4 Easy Hacks To Get More Breastmilk When Pumping

 

Breastfeeding and the journey that comes along with it is truly a labor of love. Statistics and the reality of life as a busy mom are stacked against us or so it feels. I know I’ve only been successful because I take it a day at a time.

As a working mom, pumping has definitely become like a necessary evil. Admittedly, when I first got home from the hospital, I thought I would become an exclusive pumper (a mom that only pumps her milk and does not latch the baby for a variety of reasons). My reason for this was because I was having a hard time latching my daughter in a way that seemed satisfying for the both of us.

After a dozen or so YouTube videos, I was able to find one which made it easy and we have been fine since.

However, I still pump a couple of times a week either when I will be away from the house for a couple of hours or at work for the entire day. It was during these times, (especially after the first 3 months), I would notice a huge variance in breastmilk output.

It started to concern me and I decided to try a couple of things out to try to decrease the incidence of clogged ducts or mastitis. For the record, I own 4 pumps: 2 Manual, and 2 Electric. It is totally not needed for anyone to have this many. However, I found it convenient to have them for different reasons with only one being completely useless (in my opinion).

The pumps I own include:

Spectra S1 – I received this one through my insurance for free.

Spectra 9 – I purchased this one out of pocket and am happy I did. It is perfect for travel and commuting.

Lansinoh Manual Pump – I purchased this out of desperation when I went to the office and forgot 9 pump.

NatureBond Manual Pump–  Purchased after watching YouTube videos that said it was a must have. It is like the Hazaa Pump.

Here are a couple of pumping hacks for increased breastmilk production and extraction:

1. Make Sure Your Pump Parts Aren’t Worn 

When we receive our pumps, it’s easy to assume that we now have what we need to get us through the year to come and that’s that. Ok, it might just be me, but I never once thought about having to get new pump parts once I received everything in the mail.

I chose the Spectra S1 because it was a closed system and would not have to worry about milk getting into the tubing like I experienced with another brand with my first breastfeeding attempt 8 years ago.

Boy was I wrong!

After the first couple of months, I noticed I wasn’t extracting as much as I used to when pumping. Yes, part of it was my milk regulating itself and adjusting down to what my daughter actually needed compared to the ridiculous amount I was producing when I was engorged.

However, a little research led me to figuring out my pump parts weren’t in as tip top shape as them had been. I decided to order replacement parts from Amazon to test if this was true. Thankfully it was.

Once changing the parts, I was able to pump an additional ounce or so on each side. Not doing this could’ve been detrimental by both making me discouraged and affecting my mental approach to nursing, and by not fully moving the milk out and signaling to my body to produce less than what I actually needed.

 

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2. Distract Yourself 

When sitting around pumping, its easy to get a little obsessive about how much milk is coming out. I would certainly find myself checking and double checking the pump to see how much milk I was producing. Honestly, this only produced more anxiety and worry but I almost couldn’t help myself.

Instead, I started using the short time to distract myself from the craziness of new mom life. I take this 20 minutes to listen to music using my new headphones,read a new book from my collection, or something I wouldn’t usually be able to do without being interrupted at other times of the day.

I noticed when I relaxed and ignored the pump, (as much as you could with a machine attached to your boobs), I was able to produce more than if I was sitting watching the clock or the pump.

3. Use Each Mode Correctly

I have a really bad habit of tearing open the box on new products and tossing the instruction booklet to the side. Granted, I never actually throw them away, but I don’t read it at first either. After about 5-10 minutes into trying to assemble or using the product, I end up scrambling for the booklet to figure out wha I should be  doing. I know it doesn’t make much sense at all.

This is exactly what happened when I cracked open my Spectra S1. This led to me almost hurting myself and backing slowly away from it once or twice until I finally sat down and read the manual in full.

The most important part of the manual in my mind is the “letdown” feature. The Spectra S1, Spectra 9, and Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump all have this feature. Letdown is the name of the sensation produced when a baby first latches and quickly suckles at the breast. The letdown is when your milk comes down all at once and the baby starts taking long draws.

When using this mode, make sure to relax and use this feature for about 3-5 minutes then switching to full expression will help produce more milk. The reasoning behind this is because it mimics the way a baby actually nurses. So, be sure to master this function to potentially increase your output.

 

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4.  Swoon Over Your Baby’s Pictures While Pumping

Ask any parent if they have a recent picture or video of their baby, and I would pretty much put money on it that they do. I know I take at least one a day of my 6 month old daughter and a couple a week of my 8 year old (when he lets me and is in the mood).

I’ve found swiping through the pictures of my baby and/or really cute pictures of both of them switches on the “awww” factor in my brain and subsequently help initiate the letdown sensation I mentioned above. Yes, it’s kind of weird and silly, but works. I’ve found the most success by viewing them while using the letdown feature, then moving on to the book or music I chose for my 15 minutes of me time.

Pumping isn’t easy. Sometimes it downright sucks and I can admit I try to avoid it as much as possible nowadays. However, it is necessary to ensure a successful breastfeeding journey if you are away from your little one. Hopefully these tips will make it a bit more productive and enjoyable.

FTC DISCLOSURE: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a small finder’s fee on the sale. This does not increase your price in any way shape or form. Using these links help support the continuation of this website. All opinions are my own. Thank you in advance.

 

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