at least another 2-5 minutes.
The bottle could go from 1 ounce to 2 or 3 within minutes of another letdown.
Also consider pumping more frequently.
You can try this power pumping schedule that I think you’ll find helpful in increasing milk supply, it usually always has a positive effect!
Feel free to click this image and the Pinterest share button in the left upper-hand corner to save it for later!
How to Power Pump
The best breast pumping method to encourage extra lactation and increase milk supply.
Materials
- Double Electric Breast Pump
- Hands-Free Pumping Bra
- Cell Phone or Timer
- Breast Pumping Kit
Instructions
- Pump 20 min.
- Pause 10 min.
- Pump 10 min.
- Pause 10 min.
- Pump 10 min.
- End
Notes
Power pump 2x per day for one week (morning and night).
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3. Drink More Water
Breastfeeding moms know the importance staying hydrated is while our bodies work hard to make enough breast milk everyday.
I even found that gulping down water, specifically as I was pumping, seemed to keep the milk flowing for longer. I’m not sure if there is any science behind this theory, but drinking more water certainly can’t hurt either!
At least it’s a great reminder to get that H2o in or whatever drinks for breastfeeding you prefer.
4. Pump it Up to Master Your Milk Supply
Milkology offers two mini courses now , Pump it Up! and Master Your Milk Supply.
Both courses are 5 lessons long. Which means, they will get you on the fast track to pumping more milk quickly!
Master Your Milk Supply is your online lactation genie that will give you the necessary tools to get you mastering your milk supply in no time!
Pump it Up! provides you with actionable pumping tips and tricks from the pros! Grab both of these mini courses together for the ultimate package of pumping and milk supply tips!
P.S. Want a second pumping and milk supply course for FREE? Just enroll in Pump it Up! or Master Milk Your Milk Supply and I’ll send you my FULL pumping and milk supply course for FREE! Contact me once done and I’ll do the rest!
5. Dangle Pump
Let’s be real here, gravity can be a four letter word to pumping moms.
However in this case, I’m suggesting to use it as an aid in encouraging your breast milk to release more easily by using the dangle pumping method.
What is Dangle Pumping?
Dangle pumping is when you position yourself to allow the flange and bottle to hang from your breasts, using the force of gravity to encourage deeper drainage.
I can attest to this method as I use it every single time I pump and it does work wonders!
This unique pumping technique usually always causes me to have multiple letdowns as well.
It may take a little practice to master, but it’s an essential pumping maneuver for maximizing your milk output on the pump!
6. Massage, Stroke, Shake and Vibrate
It’s not the massage you were probably hoping for because it still requires work unfortunately.
Even so, using a hands-on pumping approach before, during and after a pumping session is a must! Hand expressing and breast massage are all great techniques to master. Getting in the habit of using these techniques will definetly help you pump more milk.
Another advantage of breast massage while pumping is that it helps to ensure you empty completely, which will tell your body to amp up the milk supply.
This happens because emptier breasts more often equals a healthy supply and demand market.
It’s all about milk removal!
Did you know that vibration can also be extremely beneficial to help you pump more milk? Lactation tools, like these LaVie makes are great assistants when it comes to milk flow and removal.
If you’re interested in trying some of LaVie’s lactation tools to help you pump more milk, please use this link to shop and the code LOVEOURLITTLES10 for 10% off!
See also the infographic below to learn how The Marmet Technique can be used before and during a pumping session and don’t forget to pin it for later!
7. Know How to Use Your Pump Settings
Get to know your breast pump and how it functions so you can avoid common pumping mistakes. Most moms new to pumping are unfamiliar with how to use their pump’s settings.
For instance, breast pumps typically have a letdown and stimulate mode setting.
These modes do two different things to help you achieve a letdown and keep the milk flowing. The stimulate mode is usually a faster and more shallow pull and works to trigger a letdown.
The letdown mode is usually a deeper and slower pull. Once you see the milk flowing on stimulate mode, you can then switch over to letdown mode to keep the milk flow going.
See below how two very popular personal breast pump’s settings can work for you.
Medela Pisa Pump Settings:
Start on stimulate (vacuum button) mode at a comfortable level, this setting stimulates a let-down.
Once milk is flowing quite well, you can push the letdown button and you’ll feel a change in pull and speed. It slows down a little and the tug is deeper.
You can repeat this method throughout the entire session as needed in order to trigger a letdown.
Spectra S1 and S2 Pump Settings
Start on massage mode by pushing the 3-wave button. This setting will lock the cycle speed on at 70 cycles per minute. The vacuum mode will allow you to go up to a level 5 suction.
Once you have successfully achieved a letdown, push the 3-wave button again to switch back to expression mode and choose a setting that feels like a good pull, such as cycle speed 38, vacuum 7.
Allow this to aid your letdown to pull out the most milk possible.
Once things stop flowing, push the massage mode button again for another let-down.
These Spectra pump settings are a general example of how to pump on a Spectra.
You should never continue pumping on a certain setting if you experience any pain.
But as you can see, the Spectra is pretty gentle compared to the Medela Pisa and the settings are almost opposite of eachother.
How to Pump on a Spectra Breast Pump
This is an example of how you can pump on a Spectra Breast Pump.
Materials
- Spectra Breast Pump
- Pumping Kit
Instructions
- Start on 70 cycle/low vacuum for 2-3 minutes
- Once milk starts flowing, switch to 54 cycle/medium vaccuum for 15-20 minutes
- Finish with 38 cycle/high vaccuum for 3-4 minutes
- Contiue pumping until milk stops flowing.
Notes
To initiate a letdown, a faster and quicker cycle speed is prefered at the beginning of a pumping session. Once milk begins to flow, the speed can be dialed down and the vacuum increased to a get a deeper pull. In addition to this, ending a pumping session with another faster cycle and lower vacuum may result in additional letdowns.
These Spectra pump settings are based on how a baby naturally likes to nurse.
If these sample pump settings don't work for you, keep adjusting until you find your rythm and flow.
8. Pump More Milk with the Right Pumping kit
Having the ability to pump more conveniently will inadvertently lead to you pumping more milk throughout the day. This is why a portable breast pump and kit is nice to have.
I recommend using a portable and electric breast pump like the Genie Plus by Pumpables or the powerful and popular BabyBuddha portable breast pump (here’s a discount codes for both pumps)!
This is a fantastic pump option for pumping at work as well!
In addition to the best breast pump for the job, equally as important is the milk collection system you pair it with. I recommend using Spectra Handsfree Cups to give you the ultimate in freedom and pumping on the go abilities.
Now you can truly maximize your pumping efforts by not being tied down to the wall all day!
9. Put A Sock on it
One of the best and simplest pumping hacks to effortlessly pump more milk, is to cover the bottle with a sock while you pump.
Why does this work?
It’s psychology!
With the amount of milk being pumped hidden from sight, it allows for your mind to relax. In turn, you are more likely to express more milk than usual.
It goes back to the first tip, JUST RELAX.
10. Take a Supplement That Will Help Your Breast Milk Drain
Sunflower Lecithin has been a game changer for many breastfeeding moms.
I myself notice a HUGE difference in how much more easily I am able to empty my breasts while I am taking it.
Think of how it works as having the breaks off of the lines where the milk is flowing from. It helps grease up the milk ducts so that milk flow is less inhibited.
Sunflower Lecithin is also a rockstar at reducing the risk of clogged ducts.
***Please refer to the suggested dosage on the bottle and consult with your doctor before taking any supplements while breastfeeding.
11. Use Sensory Triggers of Your Baby
Another tip on how to pump more milk is to trigger particular hormones in your brain that react when a mother sees or hears her baby.
Triggering these primal emotions signals to your body that your baby is around and needs to eat!
That being said, keep your baby near while you are pumping. Or, watch some cute videos on your phone and before you know it, your breast milk will be flowing!
Will you be pumping at work?
If so, you may be feeling a little anxious about being away from you baby throughout the day and how that will effect your milk supply.
I hope you will take a sincere look at The Ultimate Back to Work Pumping Class by Milkology.
This 90 minute online course will help you tremendously eliminate some of the anxieties that come along with making the back-to-work breastfeeding transition.
And if you want a more detailed explanation, see this Milkology Review of The Ultimate Back to Work Pumping Class.
Three FREE pumping schedules to encourage more milk production!
Last Thoughts
Those were my top tips to help you pump more milk at each pumping session and maximize your efforts on the pump.
These tips have been put into practice time and time again by yours truly and they really did make a big difference for me!
I hope you are able to use the exclusive discount codes for the best pumping products on the market. I am so blessed to have partnered with these amazing brands who I 100% know and love.
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Read Next: Most Asked Pumping, Breastfeeding and Breast Milk Questions – Answered!