My Tips and Tricks for Pumping

Where to begin?

Always start with stimulation mode and the minute you see milk is flowing out consistently, then switch to expressive mode. Then once no more milk is coming out, wait 1-2 minutes and change back to stimulation mode to create another letdown, and continue cycle. Women can have multiple let downs in one pumping session. ⠀⠀

🍼Check for correct flange size I’m a 21mm. If you are using the wrong size, it can decrease supply. ⠀

🍼The nipple should be centered in the flange. If the nipple is pressed against the side, it can lead to irritation. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

🍼Always check duckbill/membranes- if they are loose or doesn’t close flat or the membrane doesn’t lay perfectly flat, then suction won’t be as strong.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

🍼If you notice a decrease in supply, think about switching to a hospital grade pump which you can rent from your local hospital or if in Los Angeles from @pumpstation ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

How long to pump for?

Everyone is different, and everyone’s breast capacity is different, so you need to do a little trial and error. Some women can empty their breasts in 5 minutes, and others can take 20 minutes. I try to mimic how long baby nurses to give me an idea of how long to pump. Remember that in the beginning baby is not as efficient at sucking, so they take longer to nurse. For me, it takes 7-10 minutes to pump. However, I try to have a couple more let downs to create more milk (as I’m donating to another mama) so I usually stay on 5-10 minutes longer. And sometimes I get lost answering questions on Instagram and pump longer than I intend.⠀⠀⠀

Let me know what questions you have below and if you have any tips in the comments below!