Pumping with only a few mls?

[Jadefeather7]

I’ve been told to pump between feeds as my baby is having formula top ups and I need to increase my supply however I can only get a few mls from pumping so is it pointless to pump as milk isn’t really being removed? Thanks

It takes a while to get into a routine with pumping and getting used to how to time it correctly and know what to expect. I've been doing it about 5 months now, and much more in the last month as I'm back working, but I still sometimes get next to nothing and other sessions get 200+ml between the two sides.

Have you got a silicone suction pump like a HaaKaa? They're really good for using on the other side when feeding to collect otherwise wasted let down, and if you don't have a double pump can be used on the other side.

How often are you feeding? It does take at least 90 mins for my breasts to be full enough again to get a decent pump and then if it feed to soon after (less than an hour) my DS gets frustrated that the flow is too slow and it's too much work.

There's no denying it's a faff and you have to be really commited to doing it to get a good amount built up. Good luck!

Who’s told you this?

Pumping is a pita, doesn’t work for everyone, and doesn’t increase supply as much as a baby.

I’d feed more if you can. As much as you can. Let the baby comfort suck as much as you can stand. Reducing formula top ups will also increase your supply better than trying to pump.

If you do need to pump then you need to do it regularly, at the same time of day. It takes about 3 days for your body to start producing more.

Thanks I haven’t got a haka but when I’m feeling I only leak for about 20 seconds on the other side so there would only be a few drops to collect. At the moment I’m feeding every 3 hours. I’m trying to pump an hour after the feed but never really got more than 10 mls and that’s after going for maybe 40 mins.

I’m not confident reducing formula as my baby sleeps on the breast mostly (nothing works to encourage active feeding including compressions). I suspect I may have Insufficient glandular tissue but not sure. If that’s right then I probably won’t ever be able to produce enough milk. If I reduce formula and my supply really is low I risk dehydrating her I’m wanting to try though so I need to be removing milk as much as possible and that’s why I’m trying the pump.

The HaaKaa will collect more than just the initial leak - because it uses suction it does draw out more. Even on a 'bad' collection I'd always get at least 30ml (granted I've always had quite a strong supply) and if you do that on every feed it does add up.

The PP is right in that it's definitely a different stimulation from a baby feeding but that's why I've persevered with using a silicone pump on the other side whilst feeding as my body seems to respond better because the baby is there feeding too.

Also some pumps are better than others. I've used a Tommee Tippee manual hand pump, the HaaKaa and an Elvie Pump and get different responses to all of them, but the time of day really plays a part too. Pumping in the middle of the night is really annoying but is a great time for a strong supply. Even if you don't get much in the late evening, it's worth trying to keep going because it's like when a baby cluster feeds late evening and putting in the order of milk needed for the next day.

I agree, I'd be concerned about dropping or reducing formula feeds especially coming into summer and warmer weather. Maybe ask your midwife or a La Leche League advisor.

Overall I'd say increasing supply through pumping, and just pumping at all, is a faff, but can be done. A friend of mine was only getting 5 or 10mls per pumping session but then switched pump and now gets 100+