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Original poster

How to increase my milk supply

12 replies

Buzzbee7 · 27/12/2023 21:28

I gave birth to my baby two weeks ago via c section. Baby is premature and currently in NICU so I am solely expressing breast milk and using a hospital grade breast pump.

I am currently expressing about 20ml in total from both breasts, first I would only get about 10ml. I pump around 6 times including once at night and pump for about 45 minutes.

My breasts also leak milk and then when I pump I don't get much.

Does anybody have any advice on how I can increase my milk supply, I feel as though I am not getting much milk no matter how long I pump for.

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roseheartfly · 27/12/2023 21:43

I had this and I hope you both get there some.

Drink lots of water. Stay hydrated.

Get a Haaka for the I between moments when you may leak to collect that milk.

Massage your breasts. Get a warm shower.

Spend as much time close to baby. Looking at baby.

sandberry · 27/12/2023 21:58

Pump at least 8 times in 24 hours (frequency is more important than duration)

Use hands on pumping to maximise volumes

http://www.nancymohrbacher.com/articles/2012/6/27/to-pump-more-milk-use-hands-on-pumping.html

Speak to the hospital lactation specialist to check flange size and discuss pump settings

add in a power pumping once a day https://exclusivepumping.com/power-pumping/

Put a sock over the bottle so you can’t see volumes, listen to relaxing music, have a chilled conversation while pumping and/or pump next to your baby or while/just after skin to skin

Discuss whether domperidone is a suitable option for you.

There’s a great book called ‘making more milk’ which has all the evidence based and anecdotal ideas for increasing milk supply Like foods which may increase supply. Maybe your hospital or breastfeeding support group has a copy.

Personally I never made a full supply and later found out I had not enough glandular tissue so it wasn’t going to happen but power pumping and new pump settings did boost it and while I found Domperidone useless, fenugreek was very effective. I hope it works out for you.

To Pump More Milk, Use Hands-On Pumping — Nancy Mohrbacher

Would you like an effective method for pumping more milk? Until 2009, most of us assumed that when a mother used a breast pump, the pump should do all of the milk-removal work. But this changed when Jane Morton and her colleagues published a ground-bre...

http://www.nancymohrbacher.com/articles/2012/6/27/to-pump-more-milk-use-hands-on-pumping.html

DaftyInTheMiddle · 27/12/2023 22:00

I had no luck with any pumps but could hand massage quite a good amount out.

LOADS of water. Drown yourself in the stuff. Lots of oats, Google lactation cookies for recipes.

WillSheBeMyLast · 27/12/2023 22:03

Also, put yourself in a social situation where it would be very awkward if your breasts started pumping out litres of milk through your clothes. Worked for me.

DragonFly98 · 27/12/2023 22:08

45 mins is too long, punp for 20 mins 7 times a day and as pp says also power pump over an hour. Are you using a double electric pump? The medela one that you wear inside your bra is great as you can get on with things.

DragonFly98 · 27/12/2023 22:11

Sorry I missed you are using a hospital grade that's great. The pump above is perfect once you don't have that one. I pumped the same with the above as the hospital grade. You do need to be double pumping though.

Original poster
Buzzbee7 · 27/12/2023 22:22

Thanks alot some great suggestions to look into.

I am currently using the Ardo double pump. I feel as though the pump isn't working for me. It takes me 15 minutes to collect 10ml, whereas hand expressing takes a few minutes.

The hospital nurse checked the breast shell sizes with me so I'm not sure where I am going wrong.

OP posts:
Alloveragain3 · 27/12/2023 22:28

I'd pump every 2 to 3 hours, making sure you do several sessions over night (apparently this is a signal to the body to make more milk).

Pump for 10-20 minutes each side, stopping when the milk flow almost stops.

Massage breasts while pumping.

I'd hand express after pumping as I'd always get a bit extra.

Try to make sure you're getting plenty of sleep, calories and water.

Not sure if baby can nurse at all? I pumped when my little one was too poorly to nurse but then tried to get her to BF when she was well enough; this really helped my supply.

toomanyleggings · 27/12/2023 22:29

You aren’t going wrong anywhere! It’s not actually easy for everyone just like getting pregnant and carrying a child isn’t. What are your breasts actually like? I struggled for weeks and could barely get anything with a pump. It turned out I had hypoplasia so not enough glandular tissue. There are certain markers for this like large nipples, tubular shape or breasts that are very different sizes

CrochetMadRosie · 27/12/2023 22:30

My DS was two weeks early, and although not in NICU, was very small and I had to feed him every 2 hours and then pump to top him up.
I think your milk supply takes a while to get going. I remember at a breastfeeding clinic that I went to, they said that your baby's stomach is the same size as its fist... so if you have a small baby, it's not going to need loads and loads of milk.
I never managed to pump loads even with the hospital machines, but he did put on weight eventually and is now a six foot 17 year old.
Good luck with everything. As others have said, drink lots, porridge or flapjacks for the oats, and little and often for pumping.

Alloveragain3 · 27/12/2023 22:31

Oh actually, I think the advice is to pump for 1-2 minutes after milk flow has stopped when you're establishing supply.

Good luck!

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