Will milk supply increase even if no milk is coming out using breast pump?

[Creamtea123]

I have low milk supply and want to work on increasing it but I’ve never been able to express much. Will using the pump still help supply even if no milk is removed?

In theory yes as it sends the message for your body to produce more. Better if it is a baby rather than a pump though, tell us about your feeding pattern, why you think you have low supply etc

Yes, if it’s not an option to feed the baby then get a good pump such as a Medela swing or hospital grade rental. Makes a big difference.

Drink lots and eat oats.

If you can feed your baby this will work better. Even just holding them, lots of skin to skin.

Babies are way more efficient than pumps and some people can fully breastfeed and still not pump.

Hand expression is another option, just to boost a bit.

Is your baby happily gaining weight and having plenty of wet and dirty nappies? That’s the only real sign of supply. Lots of people think they have low supply because the baby keeps feeding, but babies feed! It’s how they increase supply and how they comfort themselves and bond. Particularly in the evening, key cluster feeding time (just when you want to eat dinner).

FWIW I never got much while pumping but DD gained quite happily and the non-feeding breast would always leak or squirt in the early days. Expressing isn’t always an insight into supply.

It may do, feeding from the source is generally best though. What makes you think your supply is low? Is baby not gaining weight?

I could never express hand or pump, hardly leaked, but didn't have a problem with supply, so it's not the be all and end all if you can't

@DingDangMintyBells @BuffaloCauliflower My baby has dropped 2 centiles and I can hear him only getting one let down before he starts fussing, crying and pulling. He then gives up. I try switching boobs but the same thing happens after 3 sucks. He gained ok until 4 months old.

It would be very unusual for your supply to suddenly drop at 4 months if you’ve been feeding fine and baby gaining until now. Could you be pregnant? Have you got a breastfeeding cafe or other support service you can see?

Things that caused issues with feeding with us around four months when it was well established were:

Thrush – check his mouth!
Teething – ditto!
Stomach virus – she was hungry but feeding was painful. She ended up in A&E needing antibiotics.

Hope you get to the bottom of it! It might not be supply, it might be all manner of things.

@Creamtea123 are you demand feeding? I often switched sides R, L, R etc but it’s perhaps an issue if coming off so soon.
Might be more aware of surroundings. I’d try feeding somewhere quiet, maybe even dimly lit and see if that helps.
Is possibly teething- have you tried Calpol?

Has your period come back just when this started?

Power pumping may help as it mimics cluster feeding- babies to tend to be better at milk removal but that's not very useful if the baby isn't wanting to stay at the breast.

Check your pump flanges are the correct size for your nipples- if you have particularly large or small nipples you may need a different size. If you hand express does anything come out?

My experience of trying to increase supply by pumping was that it was stressful and counterproductive. I was better off just getting a bit of rest.

Four months of BF is still a good start for your baby and worth congratulating yourself!.

As well as checking for thrush/teething/pregnancy its worth thinking back on the baby's behaviour. They may be having a growth spurt or just a phase of being ridiculously distractible - my eldest was like this, was more interested in absolutely anything than settling down to feed properly. I found that quiet, boring spaces worked best until he grew out of it. The others were not faffers, it was just the eldest who was a PITA in this respect. I never could pump despite being able to feed, I don't think its that unusual (although pumps may have improved since I was doing this).