Many moms assume that having a pump with a higher suction strength will automatically mean that they will be able to pump more milk, but in fact, pumping at too high of a setting can actually inhibit your milk production.
Most breast pumps have several suction levels. However, higher suction doesn't mean you will extract more milk. "Breast pumps set too high can cause damage to the nipple and ultimately affect milk supply levels," says Schindler.
Vacuum strength refers to how strong the pump's suction is. Lots of new moms think that the higher they set the vacuum strength, the more milk they'll get. However, if you put the suction at a level that is painful for you, this can actually reduce the amount of milk that you pump, because pain can inhibit letdowns.
If you're buying a personal grade breast pump, look for a maximum breast pump suction level of 250 – 300 mmHg. The majority of personal grade electric breast pumps on the market fall within this range. If the vacuum strength tops out at below 250 mmHg, it could mean a weaker motor.
Role of Your Brain
When your baby suckles, it sends a message to your brain. The brain then signals the hormones, prolactin and oxytocin to be released. Prolactin causes the alveoli to begin making milk. Oxytocin causes muscles around the alveoli to squeeze milk out through the milk ducts.
Despite views to the contrary, breasts are never truly empty. Milk is actually produced nonstop—before, during, and after feedings—so there's no need to wait between feedings for your breasts to refill.
If you're pumping for a freezer stash or to store milk for a future separation from your baby, try pumping shortly after you finish nursing – maybe 15 to 30 minutes. That way, your body will have an hour and a half or so to replenish breast milk for your next nursing session.
Pumping every two hours throughout the day should also help to increase your milk supply. It is recommended to pump at least every three hours during the day. What is this? If you are exclusively pumping, you should pump as frequently as your newborn feeds throughout the day in order to establish a full milk supply.
It is a brave decision to make, as exclusively pumping takes a lot of dedication and work. But it is the best decision you can make for your baby, and you can rest assured that exclusively pumping won't decrease your milk supply if you keep up with a good schedule.
You're not getting let down. If your breasts feel like they're full but you're not able to get the milk flowing out when you pump, it could be that you're not achieving let down. The let down reflex releases your milk from the milk ducts. This only occurs when you're either breastfeeding or pumping.
Then, they expressed at softer vacuums. The study found that milk flow was greater at the maximum comfortable vacuum, and cream content was higher. Main takeaway: Pumping at the highest intensity you're comfortable with is likely to lead to increased milk flow and cream content.
Breast compression is a method where you put a little extra pressure on your milk glands by gently squeezing your breast. Compressions stimulate your letdown and increase the milk flow, and can be very helpful to both elicit your milk letdown and to keep the milk flowing during your pumping session.
As milk is removed from your breasts, your body is signalled to make more milk. The more frequently and thoroughly the breasts are emptied (though breasts are never truly 'emptied'), the faster they try to refill. Oxytocin – which promotes milk 'let-down' or the flow of the milk to the baby.
If the breasts do not get emptied completely or often enough, the body begins to produce less milk. Some mothers say the milk never stops flowing while they pump. Typically, you should not pump longer than 30 minutes, even if the milk is still flowing.
Why is this? The concern behind this advice is that pumping too much might cause oversupply in a nursing mother. For women who are nursing, having a large oversupply can cause problems with overactive letdown and foremilk/hindmilk imbalance.
Ultimately, if your baby has reached its birth weight and you're pumping enough milk during the day, it's okay to sleep eight hours without pumping at night. Keep in mind there is an adjustment period for your body as it begins to acclimate to the decrease in overnight milk removal.
Something I recommend to moms is the 5-5-5 rule. Try and use milk within five hours at room temperature, five days in the fridge, and by five months in the freezer.
Pump at least 8 – 10 times in 24 hours until you are certain that you have more than enough milk for your baby. In the early months, you will need to pump at night, and most mothers find they cannot go longer than 4 hours between pumping sessions.
If your goal is to maintain your milk supply, I would keep pumping at least 4 times per day until you are ready to wean.
Increasing your milk supply will take time, so don't give up. Even dry pumps (when you pump but nothing comes out) sends a signal to your body that more milk is needed on tap, so it's getting the work done even if there's no output to show for it right away. Stick with it and you'll see the results after a few days.
These sessions don't need to be evenly spaced, but you should be nursing/pumping at least once during the night in the first few months or anytime you notice a decrease in supply. Avoid going longer than 5-6 hours without pumping during the first few months.
Healthy infants who breastfeed effectively are often thought to be more efficient than the expression of milk either by hand or with an electric breast pump. Breastfed infants have been shown to remove 50% of the total volume of milk removed at a breastfeed in the first 2 min and 80% in 4 min [31].
Some mothers feel a tingling or pins and needles sensation in the breast. Sometimes there is a sudden feeling of fullness in the breast. While feeding on one side your other breast may start to leak milk. You may become thirsty.
The CDC and most breast pump manufacturers recommend cleaning pump parts thoroughly after every use to help protect babies from germs.