Am I producing enough breastmilk?
Many mothers who are new to nursing worry that their milk supply may not meet their baby’s needs. Usually, the fear stems from the fact that newborns never seem to be full. The truth is that for the first month, you’re likely to be breastfeeding baby around the clock. It’s typical for newborns to nurse 8 to 12 times a day when they’re feeding on demand.
If you do feel you need to boost your milk supply, pumping can help.
Breast milk is produced on a supply and demand basis. As milk is removed from your breast, your body will create more. It doesn’t matter how the milk is removed, whether by baby or by breast pump. It only matters that your milk supply is regularly depleted. That means pumping can help to boost your milk supply.
Increase the frequency of pumping sessions to produce more milk.
Adding one or more pumping sessions to your regular breastfeeding or pumping routine will signal to your body to produce more milk. In addition to hormones, circadian rhythm plays a role in breast milk supply. For many women, their milk supply is most abundant in the morning, which makes an extra morning pumping session a great time to boost your supply.
What is cluster pumping?
Another way to use your breast pump to increase the volume of your milk supply is by cluster pumping. Cluster pumping is a technique used to create a continual stimulation of milk production by pumping every five minutes. Adding a session of cluster pumping to your morning, evening, or weekend schedule could help to boost your milk production.
Does pumping after nursing help with breastmilk supply?
It’s not uncommon for newborns to fall asleep while they’re nursing, which can leave milk in the breast. Using a breast pump to completely empty breasts of milk after a nursing session will stimulate your body to begin producing more milk.
Double pumping for more breastmilk.
A high-quality pumping bra makes it easy for nursing moms to pump both breasts at once, saving time and increasing the volume of milk produced. A good pumping bra and hands-free pump like the BabyBuddha or Elvie allow you to pump while you’re performing other tasks, making it easy and convenient to boost your milk supply.
Check out our large selection of breast pumps to find a breastfeeding solution that works for you. Not sure which pump to choose? Our consultants are here to help. Give us a call and explain your situation so we can identify a pump that meets your needs.